Boasting a sunny tropical climate, lush greenery, soaring buildings, fast-paced spirit and traditional architecture, Kuala Lumpur is the convergence point of old and new, as well as nature and man-made. It is also home to a multicultural mix of outstanding cuisine and creativity, perfect for the W brand to debut in Malaysia. To reflect the destination, W Hotel Kuala Lumpur vividly personifies the unique invigorating blend of cutting-edge vivaciousness and traditional charm.
The brand
The W Hotel brand was born in New York City to reflect the “tuned-in, up-for-anything spirit” of today’s travellers. Embodying the Big Apple’s values like “savvy, stylish and driven”, including “endless appetite for the now”, the brand appeals to “open-minded, progressive, hyper-connected individuals”, hence the glitz and hint of irreverence yet hinged upon elegance and sophistication.
Gaya Travel team realises that the kind of guests who stay at W Hotel Kuala Lumpur are those who want to be treated as individuals, prefer more personalised approach, expect service to be sensitive to their needs, and made to feel comfortable in the space. The brand experience is decidedly less formal and more relaxed. Those who are creative, disruptive (in the positive, entrepreneurial sense), and lead less ordinary lives, are sure to be drawn to the W Hotel.
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So much thought has been put into how to position the W Hotel brand in the increasingly global and competitive hospitality industry. The brand even goes as far as spelling out its guests’ overarching passions (Design, Music, Fashion and Fuel, which is essentially food and drink) and how to have them materialised. It is fun to see that the W brand – which in Malaysia is manifested in the form W Hotel Kuala Lumpur – is totally bent towards meeting such passions by constructing awe-inspiring hotel interiors; energising ambient tunes at the public spaces that prompt people to create lively social scenes; forward-thinking styles that have substance; and nutritious, organic, and life-sustaining menus served at its food and beverage outlets.
Good to know: In line with its streak for nonconformity, W Hotel Kuala Lumpur does not have a front office department that is responsible for guest services. Instead, it is replaced by the concierge at the ground floor and Whatever/Whenever® service to deliver all of guests’ requests the best way possible, provided the requests are legal. Yes, Whatever/Whenever® is W Hotel’s unique way of pampering the guests. “Instant gratification” and “sky-is-the-limit mentality” propel the Whatever/Whenever® mindset.
The W Hotel Kuala Lumpur staff are deemed as crucial connectors who plug guests to the pulse of Kuala Lumpur. As a matter of fact, there is an employee who is designated as a W Insider to reveal personalised recommendations on what is currently happening around in the city. Need to know where locals dine, or the venue of an artist’s gig? W Hotel Kuala Lumpur is committed to fulfilling guests’ request through its Whatever/Whenever® concierge service, made available 24/7.
The design
Edgy, daring, and eclectic, W Hotel Kuala Lumpur combines an inexhaustible mix of old and new colours, aromas and sounds that blend in a cultural festival for the senses.
Upon arrival, guests are welcomed by larger-than-life traditional batik patterns, a nod to the region’s ancient artwork, blended with sleek metal accents. Once guests reach the Welcome desk on level 8 to check in, guests will realise that the décor alludes to the rainforest in a whimsical way, which pass as surreal yet welcoming at the same time.
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Kuala Lumpur’s abundant plant life is pulled into the space via bamboo-inspired chandeliers set against an ever-changing wall of lights, a representation of the new technology that enhances the cityscape. Streaming LED lights that hang from above mimic falling raindrops, while the spotlights alternating along the floor liken to a flowing river. Meanwhile, the ceiling patterns above the reception depict an artistic interpretation of water ripples, and the chandeliers show off the shapes of traditional local spinning tops.
The rooms
All of W Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s 150 stylish guest rooms and suites – including the two WOW suites and the lavish Extreme WOW Suite with a jaw-dropping living space of over 520 metres squared – continue to uphold the property’s exuberant panache, expressed through premium materials and finishes.
All rooms and suites at W Hotel Kuala Lumpur embody traditional and modern elements of Kuala Lumpur as a city emerging from a rainforest. The carpet in each room bears the city’s topographical map. The pixel-and-dot patterns, which allude to Malaysia’s broader multicultural make up and reminiscent of local batik print, grace the artwork above the bed and the glass panels throughout the room. Next to the bed is the traditionally accentuated lighting inspired from the tassels commonly found on indigenous Malaysian kites.
Despite the room’s snazziness, restfulness and convenience remain at its core, made evident by the ultra-comfortable and sumptuous W Hotel Signature Bed, which the Gaya Travel team members just couldn’t get enough of sleeping in, as well as the well-thought-out layout that saves space and strategically positioned state-of-the-art mod cons for guests to make the most of the room.
