WHEN it comes to sleeping soundly when on holiday, where can you find the best beds? Well, many people swear by those in the Westin Hotels and Resorts chain.

Knowing that the most important service a hotel can offer is a good night's sleep, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (Westin's parent holding company) spent a year on research and development of a new bed. The result was the birth of its trademark Heavenly Bed in 1999. Guests have described it as "sleeping on clouds".

I had the privilege of savouring this "seventh heaven" feeling on a recent media trip to the Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa. When I was ushered into my Deluxe Garden View room, I wondered why there were so many pillows on the bed. But the minute my head touched the pillow, I dozed off and had a blissful night's sleep.

Unaware then of the existence of the Heavenly Bed, I was stumped when Francis Cheong, managing director of Apxara Travel, asked me the next morning whether I had enjoyed the "Heavenly Bed" experience.

The all-white Heavenly Bed consists of a custom-designed Simmons mattress with 900 coils, three sheets, a down blanket, a comforter, a crisp white duvet and five pillows! Introduced at the resort in December 2006, all rooms are furnished with this signature Heavenly Bed. Contented guests interested in buying the Heavenly Bed can place an order either through the hotel or online via westin.com

Heavenly Bed aside, the 42-inch flat screen plasma TV was inviting enough to keep me in the room which overlooked a garden of flowering trees and palms where colourful hornbills rested and monkeys roamed. Signboards are prominently displayed on the balcony to discourage guests from feeding the monkeys.

I also noticed that the staff wore name-tags with their names and the words "My Passion". Their own passions were etched out on the tag - ranging from sports and cooking to music and family. Every employee wore the tag which often served as an ice-breaker between them and the guests.

The resort also organises special theme dinners for corporate clients. During our stay, they organised a "Harry Potter Night" for the visiting media.

It certainly is a little difficult to keep your feet on the ground at the Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa. It's a destination where experiences of heaven on earth abound!

Hotel
Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa, Jalan Pantai Dato Syed Omar 07000 Langkawi, Kedah. Tel: 04-960 8888, Fax: 04-966 6414. Website: www.westin.com

Getting There
MAS, AirAsia and Firefly have several daily flights to Langkawi. Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa is just one kilometre from the main jetty point, three kilometres from the island's main town of Kuah, and 20 minutes from the Langkawi International airport.

Main Attractions
Publicity brochures promote the resort as the perfect destination to recharge, renew and rejuvenate. This is easy to do as the resort has a beautiful garden and a private beach overlooking the blue waters of the Andaman Sea.

If you want to give the beach a miss, head for any of the hotel's four (yes four!) swimming pools, including a children's pool, for a refreshing dip or just relax under the umbrellas.

Looking for a taste of heaven on earth? HeavenlySpa treatments are out of this world! The spa was awarded the Best New Resort Spa at the Malaysian Spa and Wellness Awards 2007.

First Impression
Luxury personified. The resort was awarded the Luxury Resort of the Year - Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards 2007.

Rating
Five-star.

Rates
From RM1,440 for the Deluxe Garden View to RM1,800 for the Deluxe Ocean View inclusive of buffet breakfast. The one-bedroom villa rates start from RM4,800, two-bedroom villas at RM6,000 and RM12,000 for the five-room villa.

Rooms
The 202 rooms and suites with 20 villas overlook panoramic views of the Andaman Sea. The rooms are classed under Deluxe Garden View, Deluxe Ocean View, Executive Suite, Ocean Front Suite and Royal Suite. The stunning one-bedroom villa, two-bedroom and five-bedroom villas combine modern amenities with luxurious comforts.

The heavenly bed in the Deluxe Garden View room.

Overall Service
Friendly and personalised.

F&B Oulets
The resort offers both Asian and international dining choices, outdoor and indoor. All venues offer a spectacular view of the sea. The poolside bar Splash is an ideal place for sipping fruit smoothies and nibbling delicious snacks while basking in the sun.

At Taste, executive chefs whip up fusion food menus to go with an exceptional wine list. For breakfast, you can concoct yogurt smoothies yourself. The breakfast spread is one of the most lavish I have seen.

Relax to live music at the Breeze Lounge, artistically furnished with deep upholstered couches and flickering hurricane lanterns. It serves a tempting range of appetisers and finger food.

The casual al fresco seaview restaurant Tide has gourmet pizza, fresh seafood, traditional Malaysian fare and desserts. Magnificent sunsets over the Andaman Sea are the icing on the cake.

Facilities and Activities
Living up to its branding image as a lifestyle resort, it has facilities for both young and old, corporate clients and families. Its Westin Kids Club welcomes children from four to 12.

A taxi ride to Kuah town takes only five minutes. Duty free shops abound in Kuah town. Visits to the night market, Eagle Square and Langkawi Fair are good options.

Fun nature excursions such as guided jungle hikes and watersports activities including kayaking, diving and snorkelling are easily available. Or go island hopping to Pulau Dayang Bunting, Pulau Beras Basah and Pulau Singa.

Places Within Walking Distance
The beach and the jetty.