Staying in Singapore is a bliss. We are located near many beautiful tropical islands. These islands host a myriad of charming resorts. This time, I decided to splurge on my first visit to Langkawi.
It started with a booking via my Amex benefits. Then I got enticed with the rooms and upgraded from the basic room to one with a cabana and private plunge pool. However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the hotel facilities like the beach restaurant. And yes, the beach. It wasn’t a private beach, but the property was right by one quiet beach!
Room Overview
Room Number: 108
Room Type: 2 Queen Beds, St Regis Suite
Number of Nights: 1
Cost: MYR 2,455
Specialty: Comes with the use of St Regis/Westin airport lounge. And of course, posh.
Room Amenities: Toiletries / Hair dryer / Power socket / Heater / Bedroom and outdoor slippers / pantry / full study desk / private pool, cabana and sun decks / patio with sofa
Bathroom: Shower / Bathtub / Vanity Counter x2 / Toilet
Safety: Card access to guest levels and rooms. But the back door could not be securely locked, and if we were to exit from the back, our room would be left unlocked.
Staff: Friendly and warm / English proficiency / wrote plenty of cards expressing gratitude
Neighbourhood: Exclusive, but not private beach.
Getting around: Arrived using Grab. The resort was fully self sufficient, so there was no need to venture out.
Checking in to St Regis Langkawi
St Regis being St Regis, the premium experience began from check in. After being greeted by the staff who sat us down on a couch, we were served welcome snacks and drinks. Yes, that was all while waiting for the staff to process our check-in. As it was still early, our room wasn’t ready. The staff arranged for us to wait in the lobby cafe called Gourmand Deli, complete with complimentary beverages.
I mean, we were early due to our flight, but they still served up service recovery nonetheless.
Upon confirming our room, one staff member led us through the sprawling property. On the way through the winding corridors, he introduced us to the various hotel facilities, like the spa and restaurant.
St Regis Langkawi Room Tour
Upon entering the room, he further explained various amenities, and reminded us of their signature St Regis butler service. Low maintenance vacationers like us only made use of the free gourmet coffee service. Yup 🥹But nothing beats having hot coffee served right to our room, I guess?
The one bedroom suite consisted of a spacious living room with a huge study desk that looked over to the private pool. The sofa was also fit for a party. I mean, I could lie flat and there was still space for me to stretch out! Other than a welcome fruit and cakes platter, there were also coffee machines and a fully stocked mini bar – or was it a pantry? Was that what you call an entire cabinet of food and drinks?
The bed itself was plush and comfy. There was a couch each at the foot of the beds for times when we felt like resting, but didn’t feel like touching the bed lol Back to the topic, the bed did let me sleep comfortably throughout the night. Nice ~
Bathroom and Walk in Wardrobe
The bathroom was made up of a walk in closet, a bathtub and separate shower and toilet. And 2 vanity counters. TWO! This massive space was connected to both the bedroom and living room. And mind you, the bathtub was luxuriously huge.
Other than bedroom slippers, we could also find hats, tote bags and outdoor slippers in the walk in closet. Outdoor slippers? Yes, so that we could explore the little private courtyard where our plunge pool and cabana was!
Trust me, although we were just steps away from the pool, the afternoon Langkawi sun turns the ground into a grill. The slippers were perfect for this!
Private Plunge Pool & Cabana
The pool was about 5m long, with one end sporting a jacuzzi, so that we could enjoy a water massage while soaking in the water under the sun. For me, it was great for a light swim. However, the water was full of fallen leaves and some unknown particles. We had to run the water jets to “push” the water over the edge on the other end of the pool to clear these alien objects.
Right beside the pool was a ginormous cabana and a pair of sundecks. That offered us plenty of options to relax and enjoy the tropical sun! A patio connected the bedroom to the pool area. The patio was huge enough for a pair of chairs and a coffee table… And a sofa! It was great for when I felt like being outdoors, but not so much as venturing into the pool or cabana. In fact, I could keep the bedroom door ajar to let some cool air out while I lounge by the patio. Sorry environmentalists!
Admittedly, the private pool was rather poorly maintained with its mouldy walls and dirty water. On top of that, the suites above us overlooked the pool. In a way, it didn’t feel that private except that it was a private access. Therefore, in hindsight, I thought booking the suite without the pool would be sufficient. There was also the public pool, which was better maintained!
Public Pool and Common Areas
We could afford to have the private pool and cabana as we were on the ground floor. Because of that, our courtyard also opened up to the resort pool and the rest of the compounds. We could lock the door from the inside, of course! From there, we could either take a stroll down to the beach or just explore the St Regis resort. The public pool, for one, was right around the corner from our suite.
And when I visited in November, there weren’t many guests. In fact, there weren’t many families on vacation. That meant we could enjoy the pool in peace, or even for some serious laps.
A few steps away from the pool was an open lawn that I assumed was for open air events. While we were there, the staff was setting up the place, though that event didn’t start during our stay. The St Regis Langkawi was also right by the beach – and at the doorstep of our suite – so it was really convenient to enjoy the sand and sea.
Beach Access from St Regis Langkawi
Although St Regis didn’t claim this part of the beach as privately owned by them, it was nonetheless secluded enough to be considered as exclusive access. After all, the entire resort at on a tip of the peninsula of Langkawi. It would be hard for other visitors to be wandering into the area for no reason. Therefore, we could see that only the resort guests were plying the length of the beach!
