Review of Four Seasons Resort Langkawi

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is situated on Langkawi Island, the largest of the 99 islands making up a small tropical archipelago in Northern Malaysia, only four of which are inhabited. The area became the first UNESCO Geopark in Southeast Asia thanks to its ancient geological diversity and significance back in 2007. Langkawi is also a tax-free archipelago so guests are exempt from the six per cent GST levied throughout the rest of Malaysia. 

Langkawi International Airport (LGK) is just 25 minutes’ drive away at a distance of 20 kilometres. If arriving via car, the roll-on, roll-off car ferries depart from Kuala Perlis or guests may arrive via daily scheduled ferry services from Kuala Kedah, Kuala Perlis, and Penang, docking at Kuah Jetty. The average journey time is between one and a quarter and one and a half hours. 

The resort offers self and valet parking on site. For getting around the large resort estate, there is a 24/7 buggy service or complimentary bicycles on request.

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi  offers 92 rooms in total split between 68 pavilions and 24 villas, inspired by a blend of Moorish and Indian architecture arranged within a traditional Malay Kampung village setting.  All are spacious, beautifully designed and have a designer home style appeal having had a recent makeover by acclaimed designer Bill Bensley. Accommodation is airy with deep Moroccan blue tones, original artwork, hand-selected Moorish and Malay objets d’art, wooden roofs rising up to the rafters and refreshed teak floors. There are also antique mirror inlays, ogee-arched doorways, crisp white linens and hammam style bathtubs for a very stylish indoor/outdoor living vibe. 

Each room comes with private mini bars; espresso machines; tea makers; in room safes; abundant storage; iron and ironing board; in room bread toasting service and complimentary online newspapers. Tech-wise, there are LED televisions with full cable access and DVDs; iPod docking stations; multi-device chargers; Bluetooth speakers in the suites and Beach Villas with PlayStation and Xbox in the Family Beach Villas. 

Nearly all the rooms come with outdoor as well as indoor showers; Yukata robes and slippers; locally sourced organic toiletries; double vanities; make up mirrors and hair dryers. There is also a choice of down or hypoallergenic pillows and duvets. 

The resort also complimentary bicycles for getting around the expansive grounds plus a daily in-room fruit amenity. 

Choices really come down to whether you want a pool or not with the four categories of double height pavilions offering either ground floor and first floor garden or sea views with the eight types of private villas all coming with pools either in the gardens or on the beach. 

The one-bedroom Garden View Pavilions offer 68 square metres of space lit by floor to ceiling sliding doors looking out onto the lush gardens. They come with marble bathrooms and indoor / outdoor bathing with a Hammam style terrazzo bathtub and shower. The upstairs version offers a spacious balcony with views of tropical foliage and palm trees and outdoor dining options. The Partial Sea-View Ground Floor Pavilion offers a patio with direct beach access whilst the upper floor counterpart, the Partial Sea-View Upper Floor Pavilion, have those treetop views through lush foliage out onto the Andaman Sea. 

The villas meanwhile come with private pools and roomy balconies or terraces with the largest ones ideal for family and friends to share. 

The Studio Beach Villa with Pool offers a whopping 172 square metres of space with sliding doors opening out onto a shaded terrace and private pool and the sandy white beach, limestone cliffs and twinkling Andaman Sea beyond. These private sanctuaries are surrounded by lush vegetation at the other end of the pristine beach. The Beach Villas with Plunge Pool are a little larger at 220 square metres with ample space to walk out from the air-conditioned lounge onto the shady patio with day loungers, the pool, a dining area, and a beach front hammock. There is also a private study overlooking one of two reflecting pools and a private spa room with twin treatment beds. 

There are two impeccable family styled villas – the Deluxe two-bedroom Family Beach Villa with Plunge Pool at 226 square metres of space accommodating up to five adults or three adults and two children and the Three Bedroom Family Garden Villa with Pool with 590 square metres of living area set within tropical gardens. This latter accommodation offers multiple indoor and outdoor lounging spaces with daybeds; a pantry; a spacious living room with dining table and a 22-metre outdoor swimming pool. It can accommodate up to eight adults or six adults and two children. 

