A Stay at The Danna Langkawi, Malaysia

For me, the excitement of stepping into a new luxury hotel never, ever gets old. Not even 20 hours of travelling from London to Malaysia can take away my excitement when stepping through the palatial doors of The Danna Langkawi. If anything, the jet lag and delirium made it all the more memorable, and here’s why…

From the moment I stepped through the palatial doors of The Danna, it was clear that the hotel likes to ‘think outside the box’. In all the luxury hotels I have stayed in, I never been treated to a welcome massage, until now. 4 trained therapists from the hotel spa awaited us on our arrival, ready to relieve our aches and pains from travelling with a 15-minute neck and shoulder massage. It was a wonderfully unexpected touch that immediately made me feel welcome and relaxed. This is one of the little details that awaits all guests on their arrival, not just press.

The Room

After a cool mango juice and refreshing hot towel, my bags had been whisked up to my room before I could even ‘come round’ from the hypnotisingly-good massage. Stepping into my room felt like walking into bubble of luxury. Smooth dark woods mixed with sumptuous furnishings to create a truly decadent interior. The suite was extremely spacious and the sliding wall that connected the bathroom to the bedroom made it effortlessly sexy.  The huge king-sized bed was dressed in cloud-like Egyptian cotton bedding, a classic statement of luxury in any hotel. I loved the styling of these rooms.

The View

I was lucky enough be staying in one of the spacious sea-front suites which was overlooking the pool and yacht-scattered bay. To the right I could see a dramatic backdrop of mountains, which framed the nautical view perfectly.  The balcony was big enough to throw a party on offered an ideal option for lazing in the sun in total private.

The Food

The Danna Langkawi has two restaurants, both very different from the other. Straits and Co is a trendy British-Malaysian cafe which is perfect for casual dining and lunches. After unpacking and a quick freshen up, we were treated to a Delicious Malaysian lunch with all of the most famous national dishes. The flavours of the curries were rich and aromatic and the meats were cooked to perfection. It’s great to have authentic Malaysian food right on your doorstep here. The Planters is a more formal and luxurious dining experience with chandeliers, high ceilings and white table clothes. Come here for a decadent candle-lit dinner and high-quality international dishes. Breakfast is also served in The Planters too and serves everything under the sun from continental pastries to dim sum – not to mention bottomless champagne. It was definitely the best breakfast buffet I have ever had in terms of taste, service and choice.

The Pool

The expansive infinity pool was pure, immaculately clean and never felt too busy. Luxurious sun loungers fringe the main pool and some loungers even sit with the shallow paddling section, perfect for sun worshippers. Whilst our press schedule was pretty jam packed, I managed to squeeze in a few hours relaxing by the pool and soaking up some of October Malaysian sun. The pool side attendants couldn’t have been more helpful and brought round iced water and warm snacks such as fresh samosas. Another unexpected yet thoughtful touch.

The Beach Front

The combination of the stunning infinity pool and the beach-front location make The Danna Langkawi a strong contender for the best hotel on the island. The sandy beach is lined with further hotel sun loungers and hammocks stringed between palm trees sway in the breeze for the ultimate island R&R. As I only had a few hours spare I chose to stay by the pool, but I managed to get down to the beach to take a few shots.

The Spa

Massages differ all over the world, but the Thais and Malaysians are famous for having theirs down to a fine art. South East Asian style of massage is very distinctive and is known for being quite extreme sometimes, so I was looking forward to experiencing my first Malaysian massage in The Danna Spa. The hotel treated me to a signature massage which was a 1 hour full body massage. On arrival, I was given the choice of 4 oils, of which I chose Ylang Ylang. It was another lovely touch to pick your own scent and personalise your massage based on wether you wanted to relax, energise or invigorate. The massage itself was one of the best I have ever had and seemed to last for ages. I was massaged (quite literally) from head to toe and the extra foot exfoliation and head massage were amazing touches. I was stretched in ways I didn’t know I could stretch! The therapists were perfectly professional and made me feel calm and very welcome.

The Verdict

The Danna Langkawi has an international feel with Malaysian accents that remind you of the beautiful country you are in. One thing that sets the hotel apart is the service, which I would say is even beyond 5 star.  With all of the luxurious little extras and thoughtful touches, it is a grand luxury hotel that really sets itself apart with it’s attention to detail. The rooms are blissful, the pool is heaven and nothing is too much trouble at this Langkawi island escape.

Perfect for… honeymooners, loved-up couples and one-off special occasion travellers.   

What did you think of my review of The Danna Langkawi? Are you thinking of visiting this hotel or have you been before? If you have any more questions about my experience of the hotel or if you simply enjoyed this post, please leave me a comment in the box below! 

This hotel stay was provided complimentary as part of my blogger press trip to Malaysia with Malaysia Airlines, The Danna Hotel Langkawi and The Banjaran Hotel Ipoh.

Photo credit Wahaza Extra