Malaysia’s capital is full of life, sights and cultural experiences. PA Life Editor Colette Doyle is your guide. Kuala Lumpur is a cosmopolitan melting pot, bringing to life the tourism authority’s catchy slogan, “Malaysia, truly Asia” and effortlessly blending influences from indigenous Malay, Indian and Chinese culture to spectacular effect. It is also the world’s 10th most visited city for international tourism, according to the latest annual MasterCard survey.
The city’s name derives from the meeting of two rivers: Kuala Lumpur was founded in 1857 at the convergence of the Gombak and Klang tributaries, and the appellation translates into English as muddy estuary. The area’s resources attracted an influx of Chinese miners, who came to the region to dig for tin.
In 1880 Kuala Lumpur became a modern town when British representative Frank Swettenham developed the first city plan and rich miners built colonial houses. When Malaysia won its independence in 1957 after more than 150 years of British rule, Kuala Lumpur was made the capital of the autonomous Federation of Malaya.
From these relatively humble beginnings, KL, as it is fondly known by its inhabitants, has grown to be a thriving metropolis that is home to a population of some 1.6 million. In terms of sightseeing opportunities, the imposing Petronas Towers dominates the landscape both literally and figuratively. These 88-storey twin skyscrapers have become an iconic symbol of the city, with the shape designed to resemble the letter ‘M’ for Malaysia and the outline representing the traditional handicraft of basket weaving.
For an experience with pageantry thrown in, make time to visit the Royal Palace, Istana Negara, which is surrounded by acres of green parkland and ponds and decorated in regal yellow. The guards on duty here take their inspiration from Britain and, as well as the traditional Malay white, they also wear red uniforms similar to those on show at Buckingham Palace. The city’s National Mosque is worth a visit too; its unique design is an impressive expression of traditional Islamic art, comprising a roof made up of 18 shapes that represent the 13 states of Malaysia and the five pillars of Islam. Visitors are welcome as long as they adhere to the dress code; ladies are given colourful lilac burqas they can use to cover up.
Shopping is a major pastime in KL and upmarket malls abound. Bukit Bintang is a bustling district that encompasses countless retail centres, including Pavilion KL and Fahrenheit 88. Suria KLCC (its name is derived from the Malay word for sunshine) is handy for meetings delegates as it is connected to the city’s mammoth convention centre. City Gallery is a cool store to shop for gifts that are tasteful mementos of your trip rather than tacky souvenirs. Petaling Jaya, meanwhile, is the area to head for if your desire for the latest designer brands isn’t matched by a bulging wallet, as here you’ll find an Aladdin’s cave of market stalls.
When it’s time for a break from retail therapy, try an experience that mixes a history lesson with learning a new skill. Kuala Lumpur’s roots as a mining town are in evidence at Royal Selangor, which has been producing carefully crafted pewter products since 1885. At the attractively designed visitor centre, you can become part of this venerable tradition as you’ll get the chance to work with the versatile metal at the School of Hard Knocks. Here, you can hammer a piece of pewter into the shape of a dish and engrave your name on it to make a dainty keepsake.
If you fancy combining sightseeing with a spot of lunch or dinner, take yourself off to the revolving restaurant at Atmosphere 360°, situated a vertigo-inducing 282 metres above ground level. It takes around an hour-and-a-half to complete one full circle, so do make a note of your table as it can be quite disconcerting to realise your party is not where you left them. This venue offers amazing views over the entire city alongside a lavish international buffet.
For dinner with a more cultural slant, check out Saloma Bistro, where flower-bedecked maidens, fully covered up in the interests of modesty, are joined on stage by young men wearing what look like Cossack costumes. The dancers’ jewel-like colours sparkle as pink clashes with bright orange and yellow with vivid green, and Islamic influences are heard in the music. The whole effect is a little folksy, but tremendous fun.
Evening entertainment of a more sophisticated kind awaits at the rooftop SkyBar at Traders Hotel. Perched on the 33rd floor of this 571-room property, the open-air bar has a sassy, classy vibe where expert mixologists will create a cocktail of your choice (you must try the Selangor Sling, which blends Bombay Sapphire gin with cherry brandy) as you sit around the 26-metre pool, which makes for a striking centrepiece. The buzzy atmosphere and sleek surroundings explain why it was named “Best Malaysian Bar” by the regional edition of Tatler. The hotel offers two other F&B outlets: there’s casual dining on offer at the Gobo Chit Chat restaurant, while at the stylish Gobo Upstairs Lounge & Grill, chefs are on hand to prepare what are some of the best steaks in town.
