Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
254
WHERE TO STAY
The Andaman
Kids
You will be surprised ho w large this resort is, its buildings
blend so per fectly with the jungle surr ounding them. Andaman has a sprawl of lush
grounds hugging a beautiful white beach. The temptation to clear the coastal forests has
been avoided, and rooms quite pleasantly look into these for ests and their native fauna,
but with glimpses of the sea. The Andaman welcomes families and has special facilities,
including a kid's club, and it has a safe, shallow beach. The entrance and main lobby are
overpowering in size but visually quite stunning in open-air local-style ar chitecture with
vaulted roofs built from polished hardwoods. Guest rooms, in two wings that span out
to either side of the main building, are big, with wall-to-wall carpeting and Western-style
decor, save for a few local textiles for effect. Ground-floor lanai rooms have a private sun
deck with umbrella stand. The pool is huge, with lots of shady spots, and the spa features
traditional Malay herbal beauty and health tr eatments.
Jalan Teluk Datai, P.O. Box 94, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah.
&
04/959-1088.
Fax 04/959-1168. www.theandaman.
com. RM990-RM1,970 ($287-$571/£178-£355) double; fr om RM2,250 ($653/£405) suit e. Prices jump
Dec-Jan. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
3 r estaurants; 2 bars; out door pools surr ounded by gardens; golf
course; 2 out door lighted tennis courts; health club; spa w/Jacuzzi, sauna, st eam, and massage; non-
motorized wat ersports equipment; mountain bike r ental; c oncierge; airpor t transf ers; r oom ser vice;
babysitting.
In room:
A/C, TV w/satellite programming and DVD player, minibar, hair dryer.
Four Seasons Langkawi
Every detail of this resort is perfectly exotic, influ-
enced by contemporary Moorish style. Pavilion rooms are surrounded by floor-to-ceiling
windows and wraparound verandas. Under soaring ceilings, huge bedr ooms have wood
floors, ceiling fans, car ved wood detailing, and plush soft furnishings. Through double
doors, huge bathrooms are majestic, with oversize terrazzo tubs built into arched nooks,
separate closets for rain shower and toilet, a huge clothes closet, and a center island with
double sinks. Throughout the r ooms y ou'll find touches such as lanterns, hammer ed
bronze work, lovely toiletries on marble pedestals, and cozy thr ow pillows that add an
intimate Middle Eastern flav or. The resort has two infinity pools that look like they 're
spilling onto the beach, which is a long, wide stretch of perfect sand. Every dining venue
fronts the beach. At Rhu Bar, cocktails are served with Turkish water pipes, amid Indian
Moghul hanging swings, glo wing lanterns, and M oorish carved latticework arches that
frame the sea view gorgeously. The spa has private villas with tubs for four, space for floor
and table massages, private indoor/outdoor showers, and changing rooms all encased in
glass with lovely garden views. This is the most luxurious pr operty in this whole book.
Period.
Jalan Tanjung Rhu, 07000 Langk awi, Kedah.
&
800/332-3442
in the U .S., 800/268-6282 in C anada, or
04/950-8888. F ax 04/950-8899. w ww.fourseasons.com. US$600-US$685 pa vilion; fr om US$875 villa.
Prices jump Dec-Jan. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
3 restaurants; 2 bars; 2 outdoor pools; tennis; health club;
spa w/yoga and juic e bar; complimentary nonmotorized watersports; children's center; concierge; air-
port transfers; room service.
In room:
A/C, TV w/satellite programming and in-house movies, Wi-Fi, mini-
bar, hair dryer.
13
Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa
This small resort packs a big punch. I like
its ecological stance in setting out as a green resort, and it has already won several awards
for its effor ts. It's got a gr eat location, with a 400m-long (1,312-ft.) beachfr ont with
restaurants, shops, and bars at the fr ont entrance. There are rooms in two-stor y blocks,
but the best choices ar e the sea-facing villas with r ooftop showers. All are tastefully fur-
nished, and the Coco Beach Bar is the best place to vie w spectacular sunsets.
