St. Regis Langkawi Review: Worth $750 a Night?

The short version: The St. Regis Langkawi is a quiet, artistic resort at the tip of the island, full of Malaysian touches, and it feels exclusive, like a true vacation. The large, luxurious room is its strongest point, and the food and spa are very good. The service could be warmer, though, and there’s not much to do nearby. Come here to relax.

I stayed at The St. Regis Langkawi from December 23 to 28, 2023, over Christmas. The trip was not sponsored.

Pros

• A large, luxurious room, the hotel’s strongest point, with a separate living room and an expansive bathroom
• Good food
• A very nice spa
• An artistic, Malaysia-themed hotel that feels private and exclusive
• It’s well established, with no issues in the room

Cons

• Service is professional, but could be warmer
• The beach and the pool are nice, but not the highlight
• Odd restaurant hours, with gaps between breakfast, lunch and dinner
• The gym’s machine selection is just okay, and some pool chairs could use an upgrade
• Beautiful, though maybe not enough on its own to justify the trip through Kuala Lumpur
• Not much to do nearby, and a little tricky to get to

Arriving

Getting to Langkawi can be a little tricky, since you’ll most likely fly in from Kuala Lumpur, about an hour and 15 minutes. There are also a few nonstop flights from Singapore, about an hour and 45 minutes. From the airport, I took a Grab, which should only cost around MYR 25 (about US$5). The St. Regis is only about 20 minutes away, but it feels farther, because it’s out at the tip of the island.

Walking into the lobby, you’re in an expansive, brightly lit space that feels distinctly Southeast Asian. I was there over Christmas, so a big Christmas tree stood in the lobby. Still, I wouldn’t say the hotel felt that festive compared with others, like The Peninsula Chicago or The Peninsula Bangkok.

Step out of the lobby and the ocean opens up in front of you, with mountains nearby. The whole property has a tropical, vacation feel, and hornbills, birds that look almost like parrots, perch around the grounds. The weather was pretty good, too: not too hot, though around that time of year it can get a little cloudy.

The room: 8 out of 10

The room is the hotel’s strongest point. I had a Premier Andaman Sea Room, and it was actually quite big, which was nice. It feels luxurious, with a separate bedroom and living room, a spot to close off the bed area, and a view over the pool, with the ocean in the distance. Typical Malaysian art hangs throughout the room, and the architecture is pleasant overall.

The bed is quite comfortable, and the AC, lighting and noise were all good. No issues at all. The bathroom is pretty expansive, with a tub, and water is provided.

The food: 7.5 out of 10

The food is good and varied. The breakfast buffet and Kayuputi, the restaurant over the water, are the highlights.

Breakfast at L’Orangerie

I had breakfast at L’Orangerie every day. It sits right next to the lobby, in an expansive, bright room. There’s a great selection, and everything is very good, berries included. You can put together a plate with a bit of everything, like the one below, and there’s even little flower art along the buffet. It’s sometimes a little crowded, but not too bad.

The rigatoni

My favorite dish was the rigatoni. It’s just a very clean pasta. I’d had a little food poisoning from an earlier trip in Indonesia, so I had to be careful about what I ate, and I especially liked it. I had it both from room service and at the restaurant. If it’s still on the menu, order it.

Kayuputi, over the water

Kayuputi is a beautiful restaurant a little way out from the hotel. The walk there is nice at night, and the restaurant overlooks the water and the mountains, with a pleasant, romantic feel. It’s a set menu. The steak was my favorite, but honestly, the setting is more memorable than the food.

There’s also Pantai Grill, the St. Regis Bar and a deli, which sometimes has special events like tastings. They were nice to see but not very memorable.

Odd hours

One thing to know: the restaurant hours are a little odd, the same as at The St. Regis Costa Mujeres. Breakfast ends at a certain time, then there’s a gap before lunch, and another gap before dinner. Sometimes I went to the deli in between, but it didn’t have a lot of selection, basically just a bunch of different pastries.

The setting: 7.5 out of 10

It’s a nice setting. It feels private and exclusive, with the water in view whenever you step outside. It’s also an artistic hotel: there’s art featuring Malaysia in the rooms and the hallways, and below the lobby, the grounds have unique architecture, like bells and sculptural structures. The whole place feels Malaysia-themed.

My only hesitation is the distance. It’s beautiful, but maybe not quite spectacular enough on its own to justify the trip if you have to connect through Kuala Lumpur. If you can fly in directly, say on a nonstop from Singapore, it may be more worth it. If a stunning beach is your top priority, you can find that in places like Thailand and the Philippines, often for less.

The beach and pool

The beach is nice, though not the most stunning I’ve seen. The sand and the water color aren’t quite as striking as some other beaches, and it was usually pretty quiet. There’s a good drinks menu, though, from piña coladas, mai tais and mojitos to margaritas, tequila sunrises, Bloody Marys, Negronis and mimosas.

The pool was usually quiet too. It’s pleasant, but not really a highlight, and some of the pool chairs could use an upgrade.

The spa and gym

The spa is very nice. They start you with a little hot water foot bath, and there’s also a tub, so I imagine some treatments begin with a soak, which would be a great way to start. There’s even a little mat that says “Welcome, Enjoy,” so it feels like a special treatment. I had a standard massage, and I really liked it.

