Langkawi - anyone been?

[Cll]

Thinking of going to Langkawi for half term
Have possibility of staying at The Sheraton or The Andaman - Sheraton's much cheaper and has kids club but worried beach might not be up to much

Anyone been to either?

[soontobe3]

Thanks for the reassurance re Malays and children, it's just that the Bon Ton is not at all a typical hotel, and I wasn't clear whether Lorien had been there with children or on childfree getaway weekends.

[Willow2]

I dunno, my friend took her little girl when she was about 2 and a half and they all had a brilliant time.

[onlineid]

Message withdrawn

[bran]

I haven't been there, but Malaysians love children and generally smile benignly at them no matter how much noise they're making. Even if the management of Bon Ton isn't Malaysian most of the staff will be Malyasian or Indonesian so I think you'll be OK. On the other hand, Malaysians are not as safety conscious as Europeans, so if there's a pool it probably won't be fenced off, that kind of thing.

[soontobe3]

Have struggled due to LIMA exhibition to find any accomodation for a Langkawi stop-over in Dec-05, but have had an OK from the Bon Ton (recommended below by Lorien). Just wondered if anyone knew how suitable Bon Ton would be for young children (ages 7, 4 and 0)? We don't seek child clubs or organised activities, just after a degree of child tolerance from the establishment.
Really appreciate any advice.

[Cll]

Sorry helenmh - just seen your note - we booked flights with expedia and hotel with tour operator whose name now escapes me - basically cos they couldn't get us flights

My children still talk about the Andaman and Langkawi ( my dd is doing her show and tell on it today complete with free toy monkey given by hotel and batik painting she did on beach with hotel folks)

We'll definitely go back. If I had one gripe it was that the coral was pretty dead and the snorkelling nowhere near as good as somewhere like the Maldives, but beach and pool lovely and the service could not have been better

[janinlondon]

Thanks all. I am limited in my choice of hotels by the stopover packages offered by the airline - we are only staying for four nights en route to Australia - and so wanted the lowdown on the ones they are plugging. I know DD will want the company of other kids and had heard that the Datai and Andaman were less kid friendly, but now that the Andaman has a kids club this may be less so. SQ I will plunder your vast knowledge when next we meet!

[Lorien]

I've live in Malaysia for 4 years, but only visited Langkawi this year. I thought it might be a bit too pedestrian and boring. BUT I was massively wrong. We've been three times this year (its not very far on a flight from KL). and it is simply brilliant with kids, probably of all ages. We've tried it with toddlers and with teenagers.

The three upmarket places to stay are
Datai, Andaman and Tanjong Rhu. All very nice. Good rooms. good service, lovely beaches etc etc. BUT I always feel a little nervous about the kids making too much noise, so it is hard to relax totally.

After that, we have stayed at the Pelangi Beach, which was surprisingly nice. Its downmarket and significantly cheaper than the three above, but the rooms are nice and in small units, either facing the sea or little lakes and there is a great children's club. The food was a bit patchy, but hey there was a swim up bar and you can walk down the beach to the other places like Casa Del Mar and a few others that do better food.

My current favorite is a place that started as a restaurant, Bon Ton. The food is brilliant and it has been very stylishly turned into a small hotel with seven traditional village houses (the ones on stilts). Utterly relaxing. None of the sometimes obsequious but faceless service of the bigger places. Also none of the crowds. BUt it does lack a direct beach. THe best point about the place is booking all the houses and having a group holiday in what is effectively your private resort...

As for things to do in Langkawi, there is a German chap called Juergen who takes you abseiling through the jungle. Quite terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. ANd there are some great yachts to charter for the day.

SO, you see I am quite a convert. BUT I wouldn't stay in a Berjaya resort if I could help it. I haven't tried out the Langkawi one, but the others are of the "keep-it-cheap, pack-em-in" variety.

[hazlinh]

berjaya is alright. but serenequeen's right. andaman and datai are heavenly.

and if you really want to choose between berjaya and pelangi, i'd definitely pick berjaya.

i would also not recommend going to burau bay resort or awana porto malai.

hey why don't u go to tioman or pangkor island where the beach is a bit nicer and the islands are smaller and bit quieter? and u can snorkel/dive at tioman.

(i recommend pangkor island beach resort formerly known as pan pacific pangkor resort, if you can't afford luxurious Pangkor-Laut Resort which is to DIE-FOR!!))

[serenequeen]

hi jan

the andaman and the datai are the business - is there a particular reason you're looking at the berjaya instead?

[soapbox]

Jan
Have you tried tripadvisor.com for Langawi hotels???

[janinlondon]

Anyone at all...? Am a bit worried by internet reviews of Berjaya. Can anyone give a first hand review? Pleeeaaase?

[helenmh]

Hi just to say would be interested in any tips when you go. We go next july a combination of the Berjaya, langkawi, Golden sands in penang and 3 nights in Kuala lumpur so interested in any recent experiences . The berjaya and Golden Sands seemed to have lots of deals eg free nights and room upgrades. We booked early and got discounts. Going with Kuoni

[janinlondon]

Shamelessly bumping this thread to get opinions on hotels in Langkawi for next March. I see the Andaman gets a big plus - but that other hotels may not be on nice beaches? Would that include the Berjaya Beach or Pelangi Beach? Any hotel reviews welcome!

[JigBugs]

Just come back from Langkawi - stayed at The Andaman. Fabulous hotel - great beaches and super toddler friendly pool. Just opened a kids club for ages 3+. Lots of new toys, plus dvds and computer games for older ones.

[helenmh]

Hi another question I forgot to ask. Are there any local restaurants near the Andaman or did you eat in the hotel?
thanks
helen

[Twinkie]

We were planning on going next year

[helenmh]

hi Cll
Did you book independently or through a package. If with a package who did you book with?
thanks
Helen

[Cll]

quick update - had most fantastic time. Andaman was superb for kids - highchiars in every restaurant, kids meals v friendly staff - cheap babysitting while we went to the spa (kids too jetlagged to go down early in eve so we all ate together - also all sleeping in one room so nowhere for babysitter to go! Pool fab, with waterslide beach glorious (and they're not all nice beaches weirdly)great food.
Top tips get your seats altogether resreved and in triplicate from Malaysian airlines- get names, seat numbers the lot - we had two massive arguments at both ends trying ot secure seats and our kids are small - 5 and 2 so we really needed to be on a four so they could lie on us
if you need mpore info feel free to ask. we'll def go back
went to penang over 10 years ago and it was pretty commercial then - Langkawi much less os

[florenceuk]

I went to Langkawi oh about 20 years ago! As a poor student, stayed in a guesthouse (read small thatched hut and cold shower). I remember it was so hot, I burnt my feet!

[helenmh]

Thanks for that Bossykate- it seems to be a good compromise between being independent and a package. At least you have peace of mind if somewhere is booked with kids. My apologies you did recommend some hotels before- i was in a rush for the school run so didnt read the old posts properly. We went to thailand pre kids and loved it and fancy taking the kids to the far east but somewhere different. We will get there I am saving hard!
helen

[bossykate]

we went with trailfinders, who will put together the flights and hotels, so giving the convenience of package with the flexibility of independent travel. they book direct with the hotels, iirc. the lonely planet guide has good info on the hotels in all areas.

here is a link to Trailfinders Hotels in Maylasia (you need to select malaysia from the drop down list). you could compare the tf prices with booking direct...

[helenmh]

thanks sobernow. maybe we will try the independent route.
helen

[helenmh]

hi Bossykate. thanks for that advice. we didnt get to malaysia this year but hopefully saving up for next year. Did you go through a package or independently? Any recommendations of hotels
thanks
helen