ademanuele

I am flying from Terminal M in KLIA a couple of times in February, one with BA to London and one with Malaysian Airlines to Borneo. I am not sure which part of the terminal these flights will depart from but any recommendations on lounges (BA Gold). Malaysia Airlines First Class lounge would seem the obvious choice?

SHT88T

Lounge details for KUL can be found in the BA Lounge Database | Far East

Malaysia Airlines have lounges in both the main terminal and the satellite which are all detailed in the wiki. Personally speaking, I found the Malaysia First Lounge in the satellite to be a very nice spot to pass some time. It has an a la carte dining room as well as sleeping pods. It was also very quiet during the late evening while waiting for the BA34 to LHR.

dsf

My gf and I recently went to Borneo with BA and MH. AIUI there is just one MH lounge in the terminal used for flights to KCH, and it was nothing special, but a nicer spot than hanging around by the gate. Note that it (and the whole terminal) is dry.

Prior to BA34 we visited the CX lounge, just as it emptied out. It's OK, but I wouldn't bother going again. The MH F lounge I thought was fantastic. Waiter service throughout for drinks; excellent showers; good a la carte food. We popped into the J lounge because it has a smoking room – while the other half had a vape, I wandered around and thought it seemed like a cavernous shopping mall food hall!

SKT-DK

For domestic, you only have the option of the MH domestic lounge. For international, you definitely have the option of using the MH F lounge.

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, just to clarify, for London it will be the MH lounge upstairs in the Satellite that has a First section (however if the BA service is running late the service there will be very limited) as well as a much larger business lounge. This in the West Zone, above the transit's arrival platforms. The Cathay lounge, which may not be open, is in the East Zone, just. Access is via lifts and stairs partly hidden by the shops, just look outwards. BA may well leave from gate C22, which is East.

For domestic and regional services you will get the standard MH Golden Lounge in the main building, between initial airside security and the transit station, which is fine for an hour or so, but it's not a patch on the Satellite's provision. There is a more limited Domestic lounge by A2.

KARFA

The ba flight will be departing from the satellite. However you can freely go between the main building and the satellite as much as you wish on the transit. As noted there is an international MH lounge in the main building and a CX and MH (including an MH F lounge) in the satellite.

Fly_IAD

As others have said the MH lounge in the satellite area that used to be for MH First Class (now called Business Suite) and OWE is really quite good. I think its great that MH kept that lounge open for OWE. You can find plenty of photos and reviews online, enjoy!

2358

Another vote for the MH 1st lounge, very calm and restful - probably one of the nicest lounges I have been to. Nice daybeds, showers. Separate dining room - skipped dessert, and the waiter came and found me in the lounge to make sure I didn’t want any more!

Duck1981

I agree with all; and even the MH Regional Lounge was IMHO better than anything BA offers at T5 (excl the CCR of course) when I visited it last September.

D

TheFlyingCyclist

The only irritation of the KL Malaysian Airlines F lounge is the lack of buzzers for when there is a free shower for you. There aren’t that many showers - and you’ll need one after a hot day in KL before the BA flight... Going back to check every so often was irritating, but they eventually agreed to come and fetch me from the dining room. The food and wine in there were excellent.

Dan72

Agree that the MH Platinum lounge (formerly F) is a nice space, but in my experience its key advantage over BA lounges is that it's a more peaceful space. It's rarely busy and there is normally more than enough staff standing by, this all makes for a very pleasant experience and is not to be underestimated. But in terms of food and drink it falls some way behind the much busier BA F and CCR lounges. The MH dining room only serves meals at specific times, offering a poor afternoon tea between lunch and dinner. The food is basically the same as that served in the J lounge, although plated. Indeed if you're in a hurry, it can often make sense to head to the adjacent J lounge.

Presumably MH has fewer Emeralds, but I also see that the platinum lounge's location in the satellite will dissuade a lot of short-haul regional passenger traffic, given these flights depart from the main terminal.

bisonrav

The regional lounge (up an escalator by the transit to the terminal) generally isn't a bad choice. Same food as in the satellite, nicely appointed, and easier to get a shower because you're not competing with so many people on long haul (the slats on the shower doors take a little getting used to though). And a little more lively and pleasant - think LHR B Gates in comparison to the main LHR lounges.

The F lounge is generally quiet, very plush, and a restful place to sit before a late night long haul, I find it a little dull but YMMV. I haven't been into the satellite J since it was refurbished. The domestic lounge is pretty rubbish, but notable for being the place my 4 year old got to guest one of his grandparents in, which he was immensely proud of and which amused the reception staff no end.

wilsnunn

I suppose that it depends on how long you have before your flight from KUL to Borneo.

Arrivals at KUL are into the main departures area so you should be able to go to the main lounges in the satellite where they have the MH First lounge (have never been there as I am not yet OW Emerald). Then there is the MH Business lounge right next door which is big and has a good selection of food.

I gave the CX lounge a try earlier this year and was a bit disappointed (they also absolutely insisted that if I used my boarding pass to enter their lounge I would no longer be eligible for any of the MH lounges which was simply not true).

Then you have the regional lounge in the main terminal which is (as you would expect from the lounge name) the area where regional flights such as KUL-SIN fly. It is nice, smaller than the MH Business lounge but with a similar spread of food and I find the showers there much less crowded (but beware of the slats as mentioned by bisonrav, they mess with your mind).

For your flight to Borneo, I assume that it is Malaysia in Borneo in which case you will (I think but happy to be corrected) go through Malaysian immigration in KUL and then head to the domestic departures area of KLIA. Here you have the more basic MH Domestic lounge which is not as nice for sure but the food is still good - I devoured a large plate of rendang there in the summer.

If subsequently arriving in Sarawak then you will clear Sarawakian immigration there (you will notice that your stamp on entry at KLIA actually excludes Sarawak).

bisonrav

And if the Borneo destination happens to be Kuching, don't miss Foody Goody where you'll get the best Sarawak Laksa going, great coffee (kopi-c kosong), and the most amazing fried breadsticks which are made on the street fresh and amazing dipped into the laksa sauce. Not available every day, you'll know when they are because it's packed. Will be there myself in a couple of weeks. Not as plush as any of the MH lounges to put it mildly, but the food is loads better.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restau...g_Sarawak.html

carrotjuice

MH F lounge (satellite) - peaceful, table service

MH J lounge (satellite) - cavernous, extensive buffet service with noodle station, next to above (as OWE you can hop between the two)

MH J lounge and MH Domestic lounge (both in main terminal) - smaller version of above, may be more convenient if your flight departs from the main terminal, but if you have a long connection feel free to hop between the satellite and main terminal lounges

CX J lounge - nothing to shout about, but has Cantonese soup (if you're into that!)

By the way, "Borneo" in MH context refers to the states of Sarawak and Sabah, so OP may wish to clarify which is the destination... can be KCH, BKI, BTU, LBJ, etc.