The four largest types of accommodation are the Royal Villa with Pool at 1,173 square metres, the Royal Two Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool at 1,400 square metres, the Imperial Three Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool at 3,880 square metres and the Imperial Five-Bedroom Beach Villa with Pools at 4,810 square metres. 

The secluded Royal Villa with Pool offers a one-bedroom space which can easily be extended across three connected pavilion suites into two-bedroom accommodation. Situated at the end of the beach backing onto dramatic limestone cliffs, the large living areas feature both garden and ocean views through the sliding glass doors out onto the terrace and have been designed with a contemporary Malay home style. The bedroom features a personal deck, individual spa alcoves and master baths with Hamman-style terrazzo tubs and outdoor rain showers. There are dedicated hammocks gently swaying in the breeze, daybeds and rocking chairs as well as a private footpath leading down to the beach. The two bedrooms are located either side of the living area for added privacy with one featuring a jacuzzi pool too alongside the large infinity swimming pool. 

The newly designed Imperial Three-bedroom Beach Villa with Pool is all about the luxury of space and privacy with a personal attendant on hand to cater to every whim.  The light and area living spaces overlook a large swimming pool and shaded in pool cabana down over the lawn to the beach beyond where loungers and parasols sit invitingly. Accommodating up to eight adults or six adults and two children, the villa offers a kitchen with butler’s pantry, a guest powder room, a private driveway, and plentiful daybeds on the spacious terrace.  The five Bedroom version offers a similar luxurious designer home aesthetic simply offering even more space and living areas.

There is a wide range of facilities and activities to undertake both at the resort and nearby.

As well as the 1.6 kilometre serviced white sandy beach edged with tropical foliage and palm trees, there are two main swimming pools – the first a multi-tiered family version complete with waterfalls, fountains, and underwater jets, the second, a quieter 55 metre beachside adults-only pool with eight walled cabanas encircling it for total privacy with a view. There is a fitness facility which overlooks the verdant greenery complete with cardio and strength machines, a weight room, and a steam room to soothe tired muscles, complimentary mineral water, scented towels, and fruit on hand to replenish the body along with personal trainers on request. Bicycles can be hired to navigate the 20 hectares of grounds whilst the tennis court will keep everyone on their toes.

For pampering, head to the Geo Spa, a sanctuary set within forested limestone cliffs and reflecting pools, with six private treatment pavilions, floating bed platforms and three relaxation baies on reflecting ponds for after treatment chilling, all designed to re-connect guests back with nature. Custom treatments are designed to soothe, balance, and heal drawing inspiration from ancient rituals. These might include massages, body treatments, boosts, facials, or signature experiences such as the award-winning couple’s ritual Raja and Ratu (King and Queen) designed to enhance emotional and romantic connections.  The Salon offers a range of services for those finishing touches – haircare, mani-pedis and waxing whilst there is a junior spa menu for kiddies as young as four years old.

Wellness services include private and group yoga sessions, beach football and volleyball, a meandering jogging path through the foliage and beach and 20 hectares of beautifully landscaped grounds to wander or cycle around.  Alternatively take a guided tour – the Jalan-Jalan Resort Tour – to learn more about the exotic plants and wildlife at the resort.

Just offshore, there is a traditional Rumah Ikan or fish house designed by a local fisherman where traditional fishing methods are experienced and shared – a touch of Malay heritage which is fast disappearing. For rock climbers, scale the 12-metre-high limestone outcrop at the resort and walk the cliff, abseiling back down or try your hand at being Robin Hood at the professional archery range. 

The Water Sports Centre offers kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, wind surfing or catamaran cruising whilst the Geopark Discovery Centre features interactive presentations and displays to introduce guests to the wonders of the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, home to eagles, macaques, fiddler crabs, otters and more, a ten-minute drive away. The resort offers a number of experiences such as the Mangroves and Eagles Safari, a boat led safari into the park led by an experienced naturalist; the Lesung Batu Cooking School where guests are introduced to the flavours and ingredients of Malay cuisine or rainforest trekking into the jungle, navigating the fringe of the Seven Well waterfall at the Cambrian rainforest of Gunung Mat Chincang.

