The BAYOU Hotel

Wood-toned walls and green views set the tone here, a short walk from Pantai Cenang's stretch of sand on Langkawi's west coast. The hotel sits inland from the shore, its pool ringed by planting rather than surf, and the beach itself is a ten-minute stroll away. Rooms run to eleven types across 84 keys, linked by open walkways rather than enclosed corridors. Standard Twin and Queen rooms keep things simple at 17 to 18 square metres. Superior rooms add accent walls at 22 square metres, while the Deluxe King and Super King rooms stretch to 24 and 28 square metres with proper seating areas. Family groups get more room to spread: the Deluxe Family Room spans 45 square metres across two adjoining rooms with three queen beds and two bathrooms, and the Junior Suite tops the range at 55 square metres with its own kitchenette and living space. Breakfast runs from 7.30am to 10.30am and is included in every package. A restaurant, gym and business centre round out the ground floor. Underwater World Langkawi is a kilometre off; the airport is 9.2 km away by road. Parking is free and unassigned. It is a plain, tidy base for a beach trip, not a resort in its own right, and it reads that way from the moment you walk in.