In the new series of our luxury hotel guides, we will be sharing our top picks for luxury hotels in Malaysia, as well as a list of luxury hotels that can be found in the country.
| In our previous luxury hotel guides, we shared our luxury hotel top picks in South Korea, Australia, and Japan. Feel free to check them out if you’re interested. |
Like in the previous series, the guide for Malaysia will be categorized into a series of city hotel guides for easy reference. In the first part of this series, we will be looking at luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and is located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, between Thailand and Singapore. “Kuala Lumpur” literally means “muddy confluence” and marks the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers.
The capital city is the cultural and economic center of the country and has one of the most skyscrapers and malls among Southeast Asian cities. Besides shopping, Kuala Lumpur is also a food haven, and visitors can go on a gastronomic adventure.
If you want to visit Kuala Lumpur, here are our luxury hotel top picks (in no particular order):
The RuMa Hotel and Residences
Situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, The RuMa literally means home, just steps away from the Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park. With a total of 219 rooms, the property is a haven of peace in the hustle and bustle of the city center.
The hotel is a 55-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and a 40-minute drive from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB). The nearest train station is Raja Chulan. The RuMa Hotel is near the KL Convention Centre and Suria Mall. Tourist attractions such as Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC Park, Pavilion KL, and Aquaria KLCC are also within walking distance.
The RuMa Hotel and Residences offers three dining options. ATAS is the hotel’s main restaurant and offers international cuisine. SEVEN Lobby Bar and Lounge serves delicious drinks, snacks, and afternoon tea while SANTAI Pool Bar and Lounge provide refreshing cocktails and snacks all day.
In terms of amenities, The RuMa Hotel and Residences has a spa, a barber shop at The RuMa by Truefitt & Hill, an infinity pool, and a 24-hour fitness center.
We stayed at this property in December 2022 and check out our review here.
Address:
7 Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur 50450 Malaysia
Alila Bangsar Kuala Lumpur
Located above the hustle and bustle of Bangsar, one of Kuala Lumpur’s most dynamic and cosmopolitan districts, Alila Bangsar is a modern urban retreat that combines a relaxing holiday with a bustling city atmosphere.
The nearest airports to Alila Bangsar Kuala Lumpur are Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB), which are 50 minutes and 30 minutes away respectively. The nearest train station is Bangsar. The hotel is close to various eateries, but is a distance away by public transport from the main sights in the city. Having said that, several attractions such as KL Bird Park, Central Market, and KL Tower can be easily reached by car.
The hotel has 132 rooms, 10 suites, and one Alila suite, located on the top floor of a multi-purpose development called the Establishment. The hotel’s Sky Lobby is located on the 41st floor, and rooms are located on floors 35 to 40, all with unobstructed views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Each floor has its own “living room” where you can relax on the sofa and enjoy free morning tea, coffee, juice, and pastries.
Alila Bansar Kuala Lumpur has three restaurants and bars, Botanica + Co is the hotel’s all-day dining venue and features international and Asian cuisine while Entier is a casual French dining restaurant. Pool bar offers refreshing drinks and snacks made with homemade ingredients
Facilities wise, Alila Bangsar Kuala Lumpur has a swimming pool and a 24-hour gym.
We have also stayed at this property in 2022 and feel free to check out our review here.
Address:
58 Jalan Ang Seng Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur 50470 Malaysia
EQ Kuala Lumpur
Formerly known as Equatorial Hotel, EQ Kuala Lumpur is an award-winning property that was rebranded after redevelopment which was completed in 2019. The hotel is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, with great views of the city skyline and surrounded by the city’s most popular shopping malls.
The nearest airports to EQ Kuala Lumpur are Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB), which are 55 minutes and 40 minutes away by car. The nearest train station is Raja Chulan. Aquaria KLCC, Petronas Twin Towers, and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur are some of the attractions nearby.
EQ Kuala Lumpur has 440 luxurious rooms and suites on the top floor of the impressive 52-storey Equatorial Plaza.
The dining options at EQ Kuala Lumpur include Nipah which serves Pan-Asian and Western cuisine; Étoile Bistro, which offers freshly baked pastries and bread, homemade food, and a variety of ice-cold craft beers; Bottega which is a Mediterranean snack bar with an impressive wine list; Blue which is a bespoke outdoor rooftop bar in KL at Sky51; Sabayon, a Modern European restaurant with a stunning view of the Petronas Twin Towers, and Kampachi, a Japanese restaurant.
