Boasting a distinct Spanish style, the Casa del Mar boutique resort in Langkawi’s Cenang Beach is perhaps one of the coziest accommodation options in the Malaysian resort island. With only a couple of dozen rooms, there is an air of exclusivity in this adults-only resort. As one enters, staff members are quick to greet “welcome home” and indeed, the terra-cotta colored structure does exude the look and feel akin to a large house with none of the formal vibe one finds in other upscale accommodations.
lobby at casa del mar
my welcome drink
I arrived in Langkawi at around noon with a staff member at the airport’s arrival hall carrying a placard with my name. The drive was a short one. In ten minutes I was already at the entrance of the resort waiting to be checked in. With a warm welcome greeting, I was given a refreshing glass of lemongrass tea and given a key to my room.
The resort is arranged in a very homey style. Think – no taller than two or three storeys, beach or sea views from every room as well as a library where guests can borrow books or DVDs.
The Room
I was billeted at one of the property’s second storey Seaview Junior Suites, a spacious 60 square meter room with a separate living area, two balconies and a massive bathroom. Like the resort’s public areas, my room had a traditional Spanish vibe with wall-hung candelabras for lighting, parquetted flooring as well as a four pole poster bed. Overall, I enjoyed the unique theme and found it to be a pleasant departure from the standard décor I see in hotels and resorts elsewhere.
The in-room amenities I must say, was a nice touch. Aside from your standard coffee maker, bottled water and fruit basket; I was amazed to find jars of complimentary peanuts and cookies in my room for me to snack on.
The bathroom was quite large and extended the same terra-cotta color scheme that prevails the resort’s public areas. There’s a separate bath tub and shower area with overhead rain shower. Toiletries are exclusive to the hotel. The cinnamon bar soap in particular smelled really good and left an extremely nice fragrance on me when I used it to bathe.
At around 6PM, a housekeeping staff member came in to do turndown service in my room. He left some scented bookmarks and a bit of potpourri by my bedside as well as turned on the radio for some ambient in-room music.
Facilities at Casa del Mar
Personally, I would rather have a long jog along the beach for exercise but if you’d rather lift weights or run in an air-conditioned setting, the resort has a small gym which comes with a variety of equipment.
The beach is just a short walk from the property but the pool is just as inviting especially when contrasted against a setting sun. I even spotted quite a number of guests spending the entire day lounging around the pool with a good book in tow!
Casa del Mar has an excellent inhouse spa called Satkara Spa. I tried their signature Satkara massage -a dynamic fusion of Shiatsu, Lomi Lomi and Swedish, Thai and Balinese techniques. The massage lasted for 90 minutes and involved a lot of stretching to soothe tired muscles. I drifted in and out of slumber as it felt so calming – I felt totally relaxed after the treatment! After the massage, I was also given a 30 minute men’s facial which left my skin moisturized after the procedure.
Dining at La Sal
dinner by the beach at casa del mar
Casa del Mar has one of the top-rated eating places in Langkawi in the form of the Mediterranean restaurant, La Sal. One of the highlights here is the La Luna experience where one gets to have dinner in an elaborate dinner set up under the stars. It is a very romantic setting for honeymooners or by couples who just wish to have a special meal in the middle of the beach with clear views of the Andaman Sea.
Even without a special occasion, it’s an entirely wonderful idea to have a meal or two at La Sal. During my stay, I had a sumptuous 4-course dinner consisting of seared scallops, pumpkin soup, roast beef as well as lava cake. All dishes were excellent – the beef especially was aptly cooked for medium rare and came to me tender and flavored by herbs. While dining here, it’s wise to be prepared for a 20 to 30 minute wait per dish. This is because all dishes are cooked fresh on the spot. To attest to that, plates were served to me almost burning hot!
Breakfast which is also served at La Sal is another thing to look forward to. Like other upscale properties, there is a mix between buffet and ala carte. While here, I really recommend the latter though one can have a spot of delicious nasi lemak from the buffet if one wishes to. Guests can choose as many dishes as they like from the ala carte menu, and there’s a wide variety of western and even a Chinese style breakfast.
My personal pick is the blueberry pancakes which came with a distinctly milky flavor. To make it even more special, the blueberries are scattered inside the pancake rather than sprinkled on top which adds a nice texture to the dough. I had this along with some eggs benedict which was flowing with delicious hollandaise sauce.
Tips for Casa del Mar
- Being less than 10 minutes drive from the airport, the resort seriously is one of the most convenient places to stay if a short beachside jaunt is what you’re after
- The restaurant, La Sal, is typically considered one of the best in Langkawi so do have dinner there at least once. The alfresco beachside seats are the best so come early!
- While all rooms have views of the beach, the ones that get booked out easily are the beachfront suites with doors that open up directly to Cenang Beach
- The in-house Satkara Spa offers some excellent and reasonably-priced massage treatments
- This is the place to stay if you’re looking for something different from the standardized look and feel of luxury chain resorts. Casa del Mar exudes a strong home-like vibe and its rustic Iberian theme is one that’s rarely found in this part of the world
Casa del Mar Langkawi
Jalan Pantai Cenang
Mukim Kedawang
Langkawi 07000
Kedah, Malaysia
Email: info@casadelmar-langkawi.com
Booking: Compare the best prices HERE
I really really agree with this post. Impressed with La Sal!
Glad to be in good company! 🙂