Join me on an unforgettable journey through four of Southeast Asia’s most iconic luxury hotels - each a sanctuary of elegance and serenity. From the timeless grandeur of Raffles Singapore to the secluded paradise of The Datai Langkawi, this itinerary promises not just a trip, but a transformative escape into unparalleled opulence. I’ve been to Singapore a few times before, visiting Raffles for drinks or afternoon tea in the iconic Tiffin Room, but never having stayed. I’ve always wanted to, so this is the time, as is the opportunity to take one of the ferries to a nearby island. For this trip, we’ve opted for Bintan and The Sanchaya, just a 50 minute ride away to Indonesia.

From there we head back to Singapore temporarily to fly into Malaysia, with the first stop being the capital Kuala Lumpur and a few nights at The Banyan Tree. I’ve flown through KL a number of times, but never to stop so I'm really looking forward to a new experience and visiting the majestic Petronas Towers on a VIP visit. Then it’s another flight to the Malaysian island of Langkawi, actually somewhere I have visited and stayed before at The Datai, albeit now 23 years ago.

The hotels featuring in the post are:

• Raffles Singapore

• The Sanchaya, Bintan

• Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

• The Datai, Langkawi

Read on to find my full detailed travel itinerary for this trip, with helpful info on:

• How we travelled to Singapore from the UK.

• My top hotel recommendations for all locations.

• Travelling between the islands of Singapore, Bintan and Langkawi.

• Things to do when in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi.

Flying to Singapore with Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is always one of my ‘go-to’ airlines, and with a couple of services a day direct from Edinburgh to Doha, it’s a dream to then connect on to the rest of the world. On our last trip to Hamad International Airport, we went to the new Al Mourjan Lounge in the Garden, and wow what a great experience. With a 3 hour layover this time, depending on the departing gate I think we will head back there. On booking, our onward outbound flight to Singapore was always in QSuite, but what was a very nice surprise is that a few weeks after booking, the return leg from Kuala Lumpur to Doha was also amended to QSuite - bonus!

Fast Facts about Qatar Airways

Website - https://www.qatarairways.com/
Skytrax ranking - 5 Star
Instagram - @qatar_airways @oneworld
Flights - (1) EDI-DOH BA5800 (2) DOH-SIN BA4494 (3) KUL-DOH BA2134 (4) DOH-EDI BA5801
Scheduled time - (1) 6hr 55mins (2) 8hr 5mins (3) 7hr 20mins (4) 7hr 30mins
Aircraft – (1) Airbus A350-900 (2) Airbus A350-1000 QSuite (3) Boeing 777-300ER QSuite (4) Airbus A350-900
Flying - September 2024

One of the best places to stay in Singapore: Raffles Singapore

Having stayed in Singapore quite a few times before, I’ve stayed in different locations and different styles of hotel, from downtown near the centre’s attractions and shopping districts, to the last visit where we stayed at Gardens by the Bay and the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Why Book with Virtuoso and The Private Traveller

By booking through my affiliation with Virtuoso, I was able to secure a number of additional VIP benefits with their Virtuoso Rate. These included:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

• Daily Buffet Breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom

• $100USD equivalent Resort or Hotel credit utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)

• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability

• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Contact me if you’re interested in booking a similar trip, or something that can be customised bespoke for you.

Fast Facts for Raffles Singapore

Address - Beach Road, Singapore 189673
Website - https://www.raffles.com/singapore/
Group website - https://www.raffles.com/
TripAdvisor ranking - #24 of 345 hotels in Singapore
Contact - Singapore@raffles.com
Instagram - @raffleshotelsingapore @raffleshotels
Nearest airport - Changi International Airport (SIN) - 32 km or 20 miles (about a 40 min drive, traffic dependent) 
Opened - 1887 (two-year renovation reopening 2019)
Number of suites - 115 (all suite hotel - Studio, State Room, Courtyard, Palm Court, Personality, & Residence Suites)
Number of floors - 4
Bars - 2 (Long & Writers Bar)
Restaurants - 5 (yì by Jereme Leung, Butcher’s Block, Tiffin Room, Raffles Courtyard, & The Grand Lobby)
Wellbeing - Raffles Spa (steam bath, sauna, ice fountain as well as a heated pool) with treatments, outdoor pool, fitness centre
Visiting - September 2024

There are lots of things I’m looking forward to here, including their on site Raffles Spa and their special private GEM Suite.

