This is so true, the local chalets use to be nice when they were new, year after year deteriorate, cannot maintain quality especially toilet while the fat lazy owners usually their wives sit in the front smoking watch TV collect money and never bother when customers complain taps and toilets not working, bed infested with bed bugs and cockroaches ,as their seasonal customers become more affluent and notice one day that the chalets not nice anymore will opt for better hotels...until one day the shit hits the fan for these chalet operators as there are no more customers as 3-5 stars hotel rates are just a shade above theirs, even mat salleh and foreigners go for three star hotels in Langkawi as it is still affordable while KLites are willing to spend extra for nicer accommdation in Langlawi.
In order to make Langkawi greater let the market dictate its tourism industry naturally, the small players that fail to innovate can only have themselves to blame and the state and TDC also failed to provide training or audit the small players to ensure they maintain standard. I think the 5 star hotels will preserve the environmemt due to higher hygiene standards and commitment to cleanliness, I always suspect those sleazy Cenang chalets just sending sewage into the beach!!