Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia


The Experience

Even by the standards of urban Asian grandiosity, nothing quite beats the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur for location. Set at the base of the iconic Petronas Towers, the hotel faces this 88-story skyscraping duo, affording jaw-dropping views straight from a summer blockbuster. As the Petronas loom above, down below the hotel is linked to the splashy Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), a Rodeo Drive-meets-Time Warner Center mall filled with the world's top brands, and a welcome retreat from KL's endless heat. KLCC also offers a lake-size wading pool for kids, while the Petronas' Skybridge observation deck is a true once-in-a-lifetime thrill just minutes from the hotel.

The Rooms

Thanks to its upstaging next-door neighbor, the Mandarin's rooms are categorized less by size or design scheme and more by the quality of their views. On the lower end, rooms face KLCC's verdant 50-acre park, while City View rooms look onto KL's maze of glass-and-steel edifices, including Premium City View Rooms, with walls of windows zooming in on the Petronas Towers themselves. For added services, seven floors of Club Rooms include access to the city's largest Club Lounge, with endless gourmet nibbles, butler services and complimentary daily laundry.

The Service

Because Kuala Lumpur is usually a two-day pit stop en route to Malaysia's islands, the city is all about luxury hotels and luxury shopping. And any worries that a hotel of nearly 600 rooms would forsake scale for service are clearly unfounded at the Mandarin Oriental. Late flight home? Then expect late check-outs and spa access until departure. Hungry? Look for fresh fruits each day.

The Highlights

Considering its size, the Mandarin Oriental is more urban resort than straight business hotel, with a sleek, infinity-edge pool pouring on to the Petronas Towers, the sumptuous Thalgo Marie Spa and one of the city's largest fitness facilities. Over at KLCC, hotel guests receive special discounts at select retailers with a flash of their room keys, while the Mandarin's six restaurants serve a world's worth of tastes, including classic Cantonese at Lai Po Heen, designed like an old Chinese tycoon's mansion.

-- David Kaufman

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