The bathroom is cladded in seamless floor-to-wall tiles for soothing visuals and efficient maintenance. It comes complete with Body amenities by Bliss consisting of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, massage soap and foaming face wash. The bathtub is huge and deep, promising a refreshing soaking session, while the shower comes with a large head for a rejuvenating bathing-in-the-rain effect.
Comestibles and libations
W Hotel Kuala Lumpur boasts diverse beverage and food venues bringing a flawless synergy to Kuala Lumpur’s booming, multicultural food, and drink scene.
The energetic all-day Pan-Asian dining restaurant, FLOCK, whips up a plethora of tantalising dishes prepared by talented chefs, featuring Pan-Asian dishes made from organic produce, emphasising on sustainable eats. Gaya Travel team members enjoy the opportunity to cut the fresh vegetables grown hydroponically directly from the buffet table and throw them straight into our salad bowl, giving a contemporary urban interpretation to the farm-to-table concept. Besides, FLOCK has one of the most fascinating breakfast spreads and food options offered by a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
Recommended: Food lovers should not miss FLOCK’s Friday Fete semi-buffet spread that is paired with either non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., including the Sunday Affair bottomless buffet brunch from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m., accompanied by either non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages. Diners should take note that the Sunday Affair is incredibly popular, therefore attracts huge crowd because the session showcases non-stop entertainment for the entire family, complete with disc jockeys and magicians. Make your reservation by calling +6 012 347 9088.
Considered as a hidden gem, well at least to the Gaya Travel team anyway, YEN is another outlet that features an imperial ambience with a modern twist on traditional Cantonese recipes and a wide selection of fresh seafood, including its signature dish the Yen Golden Duck and excellent choices of dim sum. Gaya Travel team members are strongly impressed by this restaurant’s flavourful dishes that we conclude YEN might just be one of the best dining places for Cantonese cuisine in Kuala Lumpur, and the never-ending throngs of patrons seem to attest to this. Be sure to make reservations by calling +6 012 347 9088 prior to coming over to avoid disappointment.
For comforting bar bites like pizza and snacks, including meticulously crafted cocktails, mocktails, and themed high tea, the Instagram-worthy WOOBAR is a chic all-day social space that sparks the imagination and suitable for brainstorming over new, adventurous ideas.
Already one of the best spots to see and be seen in Kuala Lumpur, the WET® Deck pool bar, with its high ceilings and breezy atmosphere, is slyly provocative and endearingly cheeky, especially when the mixologists begin concocting innovative chill-out mixtures such as the hotel’s refreshing signature cocktail called Kuala Loco and kombuchas, which you can imbibe while taking in the stunning views of Petronas Twin Towers and the surroundings.
Living Room Live is the hotel’s must-see live performance that is held once every two weeks. W Hotel Kuala Lumpur works with upcoming local artists who come from various music genres so that the hotel can appeal to clienteles of differing tastes in music. This approach is in line with W Hotels’ DNA, which places music as one of W Hotel guests’ passion points that should be addressed. Interestingly, just like the W Insider, W Hotel Kuala Lumpur has an in-house music curator, and cool chill out music is played constantly throughout the hotel to drive home the hotel’s uber-hip identity.
Good to know: Guests are recommended to familiarise themselves with the different elevators that bring them to different floors, for example the elevator that takes guests to the Cantonese restaurant is different than the one guests take to get to their rooms. Please ask any of the hotel’s accommodating staff to find your way around.
Revitalization
Guests and staycationers looking to get pampered can treat themselves to luxe indulgences at AWAY® Spa on the fifth floor. With five treatment rooms, this 1,100-square-metre oasis dispenses massages and treatments, vitality pools, chroma-therapy steam baths and bio infrared saunas.
For those wanting to detox before retox and repeat, guests can sweat it out at the hotel’s FIT gym that has been fitted out with state-of-the-art equipment and views of the city skyline. Conversely, when guests take a dip in the hotel’s atmospheric pool next to WET® Deck, the surrounding high rises are sure to remind guests that they are currently in the heart of one of Southeast Asia’s leading metropolises.
Conclusion
Through bold, avant-garde design, W Hotel Kuala Lumpur immerses guests in Kuala Lumpur’s tropicality, flourishing greenery, globally renowned cuisine, centuries-old history, and growing appetite for playful luxury that is visible and consistent yet unintimidating and unimposing, making it the best place for guests to see and be seen while being pampered by forward-thinking and unconventional world-class service. This hotel is definitely a must-stay before you die…
For more information or to make a reservation, visit W Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s official website or get social with W Hotel Kuala Lumpur on Facebook and Instagram.