The hotel has a spa, a 24-hour gym, an infinity pool, and an equatorial club exclusively for club room guests.
Address:
Equatorial Plaza Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur 50250 Malaysia
Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara
Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara is situated between Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, a city that is part of the greater Kuala Lumpur area. Not far from Kuala Lumpur Sentral, the capital’s transport hub, the hotel has a contemporary design and classic French Riviera style, which makes the property an aesthetically pleasing accommodation option.
The hotel is a 55-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and a 30-minute drive from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB). The nearest train station is Pusat Bandar Damansara. The property is conveniently connected to Damansara City Mall. Being away from the city center, attractions such as KL Bird Park, Central Market, and KL Tower are best visited by car.
Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara has 312 rooms and suites that pursue aesthetic excellence with French ingenuity.
The dining establishments at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara include Kwee Zeen which serves international cuisine, Wang Chun Ting which showcases Cantonese and Imperial cuisine, and Nizza, a French-Italian restaurant. Le Bar Cocktail & Stories offers snacks, afternoon tea, and regular French pumpkin, while Pool bar serves delicious snacks and cold drinks. La Boulangerie is a bakery where traditional French bread, croissants, choux pastries, Danish pastries, petit gateau, sandwiches, cakes, cookies, and salads can be found and Cigar Lounge by Trinidad offers liquor and bespoke cocktails.
The hotel has a 24-hour gym, spa, and swimming pool. There is a club lounge in the form of Club Millésime, exclusively for club guests.
Address:
No 6 Jalan Damanlela Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur 50490 Malaysia
Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Perched on the top seven floors of a glittering 59-storey skyscraper in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur is within walking distance of many of the city’s attractions as well as public transport links.
The hotel is a 50-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and a 35-minute drive from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB). The nearest train station is Raja Chulan. The property is directly connected to Pavilion KL, and also close to Chulan Tower and KLCC Park.
Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur has 55 elegant rooms and suites. Rooms offer views of the city, Petronas Twin Towers, and Kuala Lumpur Tower. Each spacious and fully equipped room has a large bathtub or relaxation pool.
Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur has five restaurants and bars. Bake by Banyan Tree offers handmade pastries, cakes, and pralines while Altitude serves signature afternoon tea. Horizon Grill features sweet cuts of delicious meat and premium seafood. Vertigo is a bar with a combination of homemade drinks and bar snacks and Ebisu at Altitude is a Japanese restaurant.
The hotel has a spa, gym, and open-air pool.
Address:
02 Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur 50450 Malaysia
The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur
The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur is a luxury hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur with a rich private art collection where you can experience different cultures and historical eras.
The property is a 50-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and a 30-minute drive from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB). The nearest train station is the Muzium Negara. The hotel is also close to the Royal Malaysia Police Museum, Perdana Botanical Garden, and National Museum.
The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur has 208 rooms and has one of the largest lead in category hotel rooms in Kuala Lumpur. Most of the hotel’s venues and rooms overlook the Lake Garden or Kuala Lumpur’s city skyline.
The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur has seven dining venues which consist of The Drawing Room, a cafe with afternoon tea, The Brasserie, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant featuring French cuisine, Astor Bar which offers cocktails, Crystal, with its Asian fusion cuisine, Japanese restaurant, Taka, USHI, another Japanese restaurant that is the first and only restaurant serving Ozaki beef in KL, and The Macallan at Astor Bar’s M Room, which is the first and only whiskey bar in Malaysia.
The hotel has a spa, a 24-hour gym, and a rooftop pool.
We have stayed at this property a couple of times but have not done a review as we typically don’t do reviews for one-night stays. Having said that do check out our Instagram Reels if you are interested in the room tour.
Address:
No. 6 Jalan Stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Kuala Lumpur 50470 Malaysia
Location map of luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur
To give you a better idea of where our top picks as well as the other luxury hotels are, we’ve created a map with our top luxury hotel picks based on the city’s transport map for your reference:
From the lower right of the image above, anti-clockwise (excluding our top picks):
- The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur
- JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur
- The Face Suites
- Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur
- Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur
- W Kuala Lumpur
- Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
- InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
- Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
Do let us know if we have missed out on any luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur. If you’ve stayed at any of the luxury hotels listed, we’d love to hear from you too, and would love that you share your thoughts.
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