travelswithmyself

Yes, it does seem more luxe than the GH. I think part of that is because the StR has opted for light tones vs dark tones at the GH. But the GH has that nice location with the view of Petronas Towers and the KLCC garden. And the club lounge.

Caveat: I did not stay. I merely viewed. I also can't say anything about the soft product. However, everything seemed ready (except the spa/pool) and there were plenty of staff milling about especially the white-gloved butlers, greeting visitors. The GM is Ms Scott, as reported previously.

ZenWorld

Thanks for the pictures, travelswithmyself!

I think the price point is way too high as well. But if Suite upgrades are frequent for Plats, and the price drops to 600+ MYR range, this is still possible.

Else Le Meridien does an excellent job for SPG Plats in the same area, and I must say the sheltered walkway right off the train station helps a lot.

pricesquire

Don't forget, regardless of your status, worth booking SPG Luxury Privileges rates here. Rate inclusions (while still earning points/getting elite recognition):

Complimentary fourth night for stays through December 30, 2016. Complimentary night will be adjusted at check-out.
Complimentary standard in-room internet access
One 100 USD hotel credit per room, per stay (valid for food, beverages and spa services)
Daily full breakfast for two guests
VIP Treatment
Upgrade on arrival, early check-in and late check-out which are all subject to availability

rooivalk

Hi Lurkers,

This hotel has no free night award loaded into the system. Can you help take a look?

Starwood Lurker III

Hi rooivalk,

We have forwarded this issue to the appropriate team and they are still looking into this.

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

geilux

From a pricing point of view (as mentioned a few times earlier in the thread), any idea if August will see prices go down ?
Any information on occupancy rate so far ?

stimpy

I'm guessing we are probably going to have to wait til July to see if August prices go down. And maybe they simply won't go down by then. Even with low occupancy, it is possible that the owner could afford to be stubborn for many months or a year. It's probably wise to make a refundable reservation at another hotel now and see how it goes.

purplestraw

Perhaps they're trying to pull a Bangkok/Bali and hope that international travellers won't mind paying the very minor (in their converted local currency) incrementally higher rates at SRKL and then collectively it could push KL luxe hotels rates higher. Someone has to be guinea pig, why not the newest/shiniest of the bunch?

Great photos travelswithmyself! The hotel looks quite stunning, especially considering 3rdworldresident saw it just in February and swore it wouldn't even be ready to open THIS YEAR.

From an art perspective it looks like the owners spared no expense. The polo murals at reception and that huge Botero in the dining room are impressive! At least from a hardware perspective it seems like they're trying to justify their high starting rates.

I tend not to be a fan of Asia/Middle East style hotels with their gigantic reception and public areas, even in luxury hotels. I prefer the more intimate style-spaces of the US and Europe. But the other thing that bothers me in many Asia hotels is that many of them are total Monets (Clueless reference!). travelswithmyself, what did you think of the finishes and material quality?

travelswithmyself

purplestraw, firstly I am a fan of high ceilings so I'm biased. Having said that, the lobby was luxurious without being ostentatious. It looks bigger on the iPhone pano shot but is smaller than I expected.

You noticed the polo 'paintings'... good eye. They're actually commissioned leather sculptures by Mark Evans (yes I had to google him). They're behind the check-in desks so it feels a bit unnatural to approach them but worth the look. The Botero occupies centre stage in the tea-room but adds rather than distracts.

The physical finishings are impressive and don't look cheap; chairs are heavy and feel solid, small touches like ?brass edges, rivets etc, protectors against scuffing. Electrical fittings are high-tech - touchless sensors, motorised curtains etc.

I too was wondering why they thought they could charge 2-3x the norm, but they certainly made it feel worthwhile. I'm pretty keyed up about making my first booking there

Let's see: Average pricing is:
. Le Meridien - 300MYR
. Grand Hyatt - 600MYR
. St Regis - 900MYR

I would say that there is likewise a step-wise increase in the physical quality - whether it's worth that much is a bit harder to judge at this point. Prices will stabilise later on I'm sure.

purplestraw

Wow, thanks for the additional details. The fact that they are leather sculpture impresses me even more! Thanks for the artist's name - spent a good chunk of my afternoon looking into his works. Beautiful. Looking forward to your take on the full hotel experience after your stay.

Even with the prices you listed, I don't find them too offensive. I mean, USD 225 to stay in a brand new beautiful St. Regis? Perhaps for the market it's pushing it, but I would feel totally comfortable paying that. Plus as a St. Regis I'm assuming it comes with butler service, which I personally love (I know some people find it funny).

But then again, I'm also the pushover who can't bring myself to bargain at street markets in Thailand or Indonesia. My friends end up making fun of me for always accepting the first offer, but I just can't ever get the nerve to haggle to save a dollar on something that costs USD 5 to begin with.

geilux

Folks, I am new to KL and I love STR Hotels and SPG.

However, I am surprised that you compare (mostly prices) only to LeMeridien and GH.
What about the other luxury brands, such as MO, RC or some others ?
And SPG Sheraton/Westin ?

travelswithmyself

Welcome to KL/StR/SPG.

I'm only comparing these because I'm familiar with the prices and the hardware .

geilux

clean and logical answer ! Thanks ^

stimpy

MO seems much cheaper. Looking at entry level rooms only. I haven't looked at booking suites. But booking a Club room at the MO is more than an entry level room at the StR. Am I right that there is no Club at this hotel?

jpdx

I guess this comparison does make some sense, because the LM and GH are in the top-3 of their respective brands, while some of the others (Sheraton, Westin, MO) are rather standard or even disappointing (IC). Generally, KL hotels are reasonably priced, so it's a great place to try the best. The LM is probably the best value in the entire SPG systems for Plats (MYR250-300 rates get you access to an amazing club, huge breakfast spread, nicely remodeled suites). The suites at GH (using DSU) are spectacular, and their club is outstanding (and MYR450 rates aren't hard to get). So it is worth wondering what the SR has to offer to warrant that extra MYR500+.