Best hotel in KL
 

Hi. I am making my way through Bangkok and KL over a few days at the
end of August. My hotel in Bangkok I have pretty much decided will be
the Grand China Princess, as it has nice rooms (of a 4-star standard,
although the hotel is only a 3 star) and will cost me only 1500baht
(with the current strengh of the pound, this is only 20 pounds, which
would not even pay for a youth hostel in England) for two people, and
is close to my favourite eating place in Chinatown.

In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100. So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

Thanks!

PS. I am getting my rates from
http://www.planetholiday.com/city/14524.htm - www.asiatravel.com is
too popular and way overpriced.

Best hotel in KL
 

Matthew wrote:
Hi. I am making my way through Bangkok and KL over a few days at the
end of August. My hotel in Bangkok I have pretty much decided will be
the Grand China Princess, as it has nice rooms (of a 4-star standard,
although the hotel is only a 3 star) and will cost me only 1500baht
(with the current strengh of the pound, this is only 20 pounds, which
would not even pay for a youth hostel in England) for two people, and
is close to my favourite eating place in Chinatown.

In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100. So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

Thanks!

PS. I am getting my rates from
http://www.planetholiday.com/city/14524.htm - www.asiatravel.com is
too popular and way overpriced.


Have you tried looking at www.asiahotels.com
The Renaissance is nice as is The Istana. For its Location I like the
Swiss Garden, We always finish our trip by staying here, taking advantage of
the "Swiss Privilege" package, however I don't believe they allow children
on the executive floor.
Jan

Best hotel in KL
 

Matthew wrote:
Hi. I am making my way through Bangkok and KL over a few days at the
end of August. My hotel in Bangkok I have pretty much decided will be
the Grand China Princess, as it has nice rooms (of a 4-star standard,
although the hotel is only a 3 star) and will cost me only 1500baht
(with the current strengh of the pound, this is only 20 pounds, which
would not even pay for a youth hostel in England) for two people, and
is close to my favourite eating place in Chinatown.

In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100. So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

Thanks!

PS. I am getting my rates from
http://www.planetholiday.com/city/14524.htm - www.asiatravel.com is
too popular and way overpriced.


Have you tried looking at www.asiahotels.com
The Renaissance is nice as is The Istana. For its Location I like the
Swiss Garden, We always finish our trip by staying here, taking advantage of
the "Swiss Privilege" package, however I don't believe they allow children
on the executive floor.
Jan

Best hotel in KL
 

Have you thought of an apartment hotel? A couple of bedroom, kitchen and
dining room. We stayed at one in KL in and it was so nice having all that
room.


"Matthew" wrote in message


In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100. So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

Thanks!

PS. I am getting my rates from
http://www.planetholiday.com/city/14524.htm - www.asiatravel.com is
too popular and way overpriced.

Best hotel in KL
 

Have you thought of an apartment hotel? A couple of bedroom, kitchen and
dining room. We stayed at one in KL in and it was so nice having all that
room.


"Matthew" wrote in message


In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100. So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

Thanks!

PS. I am getting my rates from
http://www.planetholiday.com/city/14524.htm - www.asiatravel.com is
too popular and way overpriced.

Best hotel in KL
 

Have you thought of an apartment hotel? A couple of bedroom, kitchen and
dining room. We stayed at one in KL in and it was so nice having all that
room.


"Matthew" wrote in message


In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100. So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

Thanks!

PS. I am getting my rates from
http://www.planetholiday.com/city/14524.htm - www.asiatravel.com is
too popular and way overpriced.

Best hotel in KL
 

Matthew wrote:
In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100.

There seems to be an oversupply problem. Yet the cranes are going around the
clock.

So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

I can only address location as I haven't been inside any of these, but for
day-in, day-out volume of things to do, the Regent probably wins. The
Shangri-La is over on a stretch of Sultan Ismail that has only office
buildings and a small concentration of loud bars for rich twenty-somethings.
The Mandarin Oriental is at KLCC which means shopping in one large mall, a
fountain (admittedly a nice one), a really large playground, and that's
about it.

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

If you're taking a weekend from elsewhere in Malaysia, sure. But if you're
flying from halfway around the world, it's not worth being way out there.

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

There are several nice places on Tengkat Tong Shin (one block west of Jalan
Alor) that do Malaysian cuisine. Look for a stretch of nicely rehabbed and
painted Chinese-style shop houses with a tapas bar at one end. These aren't
terribly pricey, though - about RM20-50 for a main.

There are also a few Malaysian restaurants in the nether regions south of
Jalan Bukit Bintang and east of Jalan Sultan Ismail (large Borneo-style
wooden buildings) that are extremely expensive, if that's your sole
criterion. They are almost always deserted, though, which suggests to me
that like most extremely expensive restaurants they really aren't worth it.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Best hotel in KL
 

Matthew wrote:
In KL however, I see that prices are surprisingly (considering that
Malaysia seems like a more affluent country) quite a bit cheaper, and
even the most expensive five-star (the Carcosa Sari Negara) will cost
me less than £100.

