Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur: Checked In.
She Knows because she goes.
My Honest Review.
By Emma Gabriel, Founder of Where She Stayed.
Two nights at the Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur. A two bedroom Park Suite, MO Club access, right on KLCC Park.
Here's what I thought.
Walking in
Double glass doors, opened by well dressed doormen. Marble floors, a chandelier the size of a small car. Orange flowers, more a piece of art than a bouquet.
A big lobby, but with a very welcoming feel. Grand rather than cool.
Check in was swift. We were in the lift and heading up within minutes.
The room
A two bedroom Park Suite for two nights. Soft cream sheets, deep carpet, heavy drapes. Big beds to sink into, two bathrooms large enough to count as rooms of their own, and a living room space between the two bedrooms to meet for a drink before heading out.
Park and skyline views, since we were perched on a corner. No Petronas Towers from our side, so if I booked this for you, I'd make sure you got the view you wanted.
The wow is the floor to ceiling windows. The rest is comfort. Luxurious comfort, but comfort rather than bling.
The mini bar had some nice touches. Local rather than the usual mainstream stuff. A lemonade and lengkuas sparkling juice, nuts with spice. What's lengkuas? Precisely.
The in room dining menu is more of a book. Nothing makes me happier than a glass of wine, a room service tray and a fluffy robe. I read it from cover to cover.
Where it is
Smack bang in the city. The hotel sits right on KLCC Park with the Petronas Towers as the front garden.
Five minutes to Suria KLCC, the vast mall built into the base of the towers. Five minutes to the KLCC LRT, the public train. Walking distance to most of the Golden Triangle, a hot walk, but a walk nonetheless. And no transfer needed for that postcard twin towers shot.
Not the spot for a neighbourhood with its own character. That's a different stay. This is big city vibes.
Breakfast, and the lounge
Breakfast was a feast. Big buffet, taking Asian and Western breakfasts equally seriously. Dim sum baskets one way, fresh eggs the other, roti and curry at the bar. For buffet enthusiasts, this is a dream. Me, I prefer an in room dining brunch in bed, but my travel companions wanted to go downstairs, so next time.
The MO Club Lounge. Up on the 24th floor. Picture perfect high tea daily, drinks and canapés in the evening, 270 degree views over the city from an armchair. Bring a cardigan. It's chilly.
I always recommend Club access to my clients. Worth every bit of the upgrade. The maths always works.
The service
Fast, warm, well trained, knowledgeable.
Everything I requested was sorted within minutes. Nothing too big an ask, which is what I'd expect from any Mandarin Oriental.
At breakfast they asked what I had planned for the day. That evening I was sat in the bar with a drink, and they came and asked how it went. They remembered.
That's the difference between luxury service and someone just doing their job.
The Perks.
I don't book a hotel without sorting the perks first, even when I'm the guest. Here that meant daily breakfast for two, a food and beverage credit, 15% off in the hotel boutique, and early check in with late checkout.
Room ready at 11, checkout at 4pm. Which gave us close to an extra day. Breakfast, slow morning in the lounge, afternoon by the pool, and we still made the flight without dragging cases round the lobby.
4pm is generous. Most hotels stop at 2pm.
Worth saying though, upgrades, early check in and late checkout always come down to availability. Nobody was booked into our room after us. I'll always ask. I can't always promise. The breakfast and the credit are yours either way.
Book through me and all of it comes as standard, at no extra cost to you.
What it isn't
The stay was easy. Nothing broke, nothing was wrong, but nothing really surprised me either. It's a grand luxury hotel doing grand luxury hotel things, and it does it well.
Personally, I lean towards hotels with something unusual about them. There's nothing unusual here, and that's a preference rather than a fault. I chose and paid to stay here, but for ease and comfort rather than character or quirkiness.
It just needs to be the right stay. We landed in Kuala Lumpur wanting two easy days in the middle of everything, and for that it was perfect. For longer, I'd choose differently.
And for a suite, the living room was small. Fine for a drink before heading out, not somewhere to sit all day.
Who I'd place here
Anyone who wants ease and comfort above all else.
Anyone with two or three nights in Kuala Lumpur who wants to be in the heart of it all.
Anyone flying on to or back from the islands who wants a good night's sleep, a long bath and good food.
My father was with us on this trip. He's 82. So comfort mattered, the ease of a Club Lounge, and staff who are there to help. That's why I chose it for us.
Not for anyone after something small and character rich, or design led. And, in my opinion, not for a long stay. Two or three nights is the sweet spot.
Would I stay there again?
Yes, I would. For another quick stop in Kuala Lumpur, absolutely. Service, comfort, location. Tick tick tick.
Heading to Kuala Lumpur?
Get in touch and let's start planning.
