Indulge in True Beachfront Luxury at the Ritz-Carlton Langkawi

Khaleej Madame reveals Langkawi’s latest luxury hospitality property, opened in 2018 : The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi.

Getting There

Located 30kms off the mainland coast of north-western Malaysia, the island, also known as The Jewel of Kedah, is just a 60 minutes flight away from the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Air Asia does several rotations all day long between the capital and the island with flights available almost every hour. By booking well in advance, you can expect to find tickets for as little as AED 100 each way.

A new terminal at the airport boasting international standards means that arrival procedures are swift and efficient. We managed to get through the airport in just 20 minutes.

The Set-Up

True to the brand’s heritage, the Ritz-Carlton Langkawi is a high luxury sanctuary offering spectacular views of the island’s coast and mountains, accessible through the winding alleys of this cliff-top resort.

The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi welcomes you to immerse yourself in an authentic Langkawian experience deeply rooted in local culture, environmental adventure and a warm Malaysian spirit. Overlooking the Andaman Sea and surrounded by a 10-million-year-old rainforest, this oceanfront resort combines natural beauty, culture and luxury in one spectacular setting.

42 hectares of beautifully landscaped lush tropical gardens with stunning panoramic views over the turquoise coloured Andaman Sea complete the impressive scenery at this exceptional resort.

First Impressions

Once you disembark from the luxury transport bringing you from the airport, on the steps of the hotel reception, you will be greeted by a single gong stroke – a pure Asian tradition performed to welcome esteemed guests.

No large check-in counters or queues at this property. Whilst you relax on the comfortable sofas and refresh yourself with cold towels and a homemade fruit concoction, the front-desk staff will take care of all the check-in procedure on your behalf.

After a necessary orientation briefing about the resort layout on the location map, you are good to go. During the drive to our room in one of the 24hours service buggies available throughout the resort, we enjoyed a tour of the grounds, before reaching our quarters.

Accomodation

The 2 rooms categories and 8 villa categories at The Ritz Carlton Langkawi showcase sizes ranging from 75/85sqm for the smallest unit, to a whopping 650sqm for the 3 bedrooms Villa Mutiara.

Built as a tribute to the surrounding nature, each of the luxurious suites and lavish villas has its very own appeal – allowing you to unveil the mysteries surrounding the rainforest, unwind and attune to the infinite blue of the calm ocean or to completely escape the world as you hide away on your private beach.

We spent our stay at The Ritz Carlton Langkawi in one of their junior suites spreading over 100sqm of luxurious living space. The Rainforest Junior Suite is the largest accommodation within the block. The suite boasts a spacious bedroom, a dedicated living area, and a cosy dining alcove along with an expansive outdoor terrace from where you can observe the monkeys jumping from one tree to another. Beware of leftover food or balcony windows left open though, as they can be very cheeky especially at the prospect of a free meal!

Bathrooms will give you the choice of a central bathtub or rainforest shower, complemented by luxury amenities. The digitally controlled Japanese toilet seats are the extra touch that provide a unique experience of their own!

Leisure and Wellness

If your accommodation is not already coming with a private pool, you can enjoy one of the two swimming pools of the resort located at the extreme east and west ends of the hotel. The largest of the 2 pools is adults-only. The second pool is accessible to families and adults.

Both offer splendid photo opportunities for the sunset and feature a nearby bar attached to a dining outlet.

If you fancy a workout during your stay, you could also visit the fitness centre equipped with brand new equipment for cardio and weight training, as well as a yoga area.

A kids club is available for families, with games and activities organised throughout the day.

The hotel benefits from its own stretch of private white sandy beach. You will find plenty of sun loungers and sunshades throughout the day and the Hotel’s water sports centre located on the beach also offers free activities to hotel residents. There, you can borrow a paddle boat or a single or double canoe to explore the surroundings of the hotel and enjoy a seaside view of the whole hillside property.

Floating above the sea and connected by overwater walkways, the five cocoon-shaped spa pavilions resemble Malay Bubus – intricately woven fish traps used for centuries by local fishermen.

Whether an exquisite treatment from The Ritz-Carlton’s global spa collection, or a ritual inspired by the indigenous healing and beauty ceremonies, each experience at the spa aims to restore the equilibrium within your body, mind and soul.

If you do not fancy a spa treatment or massage, you can relax in the spa wet area, which includes a sauna, a steam room and a large square Jacuzzi with 3 stations equipped with high pressure massaging water jets.

Culinary Experience

Whether you love to discover the exotic flavours of a new destination or prefer to indulge in all-time classics whilst on holiday, the four distinctive dining outlets of the hotel are inspired by the finest home-grown ingredients.

Our selection :

The Beach Grill

Borrowing design elements from Malaysia’s traditional, twig-constructed fish traps, this beachfront venue features fresh seafood, steaks and international dishes.

The Beach Grill is traditionally Malaysian and distinctly cosmopolitan. The restaurant honours its local heritage in its design as well as with the menu, which emphasizes freshly caught seafood. Indeed, Beach Grill supports local fishermen and island fish farms by offering their daily catch in its menu or at the restaurant fish market display.

The restaurant is adjacent to one of the resort’s two swimming pools, the one dedicated to families, and is an excellent spot to watch the sunset from its bar before dinner.

During dinner, you will also enjoy a fantastic view over the unobstructed horizon with boats sailing afar the Andaman Sea,.

The Beach Grill menu is perfect in size and fits on one large page, from starter to dessert, which makes the selection process much easier. The menu is well balanced between seafood and meat. We enjoyed a lobster tail salad as a starter accompanied by a local seafood soup recipe.

For the main course we also opted for a mix of cultures with a succulent beef fillet cooked to perfection and a Paprika, stir-fried beef and vegetables Malay dish flavoured with a hot sauce, perfect for those with a cast iron constitution!

If you have a sweet tooth, you will enjoy the Beach Grill dessert menu with gourmet crème brulée , chocolate cakes or sorbets on offer.

Langkawi Kitchen

Embracing the diversity of local culinary offerings, this casual restaurant features Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines prepared in open kitchens and at live cooking stations.

Langkawi Kitchen is also the Ritz Carlton’s all day dining restaurant serving a sumptuous daily breakfast to hotel residents with both a buffet and a la carte menu on offer.

The breakfast buffet offers a selection of fresh pastries, bakery items, cheeses, dumplings, local dishes and a fresh juices and fruits bar. The a la carte breakfast menu lists carefully curated dishes such as a lobster omelette, avocado, asparagus and poached eggs toast, or homemade waffles.

Guests can choose to have their breakfast indoors, enjoying views over the vast rainforest visible through the restaurant glass walls, or al fresco on the restaurant’s terrace.

Final Verdict

Expect no faux-pas at the Ritz-Carlton Langkawi. Everything from check-in to check-out is perfectly choreographed and efficiently delivered by the highly qualified and professional staff of the hotel.

Accommodation and facilities are high-end, as one would expect, and food & beverage outlets are of the highest standards.

Those looking for a luxury getaway on this beautiful and heritage-rich island will find the perfect mix at The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi.

To Do/See In Langkawi