The gym feels large, with high ceilings and dark undertones that make you feel like you’re really in Southeast Asia. The actual machine selection is just okay, though.

There’s not really much nearby, and to be honest, I didn’t really leave the hotel.

Service: 6 out of 10

Like at all St. Regis hotels, you get a dedicated butler you can contact directly. Service is professional and good, but I didn’t find it very friendly or warm.

Because of the food poisoning I’d picked up on a previous trip to Indonesia, I had to go to a clinic during my stay. When I asked the hotel to help find one, they weren’t as helpful as I’d hoped, though they did eventually find a clinic and arrange transportation there.

Another time, I asked if they could make the rigatoni I liked, since I’d seen it on the room service menu, and they seemed a little hesitant at first, though they did eventually make it.

On a good note, when I went to Kayuputi, I still wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want the multi-course set menu, so I asked if they could make something else. The host was very nice and actually did it. Overall, though, a little more warmth would go a long way.

What it cost

All prices here are for one person: the room, plus one person’s share of the food.

For five nights over Christmas, from December 23 to 28, 2023, my room came to roughly MYR 3,500 a night (about US$750), with nightly rates ranging from about MYR 3,185 to 3,969. My share of the food came to about MYR 2,000 (about US$435), and the spa was MYR 850 (about US$183). All in, that’s roughly US$875 a night, for one person.

Value: 7 out of 10

It’s a decent value for a relaxing stay. It’s quite relaxing, it feels exclusive and like a true vacation, there are Malaysian themes everywhere, and dinner at Kayuputi, with the night walk out over the water, is unique and romantic.

It’s a little expensive for Southeast Asia, though, where there are other great luxury hotels for less, like The Peninsula Bangkok and the JW Marriott Phuket. Or even the Grand Hilai Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan, which isn’t technically in Southeast Asia, but is nearby.

Vs. The St. Regis Costa Mujeres

I’ve also stayed at The St. Regis Costa Mujeres, near Cancún. The service there was definitely a lot better: friendlier, with butlers who felt more attentive and personalized. That could be because it’s pretty new and there are very few people there.

The food in Langkawi was better, though, and the setting felt a little more unique, overlooking the mountains and the water. The rooms in Langkawi also felt more unique, with more Malaysian art. And since it’s a bit more established, there were no issues with the room at all, while Costa Mujeres still felt like it was breaking things in, like the AC and the mold.

Vs. other Langkawi hotels

I haven’t stayed at them, but Langkawi has two hotels with Michelin Keys: the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, with two Keys, and The Datai Langkawi, with one. The St. Regis doesn’t have a Key. For what a three-Key hotel is like, see my review of the Bürgenstock Resort.

Who it’s for

It’s a hotel for relaxing. Langkawi is more of a relaxation spot, and between the food and the setting, it’s a relaxing place to be. It’s not great if you want lots to do, and it’s not really a hotel for businesspeople.

It works for families too, though there isn’t a lot for kids to do, and it’s not near a lot of things.

Tips if you go

• You’ll most likely fly in via Kuala Lumpur, about an hour and 15 minutes, so plan your connection.
• Take a Grab from the airport. It’s about 20 minutes.
• Order the rigatoni, if it’s still on the menu.
• Plan your meals around the gaps between breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Walk out to Kayuputi at night, for the setting more than the food. If you don’t want the set menu, ask. They made me something else.
• Book a massage at the spa.
• Grab a drink on the beach.
• Ask whether the deli has any tastings or special events while you’re there.
• The beach and pool are nice, but they aren’t the main reason to come.
• Plan to stay put. There’s not much nearby.
• Keep an eye out for the hornbills around the grounds.

Verdict: 7/10

It’s a tranquil property. You get an oceanfront location, a nice, fairly large room, which is its strongest point, and a good selection of food. The service could be warmer, though. If you want a relaxing stay, it’s a pleasant place to do it.

Would I stay again? Maybe. But I’d rather try other luxury hotels in Southeast Asia. There are so many!

FAQ

Is The St. Regis Langkawi worth it?

For a relaxing stay, yes, at about $875 a night all in. But there are better values in and around Southeast Asia, like The Peninsula Bangkok or the Grand Hilai Sun Moon Lake.

How do you get to The St. Regis Langkawi?

You’ll most likely fly into Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur, about an hour and 15 minutes. From the airport, the hotel is about 20 minutes by Grab, though it feels farther, because it’s at the tip of the island.

Is the beach good?

It’s nice, though not the most stunning I’ve seen, and it was usually pretty quiet.

What’s the best restaurant?

For the setting, Kayuputi, over the water. For the food, I liked the rigatoni and the breakfast buffet at L’Orangerie.

Is there a lot to do nearby?

Not really. It’s a place to relax. I didn’t really leave the hotel.

When is the best time to go?

I went in late December. It wasn’t too hot, though around that time of year it can get a little cloudy.

St. Regis Langkawi or St. Regis Costa Mujeres?

Langkawi for the food, the setting and a room with no issues. Costa Mujeres for friendlier, more personal service.

Is it good for families?

It works for families, though there isn’t a lot for kids to do, and it’s not near a lot of things.

Does The St. Regis Langkawi have a Michelin Key?

No. In Langkawi, the Four Seasons Resort has two Keys and The Datai has one.

Would you stay again?

Maybe, but I’d rather try other Southeast Asian luxury hotels first. There are so many!