Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Malaysia

The Best Resorts in Asia: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards

"When the Four Seasons opened their tropical resort in Langkawi in 2006, most of their clients had not even heard of the 99-island archipelago off Malaysia; the 91-room property right on the shores of the Andaman Sea is a testament to the luxury group’s ability to open in both well known destinations and to gamble on the barely discovered. Set out like a traditional Malay village, albeit one with far grander accommodations, the design borrows generously from the surrounding Indian, Balinese and Middle Eastern cultures. While palatial beachfront villas come with their own spa rooms and private plunge pools, even the pavilion rooms feel like mini-fiefdoms. Other highlights include the infinity lap pool with its cabanas framed by stone walls (high enough to block out the couples on either side), Moroccan tents set up beachside for private dinners, the excellent, mostly Balinese-trained, staff, and bathrooms you’ll want to transport home. Though its tempting to stay resort-side, take the time for a boat trip through the mangroves of Kilim River and the pristine, uninhabited outlying islands. As you drift along you’ll realize that opening in this idyll was really no gamble at all." - CNT Editors, Betsy Blumenthal