Four Seasons Resort Langkawi

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi occupies a sheltered curve of Tanjung Rhu on the island's northern tip, between a mile-long sandy beach and a wall of limestone cliffs, within the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark. The accommodation is a collection of Malay-style pavilions, beach villas and larger family and royal villas, many with their own pool, spread through gardens that run down to the sand. The resort was redesigned by the designer Bill Bensley in 2018, with a fresher palette of blues replacing the earlier earthy tones. Guests have two outdoor pools, a children's pool and waterslide, a spa, a gym and tennis, a private beach with loungers and cabanas, and several restaurants, including HAVA, which serves north-eastern Indian dishes with a Langkawi influence. It is a resort for people who want to stay put and be looked after.

Location and getting around: Tanjung Rhu is the far north of the island, so the resort is about an hour from the Cenang strip and a little less from Kuah and the airport. That distance is the point. You will wake to birdsong and cliffs rather than traffic, and the Kilim Geoforest mangroves, with their boat and kayak tours, begin just around the corner. For the SkyCab, Cenang and the island's other attractions, you will need a car, a driver or the hotel's transfers, so budget time and money for that. The resort offers limo service and free bicycle rentals.

Rooms and who it suits: the Garden View and Sea View rooms and the Superior Beach Pavilions suit couples, while the Beach Villas with plunge pools give honeymooners real privacy. The Family Beach Villas and the three-bedroom garden villas have space for children and grandparents. Unlike many luxury resorts, this one works for families, with a kids club, a playground and babysitting available for a surcharge, so it can be a relaxed holiday for all ages. Choose a villa with a pool if privacy matters most, or a pavilion if you plan to use the shared pools.

Good to know: there are three on-site restaurants and a bar, 24-hour room service and free self-parking and valet parking. Breakfast inclusion depends on the rate, so check before you pay. Because the resort is remote, most guests eat on site in the evenings, and the prices reflect that. Water sports and nature excursions, including mangrove and geopark safaris, can be arranged by the concierge. The beach is calm and good for swimming, but check conditions in the wetter months. Allow a full travel day if you are arriving on a long-haul flight.