Live a life of luxury (for a week or two) at the St Regis, Malaysia
A couple of summers ago as moved from hostel to hostel, backpacking my way through Europe, I wouldn’t possibly be able to comprehend that I’d be sipping on a butler-delivered iced latte, in the St Regis, no less.
Though I’ve travelled a fair bit, from wild camping in Croatia, to volunteering in Barcelona, I’d never ventured over to South-East Asia. So, I jumped at the opportunity when I was invited on a group trip to experience all on offer at the St Regis, Malaysia.
Where to go: Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi Island
Planning a trip to Southeast Asia is going to require some more thought than say, a weekend break to Somerset. It’s often overlooked by neighbouring tourist spots such as Thailand and Singapore, but if you want luscious greenery, idyllic beaches, and some of the tastiest food in the world, then look no further than Malaysia. And if you can’t decide between a city break or a beach breather, don’t, as just one short internal flight means you can do both.
City scenes
Our group flew into the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, known widely as KL. After a solid 22 hours of traveling, you can imagine my delight when I was guided to my room at the St Regis (which was bigger than my entire flat, btw) and greeted with a platter of fresh fruit and perfectly engineered pastries, fresh from the hotel’s patisserie. I crammed down the peanut butter cookies faster than you could say “Butler”!
Every detail had convenience and comfort at the forefront, from the automated blind opening that revealed the concrete jungle of KL, to heated toilet seats (as if my doomscrolling needed any more encouragement). And should you want anything else, you can request it at the send of a WhatsApp directly to your designated butler.
Highrise buildings and palettes of grey and beige are not an uncommon sight in capital cities, but a botanical garden certainly is, and Perdana Gardens in KL makes it stand out from the rest.
After wrestling the impressive hotel tuck on my bedding, and sleeping a mere 10 hours, the hotel had arranged a picnic breakfast for us there. But what awaited us was not just a humble picnic, but instead a feast. Granola, pastries, muesli, and a gorgeously decorated table, with added fans to keep us cool. It was the perfect date spot, or even proposal spot, imo.
Full on food and spirits, we took a short drive into Brickfields, known as “Little India ”, where we were submerged into a sea of bright colours and vibrancy as the streets were filled with flower markets, garment stores, and music. A must visit!
Island living
A couple of days were well-spent in the city, but I was ready for Island life. After a short flight from KL, we drove through Langkawi Island, where monkeys on the side of the road were as common a sight as cows in the English countryside.
Despite standing on a weaver fish when I was 12, I haven’t let that dull my love for outdoor swimming, so when we pulled up to the Langkawi St Regis resort and I could see the sea from the entrance, I was ready to quite literally, jump straight in. After checking in, this was pretty much exactly what I did, except into the private pool of my compound. Not so bad!
What’s on the agenda?
Sipping on coconut water straight from the source and lying on the sun loungers to take in the ethereal views was enough to keep me occupied, but a glorious, packed-out itinerary awaited to showcase all of Langkawi’s treasures.
With it being an island, it’s unsurprising that activities on the water are in abundance. And first up for us was a tour of the ancient Mangrove site and caves. Mangrove trees are crucial to the Malaysian ecosystem as they act as a natural defence against tsunamis. So, we had the chance to show our gratitude to mother nature by planting our own mangrove tree babies. If that’s not an excuse to go back and visit, I don’t know what is – not that I need one.
When we got back to the room, the butlers had left us a pastry snack, ginger tea and soothing aloe vera gel in case of any insect bites – and it really was those little details that made all the difference to the trip.
What else is there to do?
For me, ‘Sunset cruise’ stood out the moment I received the itinerary. Just a short drive away and we were at the marina, where we chartered a spacious boat with gin and tonics on hand and all the barbecued food we could want. Paddle boards were at the ready for those looking to get their pump on, or for the passenger princesses (our group lead, Jemma, gets a five-star driving rating from me).
It was a little overcast, so we didn’t see a Monet-esque sunset of pinks and yellows, but the 360° views of the Andaman Sea were breathtaking, whatever the weather.
A bite to eat?
Whether you’re working up an appetite through all the activities, or the want of pure indulgence, then you won’t be disappointed with the food and drink offering at the resort.
Before dinner, we made sure to go to the nightly 6pm champagne sabering ceremony – where a nominated member of staff welcomes the evening by opening the first bottle, with a sword. No pressure. It was the ideal way to say goodbye to the day and hello to the night, and for a complimentary glass of bubbles, of course.
But if you miss the sabering, then not to worry, as breakfast mimosas (or straight-up champers) are on hand to start the day off in the L’Orangerie Brasserie. And what’s more, you can line your stomach with just about anything you fancy, from full fry-ups to work-of-art pistachio pastries, local fresh fruit, and the not to be missed, local Nasi Lemak cuisine. The ceiling-to-floor windows won’t let you forget that you’re tucked away in the middle of the luscious surrounding rainforest either. Not a bad spot.
With two other restaurants to choose from, there’s no need to leave the resort. Saunter from sunbed to dining table at the Pantai Grill. We had to order the seafood platter, of course – which had generous amounts of seabass, prawns, and snappers, that we were probably swimming with a few hours earlier. I also ordered a green mango salad, a sweet yet spicy dish that I have tried (and failed) to replicate since arriving back home.
But the true showstopper for me was the ethereal Kayuputi. Just a short walk along the boardwalk, suspended above the Andaman Sea, it’s a sight to behold. Before dinner, we enjoyed a few cocktails at their Pavilion bar, where we managed to catch the sunset.
What awaited us in the main restaurant was eight courses of pure Malaysian finery, which sounds like a lot, but the small portions and quality of ingredients left us feeling satisfied rather than sluggish. As I made my way through courses of scallops, caviar and rose sorbet, I was left wondering how I could ever return to my humble tuna jacket potato and Häagen-Dazs.
A spa, you say?
For many, a massage treatment or facial is the dream way to unwind and relax. Being the ticklish person I am, other things would top my list over this. But the serene spas in both the St Regis hotels pulled me in with their peaceful ambiance, soothing sounds, and intriguing treatment list.
So, I booked myself in at the St. Regis Spa at the Langkawi resort a 60-minute de-stress massage – though I certainly didn’t have anything to destress over. I was glad to know I could be selective with areas that I didn’t want to focus on – for me, feet were a strict no-go zone (maybe some dwindling weaver fish trauma?).
Others in my group opted for the Urutan Malaysian Massage, which consists of 120 minutes of combined indigenous massage techniques. After a newfound love for merely, relaxing, this would be what I opt for next time.
And what about the gym facilities?
R+R can be found in abundance, but if you fancy getting active, there’s plenty of that too. With state-of-the-art fitness centres with all the equipment you could want, it’s easy to fit in quick 30-minute sessions if you want to stay on track. There’s also a yoga studio, though I’d recommend setting up on the beach, where you can submerge yourself in a real-life wave soundtrack.
Where do I book?
A double room at the St Regis Kuala Lumpur starts from £176pn BOOK NOW
A double room at St Regis Langkawi starts from £221 pn BOOK NOW
For more information on both of these hotels, visit Marriott
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