There seems to be an oversupply problem. Yet the cranes are going around the
clock.

So I am therefore looking to stay in the nicest
hotel in KL, given my party of 2 adults + a 2 year old. Being in
walking distance of the shopping centres is a major plus, but
recreational facilities or gardens (such as at the Shangri-La could
offset this). I am afraid I would not know what to do with the butler
service at the Ritz, so this seems rather a waste - I would be more
impressed with a high-quality room.

So I am looking between

the Mandarin Oriental
the Shangri-La
the Regent

I can only address location as I haven't been inside any of these, but for
day-in, day-out volume of things to do, the Regent probably wins. The
Shangri-La is over on a stretch of Sultan Ismail that has only office
buildings and a small concentration of loud bars for rich twenty-somethings.
The Mandarin Oriental is at KLCC which means shopping in one large mall, a
fountain (admittedly a nice one), a really large playground, and that's
about it.

or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

If you're taking a weekend from elsewhere in Malaysia, sure. But if you're
flying from halfway around the world, it's not worth being way out there.

I would also like to know the best place for *Malaysian* dining in the
city - no Chinese, I want high-class Malaysian cuisine.

There are several nice places on Tengkat Tong Shin (one block west of Jalan
Alor) that do Malaysian cuisine. Look for a stretch of nicely rehabbed and
painted Chinese-style shop houses with a tapas bar at one end. These aren't
terribly pricey, though - about RM20-50 for a main.

There are also a few Malaysian restaurants in the nether regions south of
Jalan Bukit Bintang and east of Jalan Sultan Ismail (large Borneo-style
wooden buildings) that are extremely expensive, if that's your sole
criterion. They are almost always deserted, though, which suggests to me
that like most extremely expensive restaurants they really aren't worth it.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Best hotel in KL
 

Miguel Cruz wrote in message ...
Matthew wrote:
or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

If you're taking a weekend from elsewhere in Malaysia, sure. But if you're
flying from halfway around the world, it's not worth being way out there.

Thanks for the advice. We are making our way to Medan via our bucket
shop flight to Bangkok - and Air Asia's brand new KL - Medan route has
made me change my plans from Bangkok - Penang - Medan to Bangkok - KL
- Medan.

I have not spent much time in Malaysia, except for rather too long in
KL (you know you have stayed too long when you start visiting the
planetarium and Islamic museum....) waiting for a lost ticket to be
forwarded from my hotel in Bangkok, as well as a couple of visits to
Penang, a destination that for me holds few attractions (a town with a
few Indian restaurants, combined with expensive taxis to visit the
monorail, and not a lot else). Needless to say perhaps my impressions
of Malaysia from these two places are that it is probably my least
favourite destination in SE Asia - I had a much better time on the
deserted beach in Sihanoukville in Cambodia in the rainy season, or
experiencing the smells of Bangkok - Malaysia felt a little sterile
for me (although ironically I actually like Singapore's efficiency,
and would even like to visit Sentosa island...). My idea of a good
holiday is a nice hotel to sleep in (especially in big cities), and
then leaving it to a chaotic world outside.

Perhaps someone can suggest something to extend my stay in Malaysia
beyond the single night that I will have to wait for the morning
flight to Medan (I did not visit the caves last time, as the cost of
transport seemed expensive at the time) (given that I have 3 weeks in
total to spend, and will probably spend a week in Medan, before
perhaps going on to Lake Toba or Bogor in Java).

Best hotel in KL
 

On 11 Jul 2004 03:52:29 -0700, (Matthew) wrote:

Miguel Cruz wrote in message ...
Matthew wrote:
or any other hotel that anyone can recommend... (the place of the
golden horses looks nice, but the mines resort concept didn't seem all
that exciting - the theme park looks pretty feeble, but again I am
open to be persuaded that it's actually wonderful).

If you're taking a weekend from elsewhere in Malaysia, sure. But if you're
flying from halfway around the world, it's not worth being way out there.

Thanks for the advice. We are making our way to Medan via our bucket
shop flight to Bangkok - and Air Asia's brand new KL - Medan route has
made me change my plans from Bangkok - Penang - Medan to Bangkok - KL
- Medan.

I have not spent much time in Malaysia, except for rather too long in
KL (you know you have stayed too long when you start visiting the
planetarium and Islamic museum....)

I thought the Islamic Museum was kind of interesting, seeing how a
Muslim nation presents its own religion's art and connects itself to
the rest of the Muslim world. But then again, my mother is an
anthropologist.

[snip]
Perhaps someone can suggest something to extend my stay in Malaysia
beyond the single night that I will have to wait for the morning
flight to Medan (I did not visit the caves last time, as the cost of
transport seemed expensive at the time) (given that I have 3 weeks in
total to spend, and will probably spend a week in Medan, before
perhaps going on to Lake Toba or Bogor in Java).

Depends what you want to do. There are many other places to visit and
things to do in Malaysia. What other places have you visited in
Malaysia?

Michael

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