Traders unveiled a completely updated look in May last year following the refurbishment of its entire room inventory. The property is situated next to Petronas Towers and for those who want to save on shoe leather there is a three-minute transfer by golf buggy every 10 minutes. Check-in is on the fifth floor to avoid too much bustle at ground-floor level and there are island-style reception desks, allowing staff to interact more directly with guests. It is currently the third most popular hotel in KL on TripAdvisor, with sister property the Shangri-La taking the top slot.
Other hotels in the city are equally impressive: the Grand Hyatt opened in August 2012 and is the closest hotel to the convention centre. A stunning water feature greets you at the main entrance; there’s no point looking for the lobby, as this is located on the property’s highest floor for reasons of security. Upstairs, dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows offer views over the Petronas Towers that redefine the word panoramic. The swish business centre has mini-booths reminiscent of the pods you’ll find on board a plane in first class, providing both privacy and comfort.
Dining options here include Thirty8, where you can unwind with a cocktail, followed by steaks, sushi or seafood, served up by the chefs bustling away behind glass in the show kitchens. There are also two small private dining rooms for when extra discretion is required.
The entry-level bedrooms offer 47m2 of space, making them the largest in the city. Each bathroom is kitted out with the fragrant June Jacobs bath range used at top spas worldwide, and although it’s designed in an open-plan style, there is a privacy button you can press to frost over the window that separates it from the living room in case you’re not on such intimate terms with your room mate.
For female travellers, the 26th and 27th floors are dedicated to ladies only and rooms feature additional amenities such as a superior type of bed linen, extra bottles of water and yoga mats, while the service is provided exclusively by female staff.
The Essa Spa (named after the qualities of escape and sanctuary) is a blissful haven where your cares are soothed away in one of 11 treatment rooms, including two couples’ suites.
In terms of meeting facilities at the property, organisers are spoilt for choice, as the Grand Ballroom has a round table seating capacity of 700, or 1,450 people can be accommodated for a drinks reception. As testimony to the range of events it can hold, the venue recently played host to the launch of the new Audi A6 Hybrid. On the first floor you’ll find the Grand Residence, which spans more than 535m2 and incorporates four separate rooms with seating for between 20 and 330.
At the Mandarin Oriental, meanwhile, there are spectacular views overlooking the eye-catching fountains of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park; this classic property exudes opulence and offers 643 luxurious guest rooms, including 41 suites. The largest of these is the Presidential, which checks in at 335m2 and comes with a four-poster bed.
The hotel has just completed an entire overhaul of its MICE facilities and 2014 will see it begin a six-month programme to renovate the rooms. If you upgrade to a club room, you will have access to the 24th floor Mandarin Oriental Club, which offers drinks and snacks around the clock, along with high-speed internet access, an allowance of five garments that can be sent to the laundry free of charge and two complimentary hours of meeting room hire. The meetings facilities are, as you would imagine, plush of decor and top-notch in terms of technology: the grand ballroom benefits from natural daylight and is the largest pillarless space of its kind in the city, capable of hosting up to 2,400 people theatre-style.
The hotel offers an amazing selection of places to eat and drink. There are no fewer than 10 unique outlets, from the contemporary Mandarin Grill serving such mouthwatering dishes as Black Angus Beef Carpaccio, and the Californian-Japanese fusion on offer at Wasabi Bistro, to the naughty-but-incredibly-nice Cake Shop with its delicious macaroons, and the Casbah, where you can relax and sip on a late-night cocktail or two.
In fact, the sheer diversity of choice on offer here is something of a metaphor for the exciting multiculturalism that defines the dynamic destination that is Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Airlines: going the extra mile
Colette Doyle flew to Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines. The premium experience starts with the lounge at Heathrow, which is bright and spacious, with views over the runways, lots of natural light and freshly cooked meals. The tasteful, neutral decor has a calming influence and there is a shower facility in the swish bathrooms. There’s a wide choice of food on offer, from a hearty cooked breakfast to healthier options such as smoked salmon and fresh fruit, along with a range of sweet and savoury snacks.
