Pangkor Laut Resort

We travelled here from Penang and were very impressed by by the smooth transfer from the main land to the island - welcome very professional and the room over the sea was very comfortable - other reviews have suggested “tired” I would rather say cozy Pool very good and service on the whole was good a vast range of nationalities in the staff made communication challenging at times Food good - some of it excellent - bar prices fair for the area and the distance covered to get here - carbon footprint rather high I short excellent relaxing break

My partner and I visited Pangkor Laut during our honeymoon, expecting it to be the standout of our Southeast Asia travels. While the island is undeniably beautiful, the experience fell well below its five-star positioning. This resort is in clear need of stronger management. Many of the shortcomings - from puzzling operational decisions to consistently slow service, point directly to poor leadership. Staff were polite but not trained to five-star standards; even simple requests took close to an hour and multiple follow-ups. During one such delay, the General Manager walked past our visible frustration without acknowledgement or service recovery, reinforcing the impression of weak guest awareness at the top. Notably, the only exceptional service we experienced came from Mezan and Segar, who demonstrated the professionalism, etiquette, and attentiveness expected of a luxury property, and noticeably more than senior leadership itself. Key decisions were difficult to comprehend: very limited lunch options, no cocktails or spirits served at the adults-only pool, and food quality (including the “fine dining”) that was befitting of a three-star hotel rather than a premium resort. Despite commanding luxury prices, there was a persistent sense of cost-cutting across food, amenities, and spa offerings. Pangkor Laut may have the location, but it is not delivering a true luxury experience. If you are seeking genuine five-star hospitality, there are far better options across Malaysia and neighbouring countries, many of which cost less and deliver infinitely more.

Just stunning an amazing place, with some of the best scenery around. Staff were friendly, rooms were great and plenty to do.

Great spot. Staff are exceptional and everyone made our stay very special. It's impossible to mention everyone but special shoutout to Mazin, Gogan, Micelleyen, Hasan, Nadim & Jeff. Even during an unfortunate incident when some guests were asked to stop smoking in the SPA area and felt it was OK to shout, swear and insult them in response, they remained calm and professional at all times. This type of behaviour was not OK! Such a display of bad manners saddens me when they received nothing but kindness. Food is really fantastic. Chefs Ali & Lyza are a force to be reckoned with. Try all the restaurants; you won't be disappointed. They have different offerings but all serve delicious meals and the quality is exceptional. Thank you Miss Ivy & Team. You are all wonderful people. Nothing was too much effort and you created lovely memories for us.

We had a wonderful stay at Pangkor Laut Resortl! The service was excellent, and the atmosphere was incredibly relaxing. The staff went above and beyond, especially in taking care of our elderly parents, making sure they were comfortable and well looked after. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a stress-free and welcoming experience!"

Having read some reviews before we arrived I was intrigued to see for ourselves! The collection from Kuala Lumpar in the Danza people carrier made the journey to the resort a pleasure. We enjoyed soaking up the environment at the jetty while we waiting for the transfer to the island, so we waiting 30 minutes, does it matter?! When we arrived at the island we were met by Segar, our customer relations manager for the week, he is also the Director of Guest Liaison. The man is a credit to his profession, one very minor issue was dealt with professionally and without drama. He always seemed to be about the hotel and just knew how to deal with anything ‘thrown at it’. We had one of the Sea Villas, and while they may need slight upgrading we both felt it added to the authenticity of the island and resort, and in reality there is nothing wrong with them! We tried all the restaurants and really enjoyed them all, as has been mentioned, the staff in all of them cannot do enough for you, whether it is in the day time bars to the evening restaurants. They could not do enough to make our experience's memorable and for that we are very grateful. It would be wrong to mention individuals so not to offend those we may inadvertently forget, or did not capture their names. We thought the food was varied, fresh and cooked to a very good standard. Could there be a bar to enjoy an after dinner drink, probably yes, and they are looking at options, did it spoil the holiday, no. We really enjoyed Emerald Bay and Chapman’s Bar, a different vibe to the main resort and again lovely staff and food. There probably could be more pool sun beds, however people don’t get up early to unnecessarily reserve them, there were only a few occasions when we couldn’t get one, so we went to the beach! however it was very rare, but a few more wouldn’t go amiss. Overall, we had a fantastic time and fell in love with the island and the staff. The debate as to whether it is a 5 star resort is perhaps down to the individual, we couldn’t fault the food, service, staff and facilities. I hope we get to return because it sits at the top of our holiday experiences. Thank you for making our stay so memorable, and finally thank you again Segar, you have trained your staff very well, and you know, in your quiet way, just how to make good, excellent.

