The best luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur

Set in the centre of the city only steps away from the Petronas Twin Towers, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur guarantees five-star luxury in slick surroundings amidst astonishing skyscrapers. The hotel offers a range of guest rooms featuring floor-to-ceiling 180-degree city, pool or park views. For bigger groups and longer stays, suites with separate living and sleeping areas provide ample space — along with access to the Executive Club Lounge for all-day refreshments, concierge services, and more. 

You’re slap-bang central for easy exploring, but days might as well be spent by the pool as you take in elevated views of the city before sashaying over to the spa for an afternoon of facials and massages. There’s no shortage of dining options either: in addition to in-room dining, line your belly at one of the five on-site restaurants, lounges and bars, from modern Cantonese cuisine at Yun House to award-winning cocktails at Bar Trigona.

Those looking for a full-service hotel that caters to business travellers need look no further than the contemporary, luxurious 208-room The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur. Its location in Kuala Lumpur Sentral — the country’s biggest transit hub — means easy access to the city’s business district. At its doorstep, there is plenty for leisure too, such as Perdana Botanical Garden, the national museum, and nearby neighbourhoods Bangsar and Brickfields to explore. 

Inside the hotel, there are 208 accommodations, elegantly furnished and featuring the largest guest rooms in the city, each boasting a spacious seating area and a walk-in wardrobe, plus 24-hour signature butler service. Ask for a guided art walk: the hotel’s art collection includes a specially commissioned sculpture, ‘Horse’ by Fernando Botero, and four Andy Warhol prints in its marble-clad hallway. Fans of Japanese fine dining rejoice: on-site is Taka by chef Takashi Saito of Sushi Saito fame; Ushi, serving kaiseki omakase featuring Ozaki beef; and Tenshin, where one may indulge in tempura omakase.

It may be set in the heart of the Golden Triangle, within easy reach of all that Kuala Lumpur has to offer, but Mandarin Oriental’s marbled outpost in the Malaysian capital is a far cry from a classic city hotel and more than deserving of its reputation for style, service and excellence. Next to the neighbouring Petronas Twin Towers, the hotel’s spacious rooms and suites offer sweeping views of the city skyline or the fifty-acre KLCC Park. 

What makes Mandarin Oriental a home away from home is its collection of seven restaurants, bars and lounges, including Lai Po Heen, a first-class choice for classic Cantonese cuisine and dim sum delicacies. There’s also an infinity pool complemented by chic poolside cabanas and daybeds, and an award-winning spa adopting traditions from Malaysia, China, Thailand and beyond for a broad range of tailor-made treatment and therapies.

A luxury landmark set in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, The Majestic Hotel includes the meticulously restored Hotel Majestic built in ’32, and the newly-built Tower Wing. Only minutes from downtown and Kuala Lumpur Sentral, offering easy access to a host of iconic must-see sites, The Majestic Hotel features 300 rooms and suites where old-world charm meets the best of modern comforts; think art deco furnishings, timber floors overlaid with tufted carpets, and a bathtub facing a wall-mounted television for long bubble bath soaks. Spend your days at the spa or splash around the swimming pool. From afternoon tea at The Orchid Conservatoryand elegant suppers at The Colonial Cafe to a cigar and a cocktail at The Smoke House, there’s plenty to dine and drink. 

Fun fact: Hotel Majestic is a national heritage site, and in its heyday, it was the grandest hotel in the city, favoured by the colonial and local elite. It is said that Tunku Abdul Rahman met regularly at the hotel’s rooftop club to discuss matters of independence.

W Kuala Lumpur is an urban oasis perfect for play or work. Since its opening in ’18, the hotel has stayed ahead of the curve with its blend of style, sophistication, and exceptional service. It houses 150 guest rooms and suites ranging from the Wonderful Room to the Extreme WOW Suite — and as you’d expect, the rooms are far from boring, combining contemporary comforts like W beds and wireless internet with cultural accents such as batik motifs and “Wau” tassels. All accommodations come with breathtaking views of the city skyline or the Petronas Twin Towers, which are only steps away. 

The brand’s food and beverage scene has always been a strong suit, but W Kuala Lumpur ups the game with four on-site restaurants and bars. There’s Flock, its all-day dining restaurant featuring the freshest of local ingredients (farm-to-Flock, if you will), and WET Deck, the rooftop pool bar-slash-hip hangout that draws sunbathers during the day and night owls come DJ sets and parties. TTurn down with 24/7 room service, W’s Whatever/Whenever concierge, and head-to-toe pampering at AWAY Spa, a serene sanctuary amid its jungle city surrounds.

Tucked in Jalan Kia Peng on the south side of Suria KLCC, The RuMa lives up to its name. Taken after the Malay word for ‘home’, it combines the charms and intimacy of a home with all the comforts of five-star luxury. To that, add spacious rooms, studios and suites overlooking the skyline, with amenities such as 330-thread count Egyptian cotton bed linen, bathtub, and complimentary stocked minibar; a chic spa offering result-driven treatments from short half-hour sessions to full-day rituals; Barber at The RuMa by Truefitt & Hill; a state-of-the-art gym; and an infinity pool with a bar and lounge.

On dining, the hotel has a quality-over-quantity approach. ATAS presents a modern bistro-style menu; think classic European cuisine reimagined with local, seasonal ingredients. For a memorable nightcap, choose from 77 gins sourced from all corners of the world, paired with an assortment of seven tonics and garnished with a spice, herb or fruit of your choosing at the aptly-named SEVEN bar.

Hotel Equatorial was established in ’73 on Jalan Sultan Ismail. For decades, it was beloved for its service and snazzy clubs and restaurants — like Blue Moon and Kampachi — until its demolishment in 2012, followed by a seven-year rebuilding and rebranding, which reportedly cost over RM1 billion. Today, the hotel is housed within the upper floors of the spectacular 52-story Equatorial Plaza with 440 rooms and suites featuring almost any amenity you’d expect and views of the city. 

No fewer than seven restaurants, bars and lounges grace the site, from contemporary European cuisine at Sabayon to reshly-baked pastries and made-to-order sandwiches at Étoile Bistro. The hotel’s topmost floor, SKY51, is dedicated to wining and dining with breathtaking city views. See for yourself between cocktail sips at Blue, the sky bar. Facilities include a ballroom, a dozen banquet and meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a spa, a steam room, and a 25-metre infinity pool.

You’ll find a satisfying blend of city-central location and serene retreat in Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur. Set in the Golden Triangle, the hotel puts the best of Kuala Lumpur within arm’s reach, from first-class shopping to the nearby KLCC Park. 

Inside the five-star hotel, 55 spacious rooms and suites are equipped with modern amenities, entertainment systems, and an oversized oval soaking tub or a private pool — the best perch to drink in views of the Petronas Twin Towers and the city. 

With its clutch of restaurants and bars — from a meat and seafood grill top-floor restaurant to a fashionable rooftop bar shaking up craft cocktails — and a 24/7 gym, a swimming pool, and a full-service spa, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur is a zen-like oasis that’s a far cry from the hustle and bustle below.