The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur — Hotel in Kuala Lumpur

Had another fantastic, though brief, 2-night stay here at St. Regis. It's become our go-to now in KL. We have stayed quite a few times in Shangri-La, Mandarin Oriental, etc but where the rooms are concerned, St. Regis KL is miles, miles, ahead of the game. ||With the entry rooms at 63sqm housing a drop-dead gorgeous and generously spaced walk-in wardrobe, Toto toilets and double sink bathrooms, one can't really go wrong. Throw in luxurious furnishings & finishings, a butler service that will bring you coffee, hot chocolate, etc. throughout the day, St. Regis can easily blow its competition away, save for a few weak points. What works in favour of this hotel is also its very reasonable rates compared to other top-end hotels in KL. In fact, our booking was cheaper than both the Four Seasons & Mandarin Oriental the nights we were there.||Booked through the American Express FHR programme, we were astounded by our upgrade to the top floor 138 sqm St. Regis Suite. The living room itself was jaw-dropping, and there was even a separate room for massage. But as always, the space I appreciated the most was the walk-in wardrobe room - with hangers on both sides of the room with ample luggage space beneath it, it makes unpacking & packing a breeze (there's always the butler who will do this for you!). Topped with a spacious dressing table and chair, this is the epitome of travelling with ease!||Now, to a few 'weak' points - as gorgeous as the huge bathroom was, with astounding floor to ceiling windows revealing views of the city, it proved a little difficult to use. Instead of a separate shower area from the bathtub, they are housed together japanese-style, which means wetting and potentially dirtying the tub when one is showering. The regular rooms do have the bathtub and shower housed separately and I much prefer this setup. Secondly, there is no real door to this large bathroom - it is an open area which includes the massage room, and the nearest door is at the bedroom quite a distance away. This makes keeping the heat from your shower challenging because the entire bathroom is susceptible to the air condition of its immediate area (which is sizable!). Lastly, I would like to suggest for the three tier towel shelf be put outside the shower/bathtub area, in the proper bathroom itself instead. I found it strange that this rack was actually inside the shower, so when one wants to reach for either a towel or hand towel, you'd have to step into the wet shower area to retrieve one. ||More than a few people have commented on the lack of sitting area in the lobby - in fact it is true that aside from four armchairs which awkwardly line the front window area, the lobby is devoid of any form of seats. Guests are very often left to 'hang around' waiting to be served at the four front desks, or for their pick up in front. I find this an odd arrangement for such a luxurious hotel chain. Furthermore, it is true that there are always staff standing around near the front door area, but they don't necessarily actively come ask the guests if they need any assistance. You are left wondering who you should ask for different queries. Twice over two visits, I noticed that the bellboys (if there were ones) did not come collect our luggage from us while we were checking in, nor did anyone approach us upon seeing us with our luggages when we were checking out. I think that this process would be the first thing which greets you as you pull up to any hotel entrance. In fact, now that I think about it, I do not recall seeing any luggage trolleys at all, nor luggages stored to the side of the lobby. Does this mean that the hotel does not offer help with luggage either checking in or out? Also, a couple of times, we wanted to look for the concierge to ask for directions, but again, there was no real 'concierge desk' nor designated personnel. The four desk agents are at opposite ends of each other with no clear signs whether they are check in or check out agents, or even the concierge.||I think that a bit of reorganising with the lobby and check in process would definitely raise the level of the St. Regis KL because one does not feel that top-notch personalised service is apparent in this area; important since it is the first impression any guest would have arriving at the hotel. Besides, with the Waldorf Astoria and Park Hyatt opening in the city, this St. Regis would need to "keep up with the Joneses" so to speak!||Otherwise, breakfast, housekeeping, and restaurant staff were on point and helpful, obviously on par with expectations for a hotel of this stature. Kudos also to the entire butler team and the reservations team for such an...

