The 11 best family-friendly hotels in Malaysia

You’ll find rainforest retreat Ambong Pool Villas stretching its way up an unassuming hill in South Langkawi. Despite the obvious luxury, this clutch of nine villas (each, as the name suggests, with their own private pool) makes children feel just as welcome as their grown-ups. This isn’t the place for packing your little ones off to kids clubs every day, more a place to reconnect as a family - think games of Marco Polo in your private pool, monkey spotting from your bamboo-fenced garden and marvelling at sunsets over the Strait of Malacca. The rooftop Malaysian restaurant Rimba is superb and encourages even the most dedicated young consumers of beige food to be a little more adventurous. It all adds up to an unforgettable stay your family will be reminiscing about for years to come.

Fancy an island to you and your family? Pangkor Laut Resort, the only hotel on the island that shares its name, feels like a haven of respite from the modern world. Villas climb up the hilltop or sit on stilts over the water, and throughout the resort fruit bats dangle, hornbills flit and sea eagles circle. The games room, sports courts, infinity pool and water sports all provide welcome distractions, but this is really a place to unwind on the sand or explore the island, 70 percent of which remains untouched rainforest. A day spent on the horseshoe-shaped Emerald Bay followed by an evening in the magnificent Chinese Malay restaurant Uncle Lim’s Kitchen will have you torn between taking to the socials to tell the world what an amazing time you’re having, or keeping this secret for yourself.

City centre hotels aren’t usually known for being kid-friendly, but ‘the Shang’ (as it’s known by locals) has never been run of the mill. The large swimming pool keeps children happy while adults drink in the views of KL Tower, and there are also movie nights, craft sessions and even a maze in the garden to keep everyone amused. Families are most comfortable in the family premier suites or spacious executive rooms, which also grant access to the Horizon Lounge, a second-floor sanctuary that offers tranquil breakfasts in the mornings, plus complimentary drinks and nibbles throughout the day to keep perma-snacking children sated.

When it comes to a family-friendly holiday in Penang, the Hard Rock Hotel Penang ticks all the right boxes and is one of the most fun hotels in Malaysia. Rooms here were recently refurbished in 2016, offer views of either the hills or the sea, and are decked out with décor (like contemporary lighting and thick purple carpets) to make the family feel like rock royalty! If travelling with kids, opt for the Roxity Kids Suite or the Roxity Kids Suite with Courtyard. The latter features a cool outdoor mini playground, special in-room dining menu for kids, a mini bar full of snacks, and an additional TV so parents don’t have to watch cartoons. Outside the room, head to the Roxity Kids Club (arts and craft activities, traditional Malaysian games, movie times) or TABU teens clubs (pool and foosball tables, Xboxes, a private cinema), or their latest addition, Lil’ Rockers Infants Club for kids aged three (a mini house, enlightening games and toys and mini slide). You can also take part in Hard Rock’s monthly foam parties by the large free-form pool. 

Voted fifth in Asia’s Top 10 Family Resorts 2014 by readers of the Australian-based Holiday with Kids magazine, Rasa Ria sits in a gorgeous tropical setting where jungle meets beach. The Kids’ Club – for children between five and 11 years old – is easily one of the best around. Pencil in some romantic time with your spouse by leaving the kids there where they can try their hand at making musical instruments, sit in on storytelling sessions, have a go at batik painting, and even learn to weave coconut leaves. Visit the nearby nature reserve and orang utan education centre, but not before signing your kids up to become rangers for a day.

Stay right where the entertainment takes place. Spending a night at this hotel accentuates the fun of visiting the LEGOLAND theme park. Kids love the giant pillar-sized LEGO figures in front of the hotel. The themed rooms include Adventure, Pirate and Kingdom, and each is designed to resemble a giant playroom with heaps of toys and loud splashes of colour. Even the lobby is full of LEGOs the kids can play and have fun activities with to keep busy while parents deal with procedure of checking in. Online bookings yield better deals.

Few hotels can boast of their very own mini theme park. Excellent for little ones, the Adventure Zone provides one-of-a-kind family entertainment. The 10,300 sq ft air-conditioned indoor facility houses exciting drop slides, modular play equipment, a game zone, a toddler area, themed birthday party rooms and a café. There’s also the Kids’ Club with complimentary organised activities for the little ones, and the outdoor Splash Zone where the kids can have more fun in the sun. Sandwiched between the hotel’s two pools, complete with non-slip flooring, the Splash Zone features waters slides, tipping water buckets, water cannons and animal-shaped water sprays.

An amusement park right downstairs is a pretty good argument for bringing your family to stay at Lost World of Tambun. Surrounded by limestone cliffs and green jungle, this hotel and its theme park have got it all. There’s the Water Park, complete with a tube ride and cliff racer slides; the more traditional Amusement Park with exciting rides; Tiger Valley where the kids can watch Siberian Tigers being fed; the Lost World Petting Zoo where they can get up close and personal with a host of animals; and the Hot Springs and Spa for some relaxation for the parents. If you’re looking for something other than a typical family holiday in a hotel, opt for glamping in the theme park. After a fun-filled day, you can unwind in your own luxury canvas tent that comes complete with all the hotel amenities such as bed linen, power sockets, comfy pillows and more.

The soft and white sand of the beach will be the strongest lure for kids here. Set on the beautiful Pulau Perhentian, Bubu Long Beach Resort has 16 villas that will delight and captivate both young and old guests. All the clean and basic rooms face the sea and come equipped with comfortable amenities. Kids and parents alike can look forward to exciting family-friendly activities such as island-hopping, snorkelling and even recreational activities like jungle trekking, hiking and water sports. To top it all off, the resort is located next door to Quiver Dive Centre, which offers PADI registration for dive course and equipment for all your diving needs.  

Diving enthusiasts will go wild over Sea Gypsy’s natural house reef (max depth of six metres). You needn’t worry about the little ones as chances are they’ll be occupied at the Kid’s Club making kites, painting coconuts, building shelters and participating in other art and crafts activities. With games galore all leaning towards education with fun, we can’t get enough of this place and thoroughly recommend a visit. What’s more, there are special menus for babies and toddlers with all meals prepared from scratch.  

What can we say about Club Med’s child-friendly facilities that hasn’t already been said? Part of the famous French chain, this luxury resort employs an all-inclusive concept for lodging, food, facilities, sports, games and shows. Billed as a ‘Holiday Package’, the resort is a village located in the heart of an 80-hectare tropical park with 4km of fine sandy beaches. No age group is left out with Baby Club Med for the very little ones (four months to two years old), Petit Club Med for two to three years old, and Mini Club Med for those from four to ten years old. Teenagers are catered for as well with Club Med Password (for those between the ages of 11 and 17). Don’t forget to pop by the turtle sanctuary next door for some marine conservation education for young nature lovers.