I spent my first night in Kuala Lumpur at the Alila Bangsar, an attractive Hyatt property that was inexpensive and located in the Brickfields neighborhood near KL Sentral station.
Alila Bangsar Review – Kuala Lumpur
At $57/night (tonight, for example, the cost is still a very reasonable $80), this had to be one of the best deals ever for a four-star Hyatt. The Grand Hyatt is also quite reasonable considering the amenities, but about double the cost.
I made the mistake of taking the KLIA Express from the airport to the hotel. I thought it was right next door to KL Sentral, but it was not. I either got lost or totally missed it, but I ended up taking Bolt from the central station to the hotel (was about five minutes). It’s easier just to take a car from the airport and skip the train altogether…
The hotel really reminded me of the crop of luxury high-rises springing up all over Los Angeles and other metropolitan cities in the USA. Most of the high rise was for residents, but the hotel occupied the 35th-40th floor.
As you enter, there’s a lobby with elevators to take you up to the hotel.
From the street level, I took an elevator up to the 41st floor, where I checked in and was assigned room 3623 on the 36th floor.
Premier Room
While not a suite, my 592-square foot “Premier Room” still felt quite large and was tastefully decorated with wood floors and paneling plus light-colored accents.
It looked even better during the day:
The bathroom had a shower large enough for 10 people…it reminded me of one our rentals while I was out of my house. I’ve never quite understood why people need showers that big…but I did not host any parties during my stay…
Great views from the room. You are certainly high up:
The room included a refrigerator (empty) and bottled water that looked like it had been bottled by the hotel. There was also instant coffee and a water kettle.
Common Areas – Coffee
Speaking of coffee, on each floor next to the elevators was a seating area with a self-serve coffee machine and some snacks. A rather nice amenity.
Pool + Fitness
The hotel pool and fitness center were under construction during my stay (now complete), but guests were granted access to the resident’s gym and pool during my stay.
I was quite excited about that since the residents also had a sauna, but (and here I had to chuckle, like so many of the luxury apartment buildings in LA), it was broken:
In LA, these beautiful new buildings are built and nicely decorated, but then they fall apart or are poorly maintained. I wonder if that is the case here…?
In any case, I did have a nice workout:
I appreciated having access to the larger fitness center and wide assortment of equipment.
Followed by a nice swim:
Dining
The hotel has two restaurants, Botanica + Co and Entire.
Botanica + Co
Breakfast is served at Botanica + Co, located on the ground floor. It’s open daily from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, with breakfast available until 11:00 am. The restaurant describes itself as a place to “dine on hearty, unpretentious Asian and international dishes in a garden-like atmosphere.”
I quite liked the concept. There was a small buffet with fruit, pastries, and self-serve coffee (skip the coffee though and ask for the barista behind the counter to use his far superior machine).
Then you can order one of four dishes:
You know me…I ordered the Western breakfast, which included eggs, toast, and pancakes. It was a hearty breakfast and a good one.
Entier
The hotel’s French restaurant is located on the 41st floor, with soaring views of the KL skyline. It is open for lunch (12:00 pm to 3:00 pm) and dinner (6:00 pm to 10:00 pm). The kitchen closes at 9:00 pm don’t show up late at night.
Location
Brickfields is known as KL’s Little India and indeed there were a lot of Indians or those of Indian descent in the area.
KL has always centered around the Petronas Towers and Bukit Bintang for me, so this was a different neighborhood. I probably would have preferred it if I was working here, but going out for coffee or shopping or food I preferred the “tourist” area.
CONCLUSION
The Alila Bangsar was a very pleasant surprise. Rooms were spacious and comfortable and I quite liked the luxury apartment feel of the facilities. For Hyatt folks, I do prefer the Grand Hyatt, but then again the Alila Bangsar was half the price and I definitely plan to return.
For $80 a night given the amenities…breakfast, gym, lounge, beautiful room…why get a residence? I’d just pay to live in one of the rooms. Now that’s quite a value.
Very nice for the price. The elevator snack area is something I have encountered before and found it to be thoughtful touch.
You did not have a nice workout?
Sounds like you did.
I had a nice one.
KL is surprisingly a steal for great hotels. I stayed at the Mandarin Oriental there for less than what a Courtyard charges in the US.
Same. It’s also an Amex FHR.
Looks very nice, it’s been a long time since I last visited Malaysia, but I do recall hotels being pretty good value. I would probably stick to the express train though, as, not unlike Jakarta, KL is notorious for its traffic jams.
Thanks for the review. I’ve looked at this hotel a number of times but always chose the Grand Hyatt instead.
Not the Best Location, Next to a Grave yard and do not like going through 3 Different elevators to get to the Hotel.
Man.. The Malaysian currency has gotten so much weaker since I last visited. Things were better when Najib was stealing from the country. I was paying $200 for the GH KL back in 2016. Amazing deal for the price you paid..
The KLIA express is just too expensive. But if you’re taking it, you can get to the hotel from KL Sentral by riding one stop on the LRT.
What a dump…and the glass “walls” are a classy touch.