We also discovered more rooms. They were on a pier, detached from the rest of the resort and extending far into the Andaman Sea. They offered very exclusive access, but I wondered if guests could just take a plunge into the sea from their rooms?
Pantai Grill – Beachfront Restaurant, And Exposed to the Elements
The Pantai Grill right by the beach opened just as we walked past. So we decided to be their first customer of the day. We ordered Pepperoni Pizza and Grilled Fish Otak, paired with fresh young coconuts for our early dinner.
While the pizza was up to mark, the otak was on the fishy side. The smell was so strong that it attracted a few houseflies! The houseflies were relentless despite the strong wind by the sea. And yes, despite being an alfresco dining, the wind really conjured up a relaxed and cooling environment. It was by far the most enjoyable seaside dining I’d ever experienced.
We admired the sunset as we sipped on the coconut juice. However, the weather turned choppy and the staff was packing up in a blink of an eye. We also hurriedly wrapped up our dinner and went to hide from the rain in our room.
The St Regis Massage Spa – Total Indulgence
We had booked a slot at the St Regis SPA for the night. Thankfully, the spa was within the main compounds and we were sheltered from the pouring rain. The unassuming entrance opened up to warmly lit corridors that seemed endless. We finally arrived at the cavernous reception where we were offered fruit juice and confirmed our massage plan. I went for the 90 minute Performance massage. There was a complimentary 10 minutes as guests of the suite.
The massage room was just as posh. I sat in a comfy couch by the bed for my foot bath! There was a separate changing room which also consisted of a shower stall and toilet – all separated. There was also a huge bathtub in the room, which I assumed was for folks who chose the body scrub plans. That said, I settled down for my massage, which began with sound healing from the Himalayan Bowl. The masseur then proceeded to deliver strong and deep strokes for the massage. It was truly up my alley. I would say the massage – which was on top of the room charges – was worth the moola.
We rounded off the massage with a cup of hot tea and butter cookies. There was also free flow of snacks and “sparkling grape juice” available.
Room Service – Supper
As we had an early dinner, I started to crave for supper after the massage. In came the Popiah along with Nasi Goreng Kerabu. Yes, when in Malaysian hotels, I just couldn’t miss ordering my customary dish – Nasi Goreng – for room service. Every resort prepares their fried rice differently. St Regis paired it with chicken satay, hard boiled eggs, prawn crackers, tomatoes and fried fish nuggets. It was (literally) topped off with a sunny side up and fried shallots. The fried rice was up to standard with its wok hey. However, the highlight was the sambal chilli. It was so wonderful I kept eating it!
The Popiah on the other hand, was more like a wrap. While it was decent, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Breakfast at The Drawing Room
Breakfast was served at The Drawing Room right by the hotel lobby. There weren’t many guests so the already huge restaurant appeared even bigger. Food options wise, it was varied, plentiful and of great quality.
Despite the dizzying array of options, I still went for the Nasi Lemak. After all, it was a native dish so the quality was guaranteed. I particularly liked the rice for its lightness and fragrance! And I got served by the staff member dressed in traditional Malay costume, via a specially designed kiosk that mimicked the old school nasi lemak stall.
We were also able to order a la carte dishes. We went for the Truffle and Caviar Scrambled Egg, and the Lobster Omelette. They turned out to be so-so. I still preferred their cheaper, but tastier local cuisine!
For anyone staying at The St Regis Langkawi, whether in a suite or not, I highly recommend allocating more than an hour for the breakfast. There was simply too much food to explore! And the ambience was unhurried and chill, unlike typical hotels. Breakfast was The Experience by itself!
Staff and Service of St Regis Langkawi
The St Regis staff and service was undoubtedly top notch. As mentioned, the service recovery was delivered even before we were informed of the service lapse!
During the turn down service, the staff even decorated the room for my birthday. Yes, it was my birthday vacation, in case I didn’t mention. I think I also sort of dropped them an obvious hint at check in. But well… How sweet of them!
Another thing to note was how they loved to write us notes of thanks. From the reception, to the welcome platter, to the massage and then the birthday set up. They might have used templates, but the notes were definitely handwritten, so kudos to their sincerity!
Saying Goodbye to St Regis Langkawi
Eventually, we had to leave the resort. The room was simply too expensive to even stay for an additional night. And I still felt I hadn’t enjoyed enough of its amenities!
We left where we came from – Langkawi Airport. That was also where St Regis still maintained a thoughtful presence. The St Regis / Westin airport lounge offered exclusive access to the hotels’ guests, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle. It was located at the domestic departure, which would require some finesse to reach if one was to fly international like we did.
Check out my other post – about my experience flying in and out of Langkawi Airport on a budget flight – for my detailed review of the St Regis / Westine lounge at Langkawi Airport.
Parting Words
Yes, the stay at St Regis cost a bomb. Notwithstanding the upgrade. For a SINKMI, there are practical consequences before and after the trip in terms of managing my finances. And consider the emotional damage!
It was likely the only time for a long while where people would speak to me gently and shower all the attention on me. Huge bathtub? No need to fight for the pool? No judgement for exposing my dad bod to enjoy sunbathing? Enjoying a myriad of food at my own time? Relaxing at an airport with bare minimal amenities? It would be hard not to reminisce about it. It was even harder to stop myself from scrolling through similar holiday experiences and be affected by the harsh reality that it would burn a fiery hole in my wallet!
Such is the life of a Single Income No Kids Middle Income millennial. But I shall enjoy every blessing that comes my way. Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and edited with Google Photos.