Once on board, the roomy business-class layout provides you with plenty of legroom, and even though London to Kuala Lumpur is a 13-hour flight, the variety of TV programmes and movies available on demand makes it pass by in the twinkling of an eye. The courteous cabin crew are on hand to cater to virtually every whim and the female staff are attractively attired in turquoise and pink uniforms modelled on traditional Malay dress.
The carrier’s award-winning Malaysian satay (it scooped the award for Best Airline Catering Signature Dish for the second time in a row at last year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards) is simply delicious: skewers of tender chicken and beef, served with a piquant peanut sauce.
The airline became part of the Oneworld alliance in February last year, meaning that passengers now benefit from an expanded global network, with 16 new destinations and one new country – Brunei – added to the Oneworld map.
Malaysia Airlines offers 14 direct flights a week from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur and UK passengers can take advantage of onward connections to destinations across Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bali, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.
The airline recently partnered with Michelin-star chef Richard Corrigan to create and launch a limited-edition in-flight menu starting this spring. It draws inspiration from his two flagship London restaurants, Corrigan’s Mayfair and Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill, both renowned for their outstanding menus comprising the UK’s and Ireland’s finest ingredients. Richard’s menu will be available to first and business-class passengers flying on Malaysia Airlines’ double-daily A380 service from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur.
The Dublin-born chef will create a range of seasonally changing appetisers, mains and desserts based on signature dishes from his restaurants, which will be given an Asian twist and served alongside the traditional on-board Malaysian menu. Richard will work closely with Malaysia Airlines’ Head Chef Zahiddin Idris to develop a complete menu that will be rolled out over a 12-month period.
Richard’s extraordinary career, spanning his work as a first-class restaurateur, broadcaster, author and journalist, has seen him acquire a number of accolades over the years. He has attained a Michelin star, his restaurants have won countless awards and he has cooked for the Queen. He is recognised as a pioneer of the slow food movement and is a champion of using seasonal, local produce.
The legacy carrier is one of just seven airlines to be rated as five-star by Skytrax, the UK-based consultancy that runs a highly regarded airline review and ranking site. Find out more at malaysiaairlines.com.
Berjaya Times Square – a prime position
Colette Doyle stayed at the five-star, centrally located Berjaya Times Square hotel. The 650-room property is located right next door to the shopping mall of the same name and the complex is currently the eighth-largest building in the world, featuring a huge array of different retail outlets, including gift and souvenir shops, beauty salons and fashion stores. Thrill-seekers will be interested to hear that it’s also home to a vast indoor theme park that boasts the longest rollercoaster in Southeast Asia. At the mall you’ll find a monorail stop that will whisk you to the city’s main railway station, KL Sentral, from where you can get to the airport in under half an hour.
The hotel offers spacious guest rooms and suites done out in colonial style, with wooden sliding doors to separate the bedroom and the living space. The rooms all have a pantry area, with a handy fridge and iron plus ironing board for busy executives on the go.
The 21st floor is a premium area where rooms offer a minimum of 56m2 of space and no children are allowed to ensure maximum privacy and quiet for business travellers. Guests staying here have access to a complimentary laundry service, while soft drinks from the mini-bar are available free of charge.
Meetings facilities are all handily located together on the 14th floor, where there is a personalised check-in available. The pillarless Manhattan ballroom can host up to 2,000 guests and there are 11 other meeting spaces, seven of which enjoy natural daylight.
The fragrant Jojoba Spa on the 15th floor extends to a spacious 650m2, making it the largest in the city and offers a full range of exotic treatments that include a lavender body shower; aromatherapy massage; and coconut, coffee and nutmeg exfoliating scrubs for the skin.
Culinary options available include international restaurant the Big Apple and the Broadway Lounge, which dishes up cocktails and bar snacks until late as an accompaniment to the live music, plus a casual menu at the poolside bar. On the 14th floor, you’ll find the hotel’s fine dining outlet, Samplings, where Chef Val serves up such exquisite specialities as seared scallops, lobster bisque, saffron risotto and fillet of Wagyu beef, while you sit back and admire the views. Visit berjayahotel.com/kualalumpur/ for further details and information on room rates.
