langkawi magazine

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The Datai Hotel - an Asian Review

For some years there have been several celebrated holiday hotels in Indonesia and Thailand, but recently two luxurious resorts have been built in Malaysia, about which less has been written. So I went to review them.

Compared to many resorts in the Caribbean, which must be the main rival to the Far East, the Malaysian ones offer better food, better service, and better security.

Oriental hotels also tend to attract a slightly different type of guest from those in the Caribbean - rather more discreet, subdued, and less social: you would be unlikely to find yourself at the next-door table to Michael Winner.

By almost any international standards, Malaysian hotels offer excellent value for money. In case some might not agree, I have tried to list every possible disadvantage of the Datai, thus hoping to lessen any chance of a disappointed customer.

There were two reasons for my initial disappointment at the Datai. My ideal tropical resort is probably less than forty rooms, and I prefer these rooms to be individual buildings, not linked by corridors. These conditions are idealized in the now famous Aman Resorts.

The Datai is larger than I expected (108 rooms), and most of the rooms are in two large buildings. However, the hotel in no way pretends to occupy the same niche as the various Aman Resorts: it is far cheaper, thus enabling people to get nearly the same level of luxury and service, while paying lower prices.

I am fairly certain that no other hotel in Asia has a comparable setting to the Datai, which is surrounded by lowland tropical rainforest - a storybook jungle. This is a welcome change from the gardens of most tropical hotels - usually the eternal cliche of screeching bougainvillea.

The Datai has been designed to fit sympathetically amongst the huge luxuriant trees, which are still the home of sea eagles, lemurs, and flying squirrels. The scenery is more dramatic than anything in the Caribbean, with the exception of Dominica (where no hotel is anywhere near as good).

For aesthetic and environmental reasons, the Datai has been built well above the beach. This might be a disadvantage to some, who can't handle the 170 steps, but most guests relish the walk, and free transport is available.

I was given a 'corner suite' which was very spacious and soothing. The bed was large and comfortable, and the rooms were furnished with plenty of tables and chairs. But even though the room was magnificent, I didn't truly love it.

The modern semi-oriental design is elegant, stylish and original. It would look marvelous in Interiors, but - to be guiltily carping - I found it slightly too severe, too much the product of design. The armchairs are uncomfortable unless you are shaped like one of Picasso's late portraits and the stylish chaise longue was unusable.

Hotel rooms never have sufficient or satisfactory shelving for clothes, and this room was no exception. During their holiday, people don't want hard-to-reach drawers; instead they want plenty of open shelves (possibly in a cupboard), which reveal all your clothes at one glance, and which take the pain out of packing and unpacking.

The large bottle of water in the fridge is free of charge - a contrast to the many hotels who force you to drink half bottles of Evian, costing nearly as much as champagne.

If you have the money, I would strongly recommend choosing one of the 'End Suites', which are approximately twice the price of the cheapest room. These have stunning views and a unique character. Unlike the Corner Suites, they have windows on more than one side, which makes a big difference: large rooms, which have windows on only one side are rarely harmonious or cheerful.

I wasn't able to visit all eleven End Suites because they were occupied, but checked that numbers 320 and 322 were superb. There is one extra-special suite, The Datai, which is more expensive.

If I couldn't afford an End Suite, I would avoid the Corner Suites and settle for one of the 'Deluxe rooms'. The nicest are those that are on the highest floor and that face the sea. Try getting numbers 110 - 115, or 101 - 106. The standard Deluxe rooms are designed so that the window-side of the room can be entirely opened up - thus making the room delightfully open and airy.

There are also several villas dotted among the trees. They are very much for those who want a close experience of the jungle, and who won't mind the mild claustrophobia that goes with it - nor the walk to the dining rooms. I was told the nicest villas are numbers 39, 40 and 41 but, as they were all occupied, I was unable to visit them.

Our bedrooms at home are often more comfortable and convenient than anything we find when travelling; but the bathrooms of luxury hotels can be palaces - with huge areas of marble, glittering mirrors, and white drapery.

My bathroom at the Datai was magnificent, elegant, and practical.

There are three restaurants, and between them they cater for most culinary moods. The main restaurant suffers a little, in my opinion, from the same slightly severe design as the bedrooms; but you can sit outside and gaze at the stupendous view.

There is no idiotic dress code in the best restaurant, no need for a tie at dinner, though you would probably feel out of place in shorts and a grubby T-shirt. There is also a Thai restaurant with views over the jungle, and down by the beach there is a smaller restaurant, which specialises in evening barbecues.

I found all the food to be excellent and interesting. For an outing into the jungle I requested a packedlunch, which turned out to be the best and most attractive that I've ever eaten.

Many hotels, including ones that pretend to be prestigious, now save themselves trouble by offering only a buffet. But here you can order yourself a proper cooked breakfast, as well as choosing from a magnificent buffet, which includes such unlikely luxuries as honeycomb.

There are two swimming pools; the one in front of the main dining room is calm, uncrowded and forbidden to children; the other one, next to the beach, is livelier; there is a small restaurant next to the lower one where you can get coffee and snacks.

The sandy beach is exceptionally beautiful. A great and unusual advantage is that it is free from beach bums trying to sell you batiks or coral necklaces. Equally rare, there is no noise from buzzing speedboats, and there is so much space that even at the busiest times there is no problem with Germans staking out their lebensraum.

A disadvantage is that there is no good snorkeling, and that quite soothere will be another large hotel at the other end of the beach. It is a tragedy that Malaysia's coastline isn't better protected.

Hobycats and windsurfing equipment are available at the beach. There is a health club where you can get a massage, and there is a beautiful golf course nearby, which also has two tennis courts, to which the hotel provides transport free of charge.

Datai takes advantage of its forest by offering guided walks led by the serene, charming and very knowledgeable guide, Irshad Mobarak.

In the end I very much enjoyed my stay in this most individual of hotels. It is superbly managed, and every aspect of the service is outstanding. Even when it is full there is no feeling of congestion in any area; this hotel is guaranteed to de-stress anyone who likes forest or jungle.

The West coast of Malaysia is nearly an all-season destination. The sea is always warm, and even during the worst times you should see some sun. However, some seasons are better than others. At the Datai the best season is usually (and conveniently!) from November - May, when there is no cloud and the humidity is low. The worst season is usually from September - November, when there may be grey skies and rain (though rarely day after day).

Langkawi 1/8/2003