Iconic Malaysian luxury resort The Datai Langkawi will embark on an extensive renovation from 4 September 2017, its most substantial enhancement since it opened 23 years ago.

To ensure it retains its ‘Datai-DNA,’ the management has appointed interior designer Didier Lefort of DL2A. Australian architect Kerry Hill was responsible for the original designs in 1993, and had a vision to create a luxurious hideaway set amidst a 10-million-year-old rainforest backed by Datai Bay.

The renovations will include the resort’s guestrooms, suites and villas as well as additional spa pavilions, a fitness centre by the beach, and the construction of a nature centre.

The resort will be closed for approximately 10 months from September 2017, and is scheduled to complete in mid-2018.

Lefort will oversee the overall design concept, including managing the structure of the additional spa villas and fitness centre, and will remodel the interiors of the resort’s guestrooms. He and his team will also carry out the resort’s landscaping, lighting and signage enhancements.

The overall reconfiguration will continue to juxtapose the natural beauty of the locale with understated modern amenities. An increased focus on sustainability is underpinned by the construction of the nature centre, which will be run by the resort’s resident naturalist, Irshad Mobarak.