Stayed 5 nights in a spa villa. Perfect to listen to the waves gently lapping the shore. Highlights were the abundance of wildlife . We saw monkeys bats monitor lizards sea otters and hornbills . Staff are wonderful andgo out of their way to provide excellent service . A special mention to Mizan who looked after us so well both at the pool and in the restaurant. We were able to relax by the spa infinity pool which was 50 metres long but there are plenty of cool places to chill and cool off from the heat. First night we enjoyed the Malaysian street food style buffet but the highlight for us was the fine dining in Fisherman’s cove restaurant. Wear walking trainers and long trousers if you do the jungle walk over to Emerald beach . It was a hard but rewarding trek included in your stay. Chapmans bar was a great place to watch the sunset over a cocktail . Named after a ward war 2 hero who hacked through the jungle. All in all a wonderful stay made all the more memorable due to the friendly and accommodating staff. We will return

The location on a private island is fantastic. It is truly surrounded by the sea and rain forest and all its wildlife (sea eagles, horn bills, monitor lizards etc). I was looking to stay at a resort close to the nature and this was hotel really delivered on that. The different hotel rooms are spread over a large area and for an example walking from the Spa Villas to the breakfast restaurant takes about 15 minutes. There is though a well working buggy transportation service going between all the different areas from early morning to the late evening. The staff is very warm, helpful and welcoming. But I feel a lack of training and the actual delivered service is not at a five star level. I stayed in a Hill Villa on the lower level and the view was very limited due to trees shadowing it. It was fine for me (hey, it is nature) but if sea views are important for you make sure to request a villa with clear view. The room interior was a little dated but well working and spacious. It was clean in all aspects except for the bath tub that was very sandy. I tried all the four restaurants during my three night stay. My favorite actually turned out to be the beach restaurant Chapman bar as I think the lunch dishes I had there had the most flavors. Because seasoning was underwhelming in general at the others. Service at Uncle Lim was oddly over attentive (you really felt rushed, i.e. literally putting down the fork/chopsticks and the next second you are asked if you want the next dish) and just confused as you get the same question from several in the staff. no coordination. Fisherman Cove is the fine dining restaurant, it was ok but don't expect a Michelin star restaurant. The live stations at the buffet breakfast did a good job (egg station, noodle station etc). You could also get freshly made juices and barista coffee. The western part of the buffet was underwhelming, there was several choices but all bread/pastries felt industrial baked. Don't expect any late party in a lively bar, I felt everything closed down very early, including the pool bars. The longer jungle walk was really good with a very nice and knowledgeable guide, really recommended. Also the Pangkor island tour to the different temples and mosque was interesting. Skip the Island hopping if you expect good snorkeling, the visited reef was very small and not in good condition but if you just want to get out on the water and see some other island, it can be worth it. Overall I think this is a four star resort in a five star location.

Beautiful resort having stunning views. The staff everywhere is super nice and friendly, every day from breakfast to dinner welcoming us with a smile, and a special thanks to Devi, Afif and Gagan. We had a hill villa and the view was amazing. The room is really big but a bit outdated, the bath is huge but the water did not really get warm so we did not use it which is a shame. Next to the hill villa there was also plastic in the jungle / rubbish. The organization around the facilities could have been a bit better: one of the only things you can do is sit at the pool or beach (both clean and with beautiful views) however there are not always enough sunbeds so that is a shame. On the beach some sunbeds are also broken and there is enough space to have more. Kayaking costs money which feels a bit ridiculous if there is so little to do and you can't go anywhere else it seems unfair to charge extra for this as the resort is expensive for what it offers, we wanted to kayak around the island but you are only aloud to kayak at the very small part in front of the island so we did not end up doing it. The gym is quite nice but also very old machines. The food is really good, especially breakfast. Enough staff walking around to serve coffee and tea, they are very attentive, sweet and fast. We also really loved the special foodtruck evening which they have on Tuesdays. All in all we had a lovely stay, really thanks to all the amazing staff, but the resort does need renovation as it is rather pricey currently. You really pay for the views and location, we look forward to coming back when it is renovated.

I recently spent 4 nights at PLR to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. From the Mainland Jetty Office until the day we left, we had a fantastic experience which we will cherish forever. Special mention to Mr Wayne and Ms Naveena in KL office, for ensuring the whole stay was memorable. To Mr Megendran who was at the Jetty from the moment we arrived and always within a call away to assist with anything, Being the unsung hero, Mr Magendran is always behind the scene, ensuring no hiccups and no unexpected problems during our stay. To Chef Ruhaimi for the lovely meals which he was ever so happy to prepare. To Ms Prithiya who was always ensuring the stay was perfect with a huge eye for detail, observing and picking up our preference from our first day at the resort. From the 2nd day, Prithiya was on top of everything.... To Kimi at Front Office for taking time off his busy schedule to stop by to check on us, asking if there is anything else that they could do to help make our stay even better. To Nadim and Hassan from the Resort F&B team who always helped us at Dining. To Mages who always does his rounds in the morning, checking in on guests. Our celebration was one we will remember till the end of time. The people and the team at Pangkor Laut Resort is what makes this resort such a wonderful property. We cannot wait to return.