This Langkawi Island hotel is a mix of highs and lows, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup
Ombak Villa in Langkawi Island is a hotel with two halves. The first is the original block called Langkawi Lagoon Resort on the right side of the entrance, while the actual Ombak Villa premises, opened in 2013, sits on the left.
Both lodgings operate as one complex. Guests will have their breakfast at the Bayu Restaurant overlooking the swimming pool and the Andaman Sea, and there are three other restaurants in the premise. A snack bar, playground, spa and gym are among the on-site facilities.
I find the various restaurant choices convenient because the hotel is in Padang Matsirat with no other eating options available within walking distance. You can also walk straight to the beach from the hotel, making it a self-sufficient setup.
CLEAN BUT DATED
I am put up in a Langkawi Lagoon room for my first night, with a view of the pool and beach. Despite the different shades of red, yellow and orange on the outside of the building, the interior colours are more uniform and calming in beige and cream.
My room is divided into a bathroom / kitchenette area with marble flooring, and a sleeping area with shiny wood floors. It’s clean and spacious with a lot of wood accents. With the stove top turned off, I have the countertop space to comfortably make a cup of tea.
The two twin beds are complemented by a daybed on the window sill. You get a lovely view of the beach from there, and it’s a good place to read a book or take a nap - even though the bed is barely a metre away. Also, the WiFi signal is stronger on the day bed.
Meanwhile, the beds are soft and springy, and the room comes with a fan —which I prefer over air-conditioning. I also like that the room is large enough for a couple of chairs and a table, meaning that even without a proper seating area I don’t need to sit on the bed.
The bathroom comes with a shower and all the regular assortment of toiletries. It’s large and clean even though there is some noticeable wear and tear. The overall decor is a little dated, but still decent.
Since my room is just over the pool, it gets quite noisy in the late afternoon with the guests and their kids there. There’s also the constant buzz of the air-con compressor.It’slikelyaneighbour’s sincemine wasn’t switched on, soI amlet down by the lack of noise insulation here.
FANCIER DIGS
I am transferred to an Ombak Villa room for the rest of my stay. The rooms here are housed in separate villas either two or three storeys high. A buggy dropped me off at my new accommodation since it’s quite a distance from the lobby.
My room is on the ground floor, and comes with an outside seating area. The room decor is a mix of modern and traditional with touches of songket fabric that brightens up the room. There is a kitchenette with a sink and tea-making facilities, while a desk doubles as a dining table.
The beds — a single and a queen — face a glass sliding door with access to the verandah and inner courtyard.
There are curtains for privacy but thankfully there’s not a lot of foot traffic outside. There’s also good WiFi connection in the room with handy plug points next to the beds.
Meanwhile, the bathroom is spacious and comes with a bathtub and a separate shower. The hotel provides bathrobes for guests, as well as a weighing scale so you can see exactly how much you’ve been indulging on your holiday.
A path from the verandah takes me to a restaurant and neighbouring fishing village. There’s no beach that you can swim here though I suppose you can take your chances near the fishing boats, or you can walk to the otherside of the complex where the swimming beach is. There’s always the
pool if you fancy a dip.
The yard is planted with fragrant lemongrass and various fruit trees, although they are still too young to bear any. As I walk, I can hear the pleasant chirping of birds. There are benches on the seafront embankment, allowing me to enjoy a spectacular Andaman Sea sunset.
FAST FACTS
OMBAK VILLA LANGKAWI
Lot 78,
Jalan Kuala Muda,
Padang Matsirat, Langkawi,
Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia.
TEL 04-955 8181
WEBSITEwww.ombakvillalangkawi.com
DO Walk to the neighbouring
fishing village and enjoy
the sunset.
GO Hire your own transport
and drive around the island
with its picturesque hills
and padi fields. Alternatively,
join an island-hopping tour.
HIGHS Spacious rooms and
easy access to the beach
LOWS Some rooms are
better than others.