There is certainly no shortage of Kuala Lumpur hotels to choose from – so much so, in fact, that in early 2016 the city even instituted a freeze on issuing new hotel licences amid overcapacity.
Despite this plethora of hotels, more are now on the way, with a number of openings over the past few months and even more currently expected all the way up to 2022. With some hotels also undergoing renovations in order to keep up with the modern offerings in the city, business travellers have a wealth of choice when it comes to accommodation.
Business Traveller takes a look at some of the new and upcoming Kuala Lumpur hotels regular travellers should keep on their radar.
Hotel Cosmo Kuala Lumpur
Opening its doors on December 1, 2016, the Hotel Cosmo Kuala Lumpur is one of the latest midscale additions to Kuala Lumpur’s hotel scene. Its 347 rooms range from family-style and studio suites to regular guestrooms, and its location near the Masjid Jamek Interchange Station – two stops from KL Sentral – make it convenient for business travellers entering the city via the KLIA Express. The Leboh Ampang-district hotel is also located close to a number of the city’s banking institutions and Central Market.
Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur
Along with The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, YTL Hotels’ Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur is among the first properties in Southeast Asia to join the Autograph Collection – a group of more than 110 independent hotels worldwide. Opened in February 2017, Hotel Stripes is situated in the business hub on Jalan Kamunting, an area replete with 1940s shophouses and once known as the Asian Heritage Row, and features 184 bespoke guestrooms and suites.
Mercure Kuala Lumpur Shaw Parade
The Mercure brand debuted in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month with the opening of the Mercure Kuala Lumpur Shaw Parade hotel. Located in the city’s Bukit Bintang district, the 213-room property features a number of distinctly local touches – a common theme among Mercure hotels – including Peranakan motifs in its all-day Chorak Restaurant. The hotel also has a lobby lounge, rooftop pool bar and adjacent fitness centre, and three meeting and event spaces.
Element Kuala Lumpur
The Element Hotels brand will be making its Southeast Asia debut when Element Kuala Lumpur opens on April 9, 2017 in the 275-metre Ilham Baru Tower. Nearly half of the guestrooms in the property will be suites (120 out of a total 252 rooms), with small kitchenettes a key feature of many of the eco-themed hotel’s accommodations. A variety of recreational services and amenities will also be available in this green vein, including bicycle rental and electric vehicle charging stations.
Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur
Four Seasons’ new 209-room property in the Malaysian capital is scheduled for an early 2018 opening and will make up part of a 65-storey mixed-use tower that will offer a total of 242 Four Seasons-branded residences and 27 serviced apartments. A five-floor 27,900-sqm luxury shopping complex known as the Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur will also occupy the tower.
CitizenM Kuala Lumpur
Set to open in the second quarter of 2018, Artyzen Hospitality Group’s third CitizenM hotel in Asia will be its smallest in the region with 198 rooms – upcoming properties in Taipei and Shanghai will have 267 and 303 rooms, respectively. Announced last week, the Bukit Bintang district CitizenM Kuala Lumpur has been confirmed to feature a 24-hour CanteenM eatery, though other facilities have yet to be announced.
So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Hotel and Residences, and Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara
Accorhotels’ new So Sofitel offering in the Malaysian capital actually comprises two properties – the So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Hotel and the So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Residences. Both are scheduled to open their doors in 2020 and, like many of the city’s new hotels, are situated a short distance from the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The hotel will offer 207 guestrooms while the serviced residences will include 590 units. Each features a spa, fitness centre and event spaces, among other facilities, while guests at the residences will be able to make use of the rooftop sky garden foyer for barbecues.
In addition to these properties, Accorhotels is also set to open its Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara on June 1, 2017, located about one hour from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Larger than the So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Hotel, the Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara will include some 312 rooms.
Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Intercontinental Hotel Group’s (IHG) Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre is currently scheduled for a 2021 opening with a specific focus on business travellers. This is evident in the hotel’s central business district location on Jalan Yap Kwan Seng (walking distance from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petronas Twin Towers) and its business centre and seven meeting spaces. A total of 338 rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, numerous speciality restaurants and a Sky Bar will be available, along with leisure facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre.
Radisson Red Kuala Lumpur City Center
Announced in October 2016, the Radisson Red Kuala Lumpur City Centre will stand about 800 metres from the Petronas Twin Towers when it opens in 2022, marking the brand’s debut in Malaysia. While the upscale lifestyle hotel brand focuses particularly on design, art and fashion, its business facilities are also a key component and the Radisson Red Kuala Lumpur will offer 166 rooms across 27 floors along with meetings and event spaces with views of the twin towers. A rooftop swimming pool and gym will also be included.
