Puttin' on the Ritz?

Old May 30, 2018, 5:57 pm
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Puttin' on the Ritz?

The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur

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The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur

Number 168 Jalan Imbi Kuala Lumpur, MY 55100

Puttin' on the Ritz? (6 Photos)

The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur

Ahh, The Ritz... synonymous with luxury and decadence... well for the most part. Having underwent a significant renovation program, the drab and dim rooms at Kuala Lumpur's own Ritz-Carlton was replaced with bright marble bathrooms and modern interiors.

Our cab pulled into the lobby... oh wait there are two lobbies, and the one we just stopped at is for the residence. So there we were, initially confused by the empty entrance to realise that it was the wrong one, and eventually the cab driver noticed the waving doorman and off we go, another 20 metres drive to the real entrance!

Check In

The doorman opened the car door, and soon we were whisked to check-in, and we were handled by no less than three staff members, two unloading and taking our bags, and another taking us to the reception. It was the afternoon, and the hotel was in full swing... a jazz band was playing on the Mezzanine, and the ambiance was no less than lively. The music : Puttin' on the Ritz.

After a quick check-in procedure, we were brought to our rooms by a friendly 'butler'.

Room

The entire check-in experience was most pleasant, and we were soon met by a rather nicely redesigned room which was unfortunately still rather dim, and still on the small side. 

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In spite of that, the room was functional and there wasn't much wasted space. There wasn't much of a view, given how our room faced a construction site. Yet thankfully, the noise wasn't disturbing. 

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The bathrooms were bright and beautiful, though some parts of it appeared to be forcedly placed in, the television by the bath tub was completely unnecessary and it was clear they didn't have enough space to intergrate it nicely into the wall. It may have been a nice touch, but it wasn't usable... the angle at which one were to watch the LCD television made it unclear and it was even harder to change channels with the remote.

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Yet it was nevertheless a beautiful bathroom.

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What the room lacked was made up by brilliant amenities.

Service

Once we settled in our room, we were met by a knock, and soon two 'butlers' were admitted to present us with fresh fruits and some freshly squeezed orange juice.

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It was nice to be met with such amenities, though the butlers, whilst friendly and nice, seemed to did not want to be there. It personally felt like a pattern throughout the hotel, that the staff didn't seem too happy or sincere, yet they were friendly nevertheless. Granted, it was just weeks after the grand reopening, and they were probably exhausted from the influx of guests to host. Perhaps it was just my expectations that was too high, having stayed at other, nicer (and in fairness, pricier) Ritz-Carltons. The constant soundtrack, a modern cover of Harry Richman's 1930 hit, which played on an endless loop on the television's intro screen, didn't particularly help.

Despite that, we were continually surprised by the overflowing snacks showing up every night after turn down

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Well, I guess brownies are never a bad idea.

Location

The location, smack bang on KL's upmarket Bukit Bintang shopping district, was a desirable base to explore Malaysia's vibrant and stunning capital. A stone's throw away from Pavillion and KL's huge flagship Louis shop meant it is easier to go get that nice steamer trunk you saw in your car the other day on the window display as you passed enroute. 

Note that the hotel is located behind the sister JW Marriott, and isn't on the main belt of Bukit Bintang, but was nevertheless easily accessible through a bridge connecting the hotels and the main road.

The hotel, located about 10 minutes away from the area's monorail and public transport makes it a good base for exploring (pfft... how irrelevant, who needs public transport when you've got the Bentley on standby). 

Overall

Overall, the hotel, though lacking in some areas, was perfectly good for a short stay in Kuala Lumpur. It's amenities and continuous flow of edible presents makes it a memorable hotel, whilst its location makes it particularly desirable compared to the likes of the Shangri-La or the St Regis.

Final note, do realise that I am joking about the Bentley and the Louis (though it is likely to reflect a few (if not some) of the VIP dignitaries patronising the hotel.

Puttin' on the Ritz?

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