The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur debuted in August 2012 as a long-anticipated addition to the KL City Center hotel scene. Nearly a decade had passed since a new international luxury hotel opened its doors, and the Grand Hyatt did so in style. The bronze-gold façade is one of the hotel’s eye-catching details that also doubles as an eco-friendly building insulation measure. With the first sky lobby in KL, guests are whisked to the 39th floor of the hotel for check-in with an ear-popping elevator ride. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer humbling views of the city’s showpiece, the Petronas Twin Towers.

By Rachel Will
Video By Dimas Anggakara

The Look: While most Hyatt hotel constructions have limited communication between the architect and owner, the Grand Hyatt was the joint vision of WATG architects and Bahagia Investment Corporation (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. The collaboration spawned green building practices including the heat-reducing bronze-gold exterior to the harvesting of groundwater for site cleaning that certified the hotel as a green building in 2012. The hotel occupies 22 floors from the 17th level up to the sky lobby, all of which are imbued with a uniquely airy atmosphere and views ranging from the towers, the green respite of KLCC park, and Jalan Pinang’s skyscrapers. Circular design dominates the hotel from the horse shoe-shaped check-in floor to the 360-degree views found in the fine dining restaurant, THIRTY8. Expansive windows play up the dramatic skyline surrounds while muted creams, marble textures, and polished wood creates an understated but luxurious design.

The Rooms: With 412 rooms divided into 14 room types including 42 suites, there is ample choice when selecting your stay. Rooms with choice views come at a premium, but waking up with the Towers is worth the splurge. In-room amenities are well-conceived with ample electrical outlets, oversize wooden desks, and motion sensing technology which reduces electricity usage when rooms are empty. Designer Bilkey Llinas is behind the hotel’s design and has contributed to other Grand Hyatt properties. Handmade rugs and polished wood interiors compliment the hotel’s common spaces. Bathrooms feature powerful rain showers and oversize bathtubs in suites. June Jacobs bath products are available in every room, with natural ingredients including cucumber and green tea, specially created for the Grand Hyatt brand.

The Appeal: On the hotel’s second floor, the Grand Hyatt offers amusements aplenty. Inside find the hotel’s expansive gym with views of the pool and sweating executives on their midday aerobic break. On the other end of the corridor lies the hotel’s Essa Spa featuring 11 treatment suites with cream accents and plunge pools with blue mosaic-tiled bathtubs. Outside find the multi-tiered circular swimming pool with vertical views of the surrounding skyscrapers. Next to the pool, the aptly named Poolside dining venue serves healthy options and fresh fare. For stunning evening views and food to compliment, visit THIRTY8 that houses three kitchens in its glass show preparation space.

The Surrounds: Though the walk to KL Convention Center can be a punishing jaunt in the city’s humidity, the Grand Hyatt’s location offers a slick shortcut to the convention center. Nearby the back exit on the hotel’s ground level find a subterranean route to the site that is fully air-conditioned with moving walkways. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport a taxi can reach the Grand Hyatt in a little more than an hour, but if you prefer arriving in grandeur, book the hotel’s BMW 7 Series starting from US$90.

For those in the know… The first sky lobby in Kuala Lumpur isn’t just for kicks, it’s also a security measure. Without a key visitors can’t access any of the hotel other floors, just the lobby. This provides added security for the Grand Hyatt’s VIP guests, which have included foreign diplomats and business executives.

12 Jl. Pinang; 603/2182-1234; Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur; doubles from US$206

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