This is interesting. The Majestic is one of those classic Asian hotels like the Oriental in Bangkok, Raffles in Singapore or the Eastern and Oriental in Penang. However for many years it was abandoned as a hotel until YTL acquired it and made it into what it is today. Which is to say, there's the facade of the old hotel where all the pictures are taken and you stay in a brand new wing bolted on the side just like the Oriental in Bangkok and Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh.

When it reopened some four or five years ago it was a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. I've just checked the LHW web site and it's gone from there now. It's no surprise that it's joined a Marriott brand. YTL has a long history with Marriott in Malaysia: they own and manage the JW and the Ritz-Carlton among other non-Marriott properties in Malaysia and beyond. So the Autograph Collection is an obvious choice for them if LHW wasn't working out. I'm guessing that YTL needs an international brand to promote the Majestic in KL because of the fierce competition in this city and although the obvious brand for it would be Raffles they are clearly not going to get into bed with Accor. I'd have put it more a Starwood Luxury Collection but that's probably a non-starter now for obvious reasons. YTL's Majestic Malacca (a new block bolted on the back of a restored colonial house) has seemingly not joined Marriott - no doubt because there's little competition in Malacca and it's always full of Singaporeans escaping for a weekend of cheap food.

For me, the best thing about the Majestic in KL is its buffet restaurant Contango which is always full. Can't remember the price but they are the only one in KL with a free flow wine option - eight wines in self-service dispensers all evening. I've got extremely drunk there before now and the whole thing has only come to about £30 which is a bargain.

I didn't find the rooms to be that exciting - somewhat cheaply finished as though they got concerned at the last minute how much they were spending fitting the place out.