Things to do in Singapore

The idea of this break is complete relaxation, and while we will do a few things, a key thing is just to experience both of these hotels which I’ve wanted to visit for some time, relax and enjoy their facilities including the spa.

Here are just some of the things I’m planning for our trip:

• Little India

• The GEM Suite Experience

• Chinatown

• Gardens by the Bay

• Singapore Botanic Gardens

• Singapore Art Museum (SAM)

• National Museum of Singapore

Travelling between Singapore and Bintan (Indonesia) by Bintan Resort Ferries

Just a short drive away from Raffles is the Ferry Terminal, which will take us on the 1hr 10min scheduled ferry ride to the Indonesian island of Bintan. There were two options for the ferry ride, standard class or Emerald Class. With Emerald class there are a few extra booking benefits like a dedicated check-in and boarding area, seat assignment, priority baggage handling and use of executive lounges at both ferry terminals. Having said that, The Sanchaya have their own exclusive lounge in Bintan. On board the ferry, there are complimentary hot and cold beverages. Find out more about Bintan Resort Ferries here.

Where to stay on Bintan?

There are a number of hotels, and during our stay we plan to visit the Banyan Tree Bintan to check it out. For this trip though, I’ve opted for The Sanchaya which is right on the beach.

Why Book with FORA Travel and The Private Traveller

By booking through my affiliation with FORA I was able to secure a number of additional VIP benefits with their PREFERRED PLATINUM Rate. These included:

• Daily breakfast for two for duration of the stay 

• $100 USD Resort Credit to be used during stay

• Complimentary Wi-Fi

• Room Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

• Priority Check in and Check out, subject to availability

Contact me if you’re interested in booking a similar trip, or something that can be customised bespoke for you.

Fast Facts for The Sanchaya

Address - Lagoi Bay, Bintan, Riau Islands, Indonesia
Website - https://www.thesanchaya.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #3 of 46 hotels in Bintan Island
Contact - reservations@thesanchaya.com
Instagram - @thesanchaya @plateauinternational
Nearest airport - Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) - 53 km or 33 miles (about an hour on the ferry). Inter-island airport (TNJ) 
Opened - 2014
Number of viilas / suites - 29 (Sanchaya, Verandah, & Junior suites; Lawan Thai, two-bedroom, Leelawadee, & Vanda villas)
Number of floors - 2 
Bars - 2 (The Bar & Decanter)
Restaurants - 2 (Tasanee Thai Grill & The Dining Room), plus in villa or suite dining
Wellbeing - Outdoor pool, Spa (four treatment rooms & outside cabanas), gym, croquet, archery, stand-up paddleboards, house bicycles, and BioKarts.
Visiting - September 2024

As soon as I spotted The Sanchaya, part of Plateau International (a sales representation company and PR agency) which represents some amazing hotels, resorts, cruise lines, private jets and some DMC’s (Destination Management Companies), I knew this would be somewhere I would enjoy staying. 

Flying from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, and onward return to Langkawi with Malaysia Airlines

It’s been years since we last flew with Malaysia, part of the OneWorld Alliance, so I always look forward to refreshing experiences and writing new flight reviews. I think the last time we likely flew with them would be from KL to the island of Borneo, where we had a trip exploring different parts of the (Malaysian) north of the island, but didn’t visit the Southern (Indonesian) part.