Guests may also experience the world’s steepest cable car – the Langkawi Cable Car – and at the summit, the Sky Bridge, a 125-metre cable stayed structure that is suspended 660 metres above sea level – not for anyone scared of heights! Take a picnic to enjoy wonderful waterfalls including the 14 cascading tiers of Durian Perangin, seek out the Dusky Leaf Monkey or some of the islands’ magnificent birdlife or cruise around the southern island, visiting the bustling harbour town of Kuah.

There are also two boutiques at the resort for splashing the cash on resort wear, reading materials, souvenirs, Eastern homewares or spa products and teas; a well-stocked Library for those who like to chill, whilst for golfers, a 30-minute drive will gain access to The Els Club or the Gunung Raya Golf Course.

Family friendly like every Four Seasons resort, the Lutong Kids Club offers a range of on and off-site activities to keep youngsters aged between four and twelve interested including batik painting, kids’ yoga, resort excursions, junior masterclass cooking classes and treasure hunts. For teens, there is rock climbing, archery, the Kawan Club Games Room and table tennis and on and off-site activities. There are also children’s menus and amenities available.

This is a beautifully designed, laid out and styled resort which offers both privacy for couples and access to the main resort facilities for families due to an abundance of space so even when the resort is full, it does not appear to be so. Happiness pervades this resort with genuinely smiling Malay staff gently anticipating wishes before they are even voiced with the sea breezes harnessing fragrances of frangipani and hibiscus which are planted around the resort alongside coconut and banana trees. 

Offering tropical seclusion where time seems to stand still and the real world is kept at bay, the resort is packed full of facilities with activities to keep everyone entertained yet is none-the-less relatively close to Langkawi’s other attractions, being just ten minutes from the fascinating and ancient Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, the resort’s partner where passionate naturalists will share its secrets. 

Four Seasons has really excelled itself – and that is saying something - with this stylish retreat.

The four food and beverage offerings tempt every palate and even the most demanding diner.

The all-day dining beachfront Serai is the largest outlet with menus of Italian and Mediterranean favourites with upper and lower seating both inside and out and fretwork arches offering that Moorish touch.

Ikan-Ikan by way of contrast is styled in the manner of a traditional home and showcases Malay cuisine with centuries-old recipes and dishes preserving its heritage. With chefs drawn from around the country, the menu offers modern interpretations of heirloom recipes from all 14 states of Malaysia, presented in a contemporary manner. The restaurant sits on the site of a former fisherman’s house with the stretch of beach home to an anchovy fishing village in the 1960s until the fishermen decamped and moved away. Even the beachfront cabanas echo the fish-drying huts of yesteryear. Homegrown flavours abound with Chef Panjang determined to showcase the abundance of Malaysian produce rather than use imported ingredients.

The bright, open air and casual Kelapa Grill, bathed in the colours of the ocean, offers a range of Asian stir fry options and international favourites during the day whilst at night, the grill takes centre stage with fresh local seafood and steaks on the menu.

Rhu Bar is perfect for laid back cocktails, beers, and wines with light bites to accompany. Offering the feel of a Middle Eastern lounge with woven fretwork screens, oversized lanterns, hanging swings and cushioned wicker chairs, this is the perfect place to watch the sun go down.

The resorts across Asia Pacific operated by Four Seasons Resorts Asia are committed to sustainability and preservation programmes through local partnerships, sustainable practices, guest education and more. They tread lightly on the planet and recognise their responsibility in minimising their impact on the environment. 

For example, in Langkawi, Chief Naturalist and Langkawi Geopark Ambassador Aidi Abdulla works tirelessly to protect the 550-million-year-old UNESCO surroundings as well as escorting guests through waterways and mangrove forests to inspire care for the ecosystem. The resort was named Geopark Partner by the Langkawi Development Authority in recognition of its outstanding contribution towards Kilim Karst Geopark. The one of a kind Geopark Discovery Centre at the resort is key in promoting sustainable development, educating the public and sustaining the local economy. 

The resort also operates an onsite water bottling plant designed to eliminate single use plastics, replacing them with glass bottles, compostable straws, napkins, ecofriendly packaging and refillable ceramic amenity containers throughout the resort. The property also champions local suppliers and zero-mile practices with its traditional fish house designed by a local fisherman to showcase ancient fishing methods in a world where they are fast disappearing. 

In Rhu Bar, the resort has partnered up with ecoSPIRITS which is an innovative technology which nearly eliminates packaging waste in the premium spirits supply chain.