Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park by IHG — Hotel in Kuala Lumpur

I arrived at 1230pm and was grateful that early check-in was available. The front desk manager (was wearing jacket) greeted me and thanked me for my loyalty as a Diamond Elite member, informing me that my room had been upgraded. I did not ask which category I was upgraded to as I knew the next category bookable was the King suite (5sqm larger and with a bath tub) as opposed to the lead-in King standard room that I had booked with a cash rate.

When I got up to the room, I was surprised as the room was the same category that I had booked – it was clear there was no bathtub. I called up the front desk from the room and queried what category of room I was upgraded to and they mentioned they had upgraded me to a “high floor” room. I was miffed, and told them that “high floor room” was not a separate category that I could book on the app. I requested that I be upgraded to the next available category which was the “King Suite” room.

The front desk told me they had to check with their manager, and would call me back in 5 mins. I hung up and waited. Meanwhile, I could hear renovation works ongoing above me – drilling and a lot of hammering. I was shocked. While the hotel was new, there was no mention on their website that guests should expect some renovation work. The noise was certainly not welcome (i can't upload videos here even though it is .mp4 format; unsure why).

15 mins passed and there was no return call. I rang the front desk again and asked why I did not receive a callback. The person tried to spin the story again by saying that I had already been upgraded to a high floor room and it was not possible for them to upgrade me to the King Suite. They even gave the excuse that the King Suite was fully booked. I was clearly prepared and did a search on the app - 5 of such rooms were available for booking as I was speaking to him on the line. I told him that and he hemmed and hawed, saying he would need to check further. I also asked about the renovation works / noise but he could not explain when the works would stop or if there was a designated time that works would be ongoing. I was baffled at this point.

After some time on the line, he told me that he managed to find one available Suite room on the same floor that I was on, and he would personally escort me to the room in 5 mins time. I agreed and hung up.

Some 10-15mins passed and no one came up to the room. My patience had been tested to the limit and I took my bag and marched down to the counter. There were no male staff in sight (the one who picked my call earlier was male). There was only one lady at the counter and I informed her that I was not satisfied with the room and that her colleague had promised me a change to a Suite room and was supposed to escort me 10 mins ago. She checked her computer and reiterated the same story that I had already been upgraded to a higher category room; I told her I had enough of the nonsense, and that I needed to head off for an appointment (more than 45mins had passed since I first entered the higher floor room they gave me), and I hoped that the room shenanigans would be settled by the time I return in the evening. She told me she would check with her manager.

I left my bag and headed out. Some 45mins later, I received a Whastapp text message informing me that my room had been upgraded to a Suite and I could collect the key anytime at the reception.

When I finally returned to the hotel in the late evening, a lady wearing a jacket was manning the counter. I assumed she was the manager on duty (the other junior staff don’t wear a jacket). She looked up my details and apologised for the long wait and issues earlier in the day. She reassured me that my room had been upgraded to a Suite and handed me the key. Her tone of voice was sincere and apologetic.

I headed up to the room and I was pleasantly surprised that I was upgraded to not just a King Suite, but the 1-Bedroom suite (2 categories higher). Talk about service recovery.

Just a poor check-in experience rant from a Diamond...

Indigo Kuala Lumpur: Ever the stylish chameleon, Indigo’s global mandate is to imbibe local surrounding elements, blueprint then create never-seen-before highly styled, hybrid pieces that are playful, fun and downright creative. Don’t let the meh building façade fool you. Once the bronze doors open, you’re teased by tantalizing styles, lines and a riot of fun, colourful elements and fun. With a fusion of cultural, old school or nostalgic elements.

Lobby – If first impression sticks, you’re all game for a stylish, creative and playful experience from 1st to 26thfloor. Even the lift is all decked out in resplendent gold. Humble bottle bottoms turned into lift lights. Mundane bottles and steel turned into head turning center art pieces in the hotel.

Room – More than a slumber pod, this is where the creativity envelope is given a further nudge. Peranakan touches rule – bold patterns, bright colours and nostalgic elements turned mod-cool. We’re talking about old school calendars silkprinted into wall, basket weavings, 4 stones turn cushions, old school spittoons turned into bins – the list is delectable. The longer you stay, the more elements you discover.

Bathroom – Mirror selfies elevated. The bigger-than-colossal mirror, gorgeous mood lights and bold pattern and tile works mean a longer luxe time in the bathroom. Amenities are Biological – did we mention luxe?

Gym – Not all gyms are created equal. This one has been favoured by the style God. From state-of-the-art equipment, to the twin view of Merdeka and KL Towers, to the blue pool beckoning you for a cold plunge post work out.