Fast Facts about Malaysia Airlines

Website - https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/en/askmh.html
Skytrax ranking - 4 Star
Instagram - @malaysiaairlines @oneworld
Flight - (1) SIN-KUL MH620 (2) KUL-LGK MH1436 (3) LGK-KUL MH1437
Scheduled time - (1) 1hr 10mins (2) 1hr 5mins (3) 1hr 20mins
Aircraft – (1) Boeing 737-800 (2) Boeing 737-800 (3) Boeing 737-800
Flying - September 2024

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur with a view of the Petronas Towers?

Having flown through KL a number of times, it has always been somewhere of interest, so I'm looking forward to finally getting there to stay. I did look at a number of options, but not having stayed at a Banyan Tree property for a while, albeit I will be visiting one again on Bintan, this seemed like a really good option for our city stay.

I’m also interested to try out the KLIA Express VIP service which connects downtown to the airport. We’ll get picked up by the hotel on arrival, but I’ve booked this VIP service to get us back to the airport for our Langkawi flight.

Why Book with FORA Travel and The Private Traveller

By booking through my affiliation with FORA I was able to secure a number of additional VIP perks at the Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur with their Accor HERA rate. These included:

• Daily complimentary breakfast for 2, per room

• VIP Welcome

• $100 USD credit to be spent on property (conditions defined at check-in)

• Early check-in & late check-out (upon availability)

• Upgrade at time of check-in (upon availability)

Contact me if you’re interested in booking a similar trip, or something that can be customised bespoke for you.

Fast Facts for Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

Address - 2, Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website - https://www.banyantree.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur
Group website - https://www.banyantree.com/
TripAdvisor ranking - #5 of 518 hotels in Kuala Lumpur
Contact - kualalumpur@banyantree.com
Instagram - @banyantreekualalumpur @banyantreehotels
Nearest airport - Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) - 60 km or 37 miles (about an hour’s drive, traffic dependent), or connect using the KILA Express via Sentral Station (only 6km away from the hotel), with VIP service available
Opened - 2018
Number of rooms / suites - 55 (Banyan Retreat, Signature Banyan Retreat, or Signature Sky Retreat or Signature Wellbeing Retreat rooms, Sky, Sanctuary, Sky Sanctuary, or Banyan Tree suites)
Number of floors - Top 7 floors of the Banyan Tree Signatures Building (55 floors in total)
Bars - 1 (Vertigo TOO)
Restaurants - 3 (Horizon Grill, Vertigo, and Bake)
Wellbeing - Open air pool, gym, Spa (various treatments)
Visiting - September 2024

Things to do in Kuala Lumpur

As much as I relaxation and beach holidays, it can also be fascinating to visit new cities, and with the iconic Petronas Towers here, this was a must, especially when I realised that I could book a private VIP tour, and also that the hotel has their rooftop restaurant Vertigo for nighttime views too.

Here are just some of the things I’m planning for our trip:

• Petronas Towers

• Batu Caves 

• Jalan Alor

• Pavilion Kuala Lumpur (Shopping Mall)

• Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square)

• Royal Museum

• Thean Hou Temple

• Royal Selangor Visitor Centre

Where to stay on Langkawi?

Langkawi has a number of high-end properties on the island, including a Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Westin, and a Four Seasons; but I opted for a repeat visit (albeit with a gap of 23 years) back to the Leading Hotels of the World property, The Datai.

I know the resort has gone through an incredible recent refurbishment programme, and have added new accommodations since my last visit in the form of some incredible looking beach villas, all with their own private pools. I will also be writing an article for the hotel’s in-house magazine, IKHLAS, which is a really good opportunity for me.

Why Book with FORA Travel and The Private Traveller

By booking through my affiliation with FORA I was able to secure a number of additional VIP perks with their Virtuoso rate, albeit I could also have booked through Leading Hotels of the World, to pick up their VIP benefits too. These included:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

• Daily Buffet breakfast for up to two  guests per bedroom, served in the restaurant

• Complimentary lunch or dinner for up to 2 guests per room, once during stay, excluding alcohol, taxes & grat. (min. value of $100 and 3-courses)

• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability

• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Contact me if you’re interested in booking a similar trip, or something that can be customised bespoke for you.

