For 25 years, The Datai has been a favoured hideout for discerning travellers as much for its incomparable location on Langkawi’s north western coastline enveloped by a 10-million-year old rainforest, bristling with ancient trees, waterfalls and mangroves, as its conception by architect Kerry Hill and interior designer Didier Lefort.
Now, after a tip-to-toe refresh – led by Lefort – the legendary 121-room property has reopened to include a re-shape of the lobby, entrance and landscaping, three new Rainforest Pool Villas, a new five-room villa with 24-hour butler service, and a dedicated Nature Centre with its own lab and a resident team of naturalists and marine biologists on hand for activities from guided nature walks to kayaking in the mangroves.
Meanwhile, updated technology, a sleek understated colour palette and low-key lighting enhance the guestrooms and five restaurants where, thankfully, the food concepts have remained the same, with The Gulai House still serving its delicious beef rendang.
And of course, views continue to please, not least in the open-air Lobby Lounge which is the best spot to sip on cocktails while admiring panoramic vistas of both the rainforest and the Andaman Sea with the Thai Tarutao island on the horizon.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Jalan Teluk Datai
07000 Langkawi
Kedah
Malaysia
-
Enter the Google Pixel 10 family, a smarter next generation smartphoneThe Pixel 10 Pro and Pro Fold head up a tranche of new products from Google, which also includes the Pixel Watch 4 and a host of new accessories
-
Ikea is launching a meatball plate – and its the perfect blend of form and functionThe humourous new home accessory is part of designer Gustaf Westman’s upcoming collab with the Swedish flatpack giant
-
In the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, Chiemgauhof Lakeside Retreat elevates cabin-style charmArchitect Matteo Thun gives a masterclass in clean lines and traditional craftsmanship with this stylish German retreat in harmony with its surroundings
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this yearFrom the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
24 hours in Copenhagen: stay, bike, dine, and discover Danish designPlan your 24 hours in Copenhagen: sleepover in a former brewery, wake up with a wild swim, and immerse yourself in the home of a modernist master
-
Peter Beard’s biographer, Christopher Wallace, on writing the wild life of the quintessential Twentieth-Century ManAuthor Christopher Wallace traces the footsteps of the original playboy-artist-activist Peter Beard, travelling from Kenya, to the Serengeti, Cassis and beyond
-
Estelle Manor is a chic take on the hotel and country clubEstelle Manor, a transformed Grade II-listed house and estate in Oxfordshire, welcomes guests with Roman and Williams interiors, parasols by the pool, and a soon-to-open tepidarium
-
Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya opens following a major redesignOn the Yucatán Peninsula, the new-look Maroma showcases local craftsmanship and Mayan tradition with interiors led by interior architecture studio Tara Bernerd & Partners
-
A weekend in wonderful CopenhagenThe ultimate weekend in Copenhagen starts here: discover the latest openings across the UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, stay in a hotel afloat, start your day with brilliant baked goods and ski down a power-station piste
-
The Largo brings craftsmanship and creativity to PortoThe Largo is the latest hospitality offering in Portugal's second city, conceived as an elevated residence with an art programme that connects it to the city’s creative community
