BACKGROUND The Residences are a new offering of the Swiss-Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur, an established player in the local hospitality scene.
WHAT'S IT LIKE? The driveway to The Residences veers off a busy thoroughfare, which instantly creates a feeling of seclusion. Tall glass doors with floral etchings open to reveal an extremely spacious lobby done up in a blindingly white palette that is somewhat relieved by two deep-red wall tapestries behind the reception counter and in one seating area, as well as some dark timber panelling.
WHERE IS IT? Directly behind its older sister, the Swiss-Garden Hotel in a neighbourhood that straddles Chinatown and the insanely buzzing Bukit Bintang entertainment precinct. To reach the centre of the action, one simply crosses Jalan (“road” in Malay) Pudu (where Swiss-Garden Hotel is located) to Jalan Bintang, and walks until alfresco cafés and malls such as Lot 10, Pavilion, Starhill Gallery and the Rem Koolhaus-designed Sephora boutique come into view. Consider going by foot instead of taxi as Kuala Lumpur’s traffic flow is hard to predict and bottlenecks are a fact of life. Just watch out for uneven pavements, which can cause nasty tripping. The Hang Tuah LRT is about five minutes walk away.
ROOM FACILITIES My 60 sqm one-bedroom residence boasted so much space in the sitting-dining-work area that for once I wasn’t running into furniture as I usually do in my much smaller flat in Hong Kong. There is another one-bedroom unit, measuring 51 sqm, if you are comfortable with less room. The 32-inch LCD TV was the same size I had back home, so this left me wishing it was larger just so I could enjoy a luxury that I did not have. But that was just an idiosyncracy on my part.
Access to wifi was complimentary but tended to be spotty at times, and the system even broke down for a couple of hours around midnight during my stay, only resuming about 7am. The sofa was so comfortable that I chose to work there, rather than at the study table.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS T@ste 6 and B@r 6 are found on level six as their names intimate. In the mornings, T@ste 6 serves as a breakfast room featuring an adequate spread, which could have been displayed with more appeal. Occasional food promotions like the recent paella festival enhance the residents’ choices. There’s a private room for special wine-paired meals that can be arranged with the chef. A pity that a loaded schedule did not permit me to enjoy a drink in the outdoor bar that comes with refreshing city views and seating amid lush foliage.
BUSINESS AND MEETINGS FACILITIES A ballroom and four function rooms are available, with a Banquet Concierge assigned to handle the needs of event planners.
LEISURE FACILITIES Steps away from the restaurant and bar are found the gym and the wading and infinity pools.
Verdict Swiss-Garden Residences boasts an excellent location and good physical infrastructure. The wifi problem is hopefully being addressed.
Margie T Logarta
HOW MANY RESIDENCES? 478 units, occupying two towers and connected by a bridge to the older Swiss-Garden Hotel. Categories consist of one- and two-bedroom layouts and the Penthouse
RESIDENCE HIGHLIGHTS The sunken bath in the premier deluxe units adds a decadent touch. I thought it was clever that the wall between the living room and bedroom could be slid aside, creating a welcome sense of openness.
PRICE Flexible rate for a mid-week, mid-March stay in a one-bedroom residence, including breakfast, starts at RM280 (US$92) per night.
CONTACT Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Kuala Lumpur, 117 Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur 55100; tel 60 3 2141 3333; www.swissgarden.com
