The Frangipani Langkawi Resort — Hotel in Langkawi Island

We wanted our last night on this island to be spent at a beach front resort so we thought we’d give this a go. We were really looking forward to a special evening here. Unfortunately it was to our great disappointment.

Previously we’ve done something similar at Andaman and we gave it a 5 star review but not at Frangipani this time.

Prior to this evening, we were staying at the Temple Tree and we also gave it a 5 Star. They deserved much more than that. Amazing service, great atmosphere and so much attention were paid to the meticulous details. We really loved it there at the Temple Tree. They even have Netflix and their WiFi service was great! The hotel manager and staffs were personal, friendly and courteous going above and beyond to make sure we were pampered. From the moment we checked in at the Temple Tree it was simply amazing from the very beginning at the Temple Tree.

Perhaps it was because we felt so pampered at the Temple Tree so when we checked in at Frangipani we found out the lighting was dark and depressing in the evening. The room was relatively clean so that was good. The TV paused regularly. The room was dated with no character. The Wifi connection was not as good as the Temple Tree’s. There was a huge plain Jane wall as we entered our unit. I actually felt depressed and sad, the same feeling I had when I flew from Changi Singapore to Toronto Pearson. Just not feeling welcomed.

The only things we liked are the outdoor shower area and location though the plants in the outdoor shower area looked so sad we actually had to give it water. It was a short ride to Thursday night market.

The pool areas were closed early so we couldn’t get our night swim. The saltwater pool area was really dark in the evening. The beach was not even closed to the top 10 we’ve visited in Southeast Asia. There was just no efforts given to make it feel like a cozy resort.

There was virtually no service and we didn’t feel any warmth or welcome when we checked in. It felt cold, impersonal and mechanical lacking in that genuine sincerity. We did appreciate being greeted by a nice lady as we mozied around the Chlorine pool by the bar.

It was quiet which was nice but it was also boring. We’ve even stayed at better beach front in Pangkor Island. We saw staffs here speeding on their vehicle in the dark and made loud noise when we were walking around to check out the compound.

Anyway, our 2 most favourite hotel during this trip are the Temple Tree in Langkawi and Penaga in Georgetown Penang. We probably won’t be staying at Frangipani again. It looks nothing like the...

Located on the quieter part of Chenang Beach, with plenty of cafes and restaurants lined up outside the resort.

When we arrived on Friday we were taken to our garden view villa as per booking but seeing that there’s barely any wind or a garden view (it’s blocked by a few other villas), we decided to upgrade from the garden villa to the sea view villa, which cost us RM1996 additional for 4 nights.

ROOM The garden view room is pretty much run down and the sea view villa is no better. The floor felt a little sticky and sandy. We get that it’s by the beach and a little sand is expected, however the stickiness makes it unpleasant. The lighting is minimal and dim, which is not practical in the bathroom or the study area.

INTERNET/WIFI/TV On Friday night, the internet went out. We spoke to the staff at the front office and were told that a wire had came loose and it didn’t get “fixed” till late Sunday evening, even so, the signal in the room was non-existent. On Monday evening, the staff confirmed that the wifi near our villa is faulty and will require someone to come from mainland to fix it. It rained pretty heavily on Saturday which disrupted the the TV signal. On Sunday, there wasn’t any tv signal yet and according to their staff, it was a “server error”, And so we didn’t have TV, till We checked out on Tuesday morning.

BUGS Sunday night was a nightmare. We have bugs crawling all over our room. We don’t know where they came from or where they slipped in through but they were all over the room, crawling and flying, and my two year old was pretty much freaked out by all this. We understand that it is an eco resort and bugs are expected. However, it should not be in this quantity for a 4* resort.

When we reported this they did send housekeeping over with a can of bug spray. Perhaps I can suggest the use of an infrared/ultraviolet bug zapper hanging outside the individual Villas or inside the rooms instead or other eco friendly bug/pest control methods.

BREAKFAST Breakfast spread is very minimal and it is almost the same menu everyday.

STAFF The only positive thing about the resort is that staff is very friendly and efficient, housekeeping responds to our needs promptly.

Unfortunately the cons outweigh the pros and I need to say, management/owners/shareholders need to have a sit down and fix this resort soon. For the amount Your customers are paying we will be expecting a whole lot more than a view of the sea. For the amount we paid for the hotel (over 5000Rm), we could have gotten a better hotel with complete and decent amenities. Suffice to say, we will not recommend this...

One of the best resorts I have ever stayed in, if not THE best (and I have stayed in a lot of hotels and resort especially in south east Asia). A true 4 star hotel and it comes at a very competitive price. In addition it is located on the best beach in Langkawi in terms of beauty AND access to all the activities of the city center (yes Tanjung Rhu is beautiful but isolated and not much option to stay besides overly expensive luxury hotel…). Frangipani resort feels like home, family size with small buildings. It is so discreet, nested in a lush of greenery and it’s truly a green hotel with innovative sustainable approach (talk to the owner when you are there and you will see how much passion he has put in this project. Please join their farm tour, super interesting). The staffs: all of them are the most pleasant people to deal with. I have seen more smiles than I have ever seen. They are so kind and they will do everything to accommodate your needs. Thanks to Faznina, Simon, Sya, Khalilah, Syamil, Izzati, I wish I remembered more names as all of you made our stay so happy. The food: it’s great ! Yes it’s not the largest buffet you have seen for breakfast but it is still a lot of selection and all good food. And for lunch and diner their menu is great too and food is so tasty and not even expensive based on the fact you are facing the beach ! And nice bar next to the restaurant for some beautiful cocktails all day long… The facilities: 3 swimming pools, jacuzzis, ping pong tables, kayak that you can rent for 2h (which gives you way enough time to cross the sea to the nearest small island), beach volley net, small cinema room, gym, play room for young kids… The rooms: super big ! Any other modern hotel nearby the deluxe is 33sqm. Here you get 45sqm with nice balcony ! Yes the floor isn’t the cleanest you have ever seen. But it’s a beach hotel so anyway we keep on walking bare foot in sand… and you cannot expect perfection at all levels (4 star at very competitive price remember?)… And yes the wifi is a bit spotty. But first it’s good to disconnect and second they are aware of it and improved it during our stay. The beach: beautiful and clean. There can be some jellyfishes but the hotel has installed a hand made net that gives good protected swimming area so no need to panic but just reasonably careful. And finally cherry on top of the cake: your are on a beach facing west… get ready for some of the most scenic sunsets views you have ever seen. I will finish by saying that, obviously, I would go back there in...