Review: Hyatt’s Alila Bangsar – Kuala Lumpur

The Alila Bangsar hotel near Sentral Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is new to the Hyatt brand and is perhaps the best value in the chain. Please enjoy this Alila Bangsar (Kuala Lumpur) review. 

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Location

Just one stop from KL Sentral, the hotel is accessible by express train and metro or taxi, both take about 50 minutes in limited traffic. The Brickfields neighborhood near Bangsar is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s origins and now the home of Little India.

Address: 58, Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Phone: +60 3-2268 3888

Google Maps Link

Suite

There are 13 suites in the property, including the one I was upgraded to, a corner “Bangsar” suite. The hotel is home to 143 spacious rooms in total, 13 of which offer a balcony, though those do not necessarily coincide with suites.

Living Room

The living room of my suite (3924) had a large TV, a cabinet with a bare fridge (great for bringing your own drinks or saving food), an expansive couch, a table for two, and a separate lounging chair. It opened to both bedroom doors, featured floor-to-ceiling windows, and also the bathroom. Alila’s living room was a nice separation from the bedroom and easier to get work done.

Bathroom

The bathroom was impressive at the Alila Bangsar. I had a chance to see others in the hotel and each featured a bathroom that was in the middle of the room with access for in-house guests as well as their guests.

The water closet was separated from the rest of the bathroom in a way that is convenient for visiting guests and keeps them away from personal space like the shower, closet and safe. It has a modernist take with Edison bulbs, concrete stone features, and polished brass.

Bedroom

The bedroom offered a lot of space, dual nightstands, another large television, and a desk suitable for two laptops or more. I had just two minor complaints about the bedroom. The first was that there were no international plugs in the room, though there was one in the living room. The second complaint was a lack of windows when wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling would have been a nice touch.

Property

The hotel lobby is on the 41st floor, an express elevator takes guests from a ground floor entrance. The entire hotel was exquisite and it was clear that it was nearly brand new, opened just 16 months ago, November 2018.

On the 40th floor, the outdoor swimming pool and fitness center are small but mighty. Given the limited number of guests, snagging a lounger by the pool was no problem, but at full occupancy, they may be harder to obtain. Stunning views of the city are available from anywhere on the floor including the pool bar at the end of the pool.

Breakfast/Dining

Breakfast was included (Globalist status with Hyatt) and it seemed the same for every guest in the hotel, though I couldn’t say for sure that it is a standard amenity. Breakfast is served in Entier, a French restaurant on the 41st floor and I was able to try both the “international” and “Asian” options.

A buffet spread was offered for pastries, fruits, cereals and other accouterments for any diner.

I also bought dinner and room service from the first-floor restaurant associated with the hotel, Botanica + Co. The prices were what should be expected for a Western hotel in Asia, about $8-12/entreé.

The food was excellent. I tried Thai, Malaysian, Italian and American French items at Botanica. By far, the best was, of course, food from the region, but it’s worth noting that the executive chef sources all ingredients locally, even those for western foods.

Another dish not to miss is Nasi Lemak, a Malaysian tradition. I wasn’t able to try the hotel’s sushi restaurant helmed by Japanese Chef Masashi Horiuchi, nor the rooftop bar. There simply wasn’t enough time.

Alila Brand Difference

The Alila brand is all about personality and design, offering guests a superb resort experience including excellent rooms, food, and drink. It’s hard to create an urban retreat one-stop from KL Sentral station to the Bangsar LRT station. However, this property felt boutique (in a city of 50,000 3-5 star hotel rooms, it is) but reminded me of the Park Hyatt Sanya though on a much smaller level.

Each room features a donation bag for anything a guest might want to leave that remains usable. They source locally for their restaurants, check guests in while seated beside them in lobby chairs and couches and use living elements like trees in the lobby. Alila Bangsar also offers a mini lounge on every floor near the elevators.

Other Suites

I was able to access some other suites and will feature the images of these rooms here. I don’t usually do this, but I was so impressed by the hotel and the uniqueness of the rooms that I felt it was warranted.

Value For Money

This could be the absolute best value in the Hyatt chain. The hotel is just a Category 1 property, offering rooms from just 5,000 Hyatt points per night. Cash rates ranged from $76-200 depending on when it was booked. If you’re a Hyatt credit cardholder, you can also use your free Category 1-4 night at the property, though I opted for a points and cash redemption during my stay.

I’ll say it again.

This could be the best value in the Hyatt chain.

What do you think? Have you stayed here? Would you try it out?