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Casa del Mar is a beautiful and tranquil resort that lives up to its name of being a “home by the sea”, writes JADE CHAN.
IF ever you are in the mood for a romantic getaway, or if you're searching for a place to spend some time with your partner, look no further than Casa del Mar in Langkawi.
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Andrew Drummond, Casa Del Mar general manager. |
Set amid swaying palm trees, fine sand and rolling waves, the resort is a refuge from the frenetic pace of everyday life. It lives up to its name of being a "home by the sea" (which is what casa del mar means in Spanish).
The 34-room resort is managed by HPL Hotels & Resorts, and is on Jalan Pantai Cenang, just 10 minutes from Langkawi Airport and 30 minutes from Kuah town.
Don’t let its low building and quaint façade fool you, for Casa del Mar’s beautiful rooms, innovative cuisine, soothing spa treatments, and personalised service make it a memorable stay for anyone.
Once you step into the quaint lobby, you will be greeted by the front-desk staff and served a refreshing glass of their signature drink – the halia-limau (ginger-lime). Made of sugar, ground ginger, fresh lime and house lemonade, the drink is a great pick-me-up.
Casa del Mar's architecture exudes the feel of a cosy Spanish home but set against the tropical backdrop of Langkawi. Each room offers a view of either the pool or sea.
You can opt for a deluxe room, a junior suite or a deluxe suite. Each room has a large bathroom that features a separate shower and bath. You can have a quick shower or a long soak after a day of fun in the sun.
There's a range of yummy-smelling bathroom products to choose from. Packed in cute clay containers, the shampoo, bath gel, liquid soap and moisturiser contain ingredients like mint, lavender, jojoba and aroma oils to provide a refreshing bath experience. Its must-use bath item is the cinnamon body bar, a
unique soap bar made with mild coconut oil that nourishes the skin as it cleanses.
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Casa Del Mar feels like a cosy Spanish home. – Pictures by JADE CHAN |
To make your holiday even more indulgent, drop in at Casa del Mar’s spa. It offers a wide range of massage, face and skin renewal therapies, as well as body treatments. Spa packages range from a 30-minute, head, neck and shoulder massage to a 4½ hour ultimate indulgence.
I enjoyed my session as the spa therapist worked her magic on my sore muscles. But the sound system could use a little tweaking as some of the music sounded like it was played from a pirated CD!
Tuesday evenings are when they have a meet-the-guests session, when the staff, including general manager Andrew Drummond, gathers for drinks with guests at the poolside bar. According to Drummond, the resort caters especially to couples and honeymooners.
"About 60%-70% of our guests are European tourists who come mainly from the UK, Germany and Switzerland. There are also a few from Holland and Scandinavia. About 10% come from Central Asia, and we are expecting a few more Australians this time around, as many are finding more and more reason not to visit
Bali," he said.
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You get the best of both worlds: sea and swimming pool. |
"Local tourists make up about 20% of our guests, and they come mainly on business. We prefer treating Casa del Mar as a home, rather than as a resort. We provide a personalised and friendly service; some guests are so regular that our staff know them by name and vice versa," he
added.
Keeping busy
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The kayaking tour into the mangrove forest is quite educational. |
Apart from the usual water-based activities, you can check out the attractions around Langkawi or arrange for activities like canopy walk, horse riding and island tours. I tried mangrove kayaking and the sunset cruise, courtesy of Crystal Yacht Holidays.
The kayaking tour started at Kilim River and offered an opportunity for a close-up look at Langkawi’s ecology. Dev Mahendra, 45, the friendly guide, took us to a mangrove swamp and introduced us to the various creatures that inhabit it, such as the khonburi pit viper, brahminy kite, fiddler crab, mudskipper,
monitor lizard and horseshoe bat.
Besides mangrove trees, we also got to see limestone caves and stalactite and stalagmite formations. We rowed out in teams of two in our kayaks, and it was a lot of fun It was a challenge, though, to stay calm when the kayaks swayed wildly everytime motorboats sped by!
The tour ended with lunch at Hole in the Wall, a floating restaurant cum fish farm said to be frequented by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The sunset cruise is a great way to end your day. You sail in a yacht, either the La Scala or the Tiki, on the Andaman Sea for a look at the beautiful islands off Langkawi.
Sit back and enjoy drink and company as the boat takes off and you feel the wind in your face and hear the sound of the waves.
If you are lucky, you may spot eagles, flying fish and even dolphins. Whenever you feel like cooling off, just take a dip in the "saltwater Jacuzzi" (basically you are lounging in a net thrown off the back of the yacht).
The cruise ends with a breathtaking sunset view accompanied by a hearty dinner (or canapés, depending on which cruise you choose). Isn’t this the life? |