Pool – Ditch the grandiose old luxe hotels with sprawling grounds, Indigo KL is petite luxe with daring geometric mesh roofs that let in both sun and rain. The infinity pool affords a few spectacular scenes – like the light-loving EQ. Jacuzzi jets at the side are at industrial strength, so hold on to your swimsuit. Pool floor is quiet petite elegance.

Wok Star – Doom for pescatarians like us, as there are mostly chicken items. Wok Star has a splendid curation of premium, beautifully presented food and as they’re all in for local staples – expect your taste buds to explode with the local options that are superbly layered in tastes and eye candy. Pandan muffin and pastry are the local hybrid creations. Beyond Wok Star, the staff are the real stars who happily chat with you and genuinely enjoy their work. If we weren’t satisfied with the premium food touches, we’d be rather grumpy with the lack of seafood options. If you’re down for carbful cheap eats, this isn’t for you.

You get more bees with honey – there is a spectacular honeycomb that takes centerstage at the dessert table. But I suspect this is one of those made in China types – still – it spells luxe.

Silver Monkey – The coiffed option at Indigo, this is where you get coveted front row seats to both KL tower (ugly by day, stunning by evening) and Marvel-made-iconic Merdeka. We plonked our tushes at the front row seats that are in full view of both – at 5.30 PM – in time for high tea. When all items are presented – they scream PRETTY in caps. But there were a few sore letdowns – soggy crackers, slightly off-taste lobster, broken quiche, rock-dry scones and dessert items repurposed from Wok Star leftovers. Boh tea bags slides the scale down the wow factor. Happy Hour is happy indeed – 1 for 1 cocktails. We nursed our high tea and cocktail till the magic hour of 7.30 PM – both iconic towers lit up. So did our faces. Service, as with service at Wok Star – is sweet and warm. Just don’t get hopes up with high tea....

My wife and i just returned home from our three week Asia trip. We visited Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.|Our favourite accommodations, by far, were at Hotel Indigo - Kuala Lumpur On The Park, where we stayed from October 3rd to the 7th.|It’s super convenient as it is only a 15 minute walk in either direction, to KLCC or Pavillion, the two exciting shopping and dining hubs in downtown KL.|A friendly doorman welcomes you into their beautiful lobby, filled with modern decor and natural materials like rich wood accents in the spiral staircase, and reclaimed local tree stumps turned into furniture.|It feels impressively large for a Boutique Hotel lobby and they even have a generous, and very comfortable seating area that accomodates several guest groups. The gym and pool are excellent and clean, but, |Our room… WOW!|We were upgraded to a Suite(we didn’t ask)!|It had an unobstructed view of KL Tower where we were treated to a light show each evening.|The impeccable local Asian-inspired decor and furniture was truly exquisite! We didnt want to touch anything for fear of putting it out of place - but it was also so warm and inviting that we had to sit down and try each chair and the sofa.|The bathroom was very well appointed and stylish. So too was the bedroom and separate and large walk in closet. The bed was very comfortable - the entire Suite was spotless.|Our Clean Team was led by Masud and Jackson, who crafted beautiful towel animals each nite, lovingly placed on the bed to welcome us back in, after a day out on the town.|We were craving western fare so we ate dinner at the hotel’s Silver Monkey restaurant. |Restaurant Manager Fauzi was so friendly and gracious and made us feel very welcome!|We were stunned by the four large ribs of lamb cooked perfectly to our liking, and the broccolini and cauliflower was excellent. We took dessert in the bar lounge and ordered the Mat Sellah Seri Muka pandan dessert, a modern take on the classic pandan glutinous dessert, adorned with a pineapple and banana glaze. It was not only beautiful, but delicious(and Vegan!). Chef Anas deserves big cudos! The next night, Chef Nazmy prepared an outstanding meal of steak, and a duo fish plate - where we invited relatives to join us. Incredible flavours.|We took in the free light show from KL Tower directly adjacent to the restaurant while having coffee and dessert - so fun!|Our hostess at the bar, Suria, was so attentive and delightful. We also ate at the Wok Star, and we’re so happy we did. From the numerous stations serving up authentic Malay cuisine, to the fresh juices, and local kueh desserts, this was the best breakfast we enjoyed on our trip! Tremendous value too.|At the Front Office, Louise was so proactive in booking our Spa treatments, she took initiative by arranging our last minute spa request and secured the last spa time! Andrea booked our limousine, Michelle and Esthur graciously assisted with a To Go box upon our check out!||A special Thanks goes to David, our first contact at the hotel, and a true professional. David attended to our every need.|When we needed to order a Grab ride, he would arrange it, when we needed logistics for local transportation to attractions and events, he quickly detailed all the info for us.|He went the extra mile for us, and made us feel special. He was like our personal Google and ChatGPT, rolled into one incredible Hotel Indigo staffer. Thank You David!||We look forward to our...