Fast Facts for The Datai

Address - Jln Teluk Datai, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia
Website - https://thedatai.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #4 of 129 hotels in Langkawi
Contact - reservations@dataihotels.com
Instagram - @thedatailangkawi @thedataipledge
Nearest airport - Langkawi International Airport (LGK) - 29 km or 18 miles (about a 45 min drive, traffic dependent) 
Opened - 1993 (reopened 2018 after major refurbishment)
Number of rooms / suites / villas - 121 (The Canopy Collection - Deluxe [35] & Garden [5], Suite [11], & The Datai Suite; The Rainforest Collection - Rainforest, Premium, Pool, & The Datai Estate Villas; The Beach Collection - One or Two Bedroom Villas]
Number of floors - 3
Bars - 1 (The Beach Bar)
Restaurants - 4 (The Pavillion, Dining Room, Gulai House, & Beach Club)
Wellbeing - Outdoor pools (adult main and beach), Spa (five treatment villas, nail, & hair salon), Yoga, Pilates, Golf, Health Club (gym, sauna, & steam)
Visiting - September 2024

The hotel has curated an amazing selection of activities for our week on the island, including:

• Visiting all four restaurants for dinner

• Massage at The Spa 

• Journey Through the Forests (Canopy walk)

• Bee a beekeeper

• Upcycling workshop at our The Lab

• A private Permaculture Garden tour

In addition, I always have a huge fascination for cable cars and funiculars, so when I found out about the Langkawi cable car and Sky Bridge, this was another reason for coming back. It wasn’t there on our last visit, I think the cable car opened in 2002, with the Sky Bridge walkway opening a few years later in 2005. There are different options for the cable car, these being a standard, glass bottom or 360 degree (open) gondola where you can share with up to 4-6 people, depending on the type, or you can opt for either a private gondola, or the pinnacle being a VIP gondola for only three people, which includes drinks and snacks for the (short) trip, as well as being inclusive of the Express Lane.

Full Travel Itinerary: Singapore, Indonesia, & Malaysia

• Day 1   Fly to Changi Singapore (SIN) from Edinburgh (EDI) with Qatar Airways via Doha Hamad International (DOH)

• Early afternoon 6hr 55min flight

• 3 hour layover and time to use the excellent Qatar Lounges - my new favourite is the Al Mourjan Lounge at The Garden

• Day 2  Doha Hamad International (DOH) onward to Singapore (SIN)

• Connecting flight is 8hr 5min and is featuring the incredible Qatar Airways QSuite

• Two nights Raffles Singapore

• Day 3  Raffles Singapore

• Overnight Raffles

• Day 4  Bintan Resort Ferries to The Sanchaya, Bintan 

• The ferry takes just 1hr 10mins from Singapore to Bintan

• 4 nights The Sanchaya, Bintan

• Day 5-7  The Sanchaya, Bintan  

• Relaxing time in and around the hotel, where there’s a large pool and right on the beach

• Day 8  Return ferry and onwards with Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur

• Late morning ferry 

• Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

• Flight 1hr 10min

• Three nights Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

• Day 9  Kuala Lumpur

• VIP Tour Petronas Towers

• Overnight Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

• Day 10  Kuala Lumpur  

• Batu Caves

• Overnight Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

• Day 11  KUL to Langkawi (LGK) with Malaysia Airlines

• Flight 1hr 5min

• 7 nights The Datai

• Day 12-17 The Datai

• As much as have resort activities planned, this will also be relaxing on either the incredible island beach, or at one of the two large hotel pools

• Day 18   Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines

• Mid afternoon return flight, to connect to the return Qatar Airways flight KUL - DOH (7hr 20mins) again in their amazing QSuite

• Day 19  DOH-EDI

• The flight from KL is due to arrive in Doha’s Hamad International Airport, and with only a 2.5hour layover (again the incredible Qatar lounges), then the next overnight flight back to Edinburgh 

• Return early morning flight DOH-EDI, scheduled to take 7hr 30mins, and with the time change landing at a very respectable 06:30 in the morning.

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