A daring transformation is underway of the award-winning Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, elevating the tropical UNESCO beach haven to a new level of modern luxury and indulgence.
The new look is the work of cutting-edge designer Bill Bensley and his Bangkok and Bali based teams. It sees the signature colour scheme changed from earthen tones to a palette of bold and vibrant blues, adding further drama and excitement to the backdrop of beaches, rainforest and cliffs provided by the surrounding 550-million year old Langkawi UNESCO Geopark.
The concept was to create a modern background for the Resort’s 19 hectares (48 acres) of beachfront tropical gardens, which Bensley – also a landscape architect – designed. The effect is a dramatic expanse of viewpoints, awash with vibrant infusions of colour.
“Until now, the design of Four Seasons Resort Langkawi was all about blending into its incredible natural setting, flanked by the Andaman Sea, ancient limestone cliffs and luscious rainforest,” says the Resort’s General Manager David Macklin. “Our new design continues to celebrate this awe-inspiring backdrop but makes the Resort itself the star of the show. The effect is breathtaking and adds a contemporary twist to the Resort’s popular Malaysian and Moorish themes.”
The Malay-style Welcome Pavilion is set in the centre of a frangipani-lined pond, complete with its own antique boat. As guests journey to their rooms, intense midnight blues give way to shades of cobalt and power blue.
The Resort’s 68 Malay-style Pavilions now reflect Bensley’s modern eclectic style. The airy rooms feature the trademark accent of blues, bespoke artworks and objets d’art, revived teak floors and antique mirror inlays, providing guests with a fresh and stylish sanctuary.
The Resort has already unveiled three new Deluxe Family Beach Villas with Plunge Pool and two new Three Bedroom Garden Villas with Pool, standalone havens that offer families with teens and multi-generational groups the extended space and convenience they need – combining luxury holidaying with ample personal space for personal daytime lazing and evening family together-time.
The two main pools also received a modern new look, including the 55-metre (180-foot) Adult Quiet Pool with its incredible sea views, and the Family Pool, comprising several multi-tiered pools seductively positioned among frangipani trees and red sealing wax palms, both well-appointed on the Resort’s private beach.
All three restaurants will also benefit from Bensley’s unique treatment: Kelapa Grill, the toes-in-the-sand beach grill restaurant, and the Mediterranean restaurant Serai will both be refreshed, while the multi-award winning Malay restaurant Ikan Ikan will reveal a new look with interactive grill stations, allowing guests to savour traditional Malaysian cuisine while enjoying al fresco dining and breathtaking, panoramic views of the Andaman Sea.
The ever-popular Rhu Bar has been transformed with the addition of chic Middle Eastern-inspired furniture and décor, along with a new bar counter to match its modern casual cuisine.
Finally, the addition of a floating jetty facilitates access to water sports and mangrove safari boats for guests of all ages.
“Bensley’s reimagining of Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is characteristically edgy and artistic,” Macklin adds. “It perfectly complements the property’s mix of village-style architecture and Moorish influences and is wildly impressive in both the overview and detail.”
The only property in Malaysia to make both the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller UK Readers' Travel Awards 2017 and the Condé Nast Traveler USA Readers’ Choice Awards 2017, the Resort has been luring connoisseurs of style, solitude and scenery for more than a decade. Its vast layout has enabled the improvements to be implemented in a seamless wave, flowing across the property in discrete stages with minimum impact on the guest experience.
The transformation is due for final completion by late-2018.