Having stayed at The St. Regis KL multiple times over the years, returning to this elegant sanctuary always feels like a treat, a home away from home with a touch of timeless grandeur. From the moment you step inside, the exquisite décor and refined ambiance transport you to a world of sophistication and tranquility, all while being nestled in the heart of KL’s vibrant energy.

This February, fresh off the Chinese New Year celebrations, I booked a two-night stay at The St. Regis KL. Little did I know my dates would coincide with a high-profile visit from the Turkish government, which meant the hotel was fully booked, especially the top 2 floors. Security was tight, with local and international bodyguards stationed everywhere. At times, as a mere hotel guest, I felt slightly out of place, like I had accidentally stumbled into a diplomatic summit. I even opted to slip in and out of the side residence lobby just to dodge the paparazzi-esque buzz around the main entrance!

Despite the added security and full occupancy, the hotel staff ran a seamless operation, ensuring all guests were well taken care of. Even during the peak breakfast rush, service standards remained impeccable, an impressive feat given the extra demands that came with hosting foreign dignitaries.

And yet, even with the hotel at full capacity, the staff still made me feel like a VIP. The moment they spotted me in the lobby, they wasted no time in finding General Manager Mr Philipp Haupenthal, who personally came to greet me. The warm welcome didn’t stop there, waiting in my suite was a handwritten note from him, addressed to The House of Astor, a thoughtful touch that made me feel truly at home. My sincere thanks and congratulations to Mr. Haupenthal for leading such an exceptional team at The St. Regis KL.

The stunning John Jacob Suite is so spacious it might as well have had its own postal code. Then dinner at The Brasserie was equally spectacular, with an emphasis on exquisite presentation and fine details, right down to the caramel salted butter and brioche that arrived as a side.

However, there was a small hiccup. While the restaurant was relatively quiet that evening, all my entrées were served at the same time! A surprising misstep for a fine dining establishment of this caliber. Rushing courses doesn’t exactly align with the leisurely elegance I expect at The St. Regis. I had to politely send the dish back to ensure I could fully enjoy each plate at the right temperature. Hopefully, this was just a one-off slip rather than a trend. That said, the dishes themselves were delightful. I had the Pan-Seared Foie Gras, a Lobster Bisque (thankfully still available despite being told earlier that lobster dishes were off the menu), and a perfectly cooked Wild Barramundi. Aside from the service timing issue, the experience was still an enjoyable one.

A visit to Astor Bar is a must, and I couldn’t resist trying their signature Assam Boi Mary, a local take on the classic Bloody Mary. While the flavor was bold and intriguing, I found that the peppery residue at the bottom of the glass, combined with the use of a small straw, made it a bit tricky to drink smoothly. Perhaps a wider straw would help?

Service wise, the staff at Astor Bar were nothing short of phenomenal: enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and eager to make your experience memorable. They even took the time to show me around this hidden oasis, including a private room where a scene from Crazy Rich Asians was filmed. Who knew a quiet bar tucked behind an unassuming door had such cinematic history?

The St. Regis KL continues to hold a special place in my heart. Despite minor hiccups, the impeccable service, luxurious accommodations, and outstanding dining experiences make every stay a memorable one. The quality here is always assured, and it remains my go-to choice whenever I return to KL.

I tried very hard not to get too accustomed to the royal treatment… because let’s be honest—reality feels painfully pedestrian once...

I hereby would like to address my dissatisfaction with your service when my family and I stayed for a night at your premise. We checked in on the 31/12/23.

We arrived earlier than the said check-in time, 3pm. Rooms were not ready hence we were told to wait at the lounge area. However, my child eagerly wanted to swim. We read on the notice, the hotel pool is closed in preparation for the NYE party, so hotel guests can use the residence pool. We informed your staff we would like to go to the pool, and the staff told us that the pool is close and we are not allowed to use the residence pool. We told him we just read the notice at the check-in area. He was puzzled. After that, he brought us to the pool area. We were told to just wait for check-in time at 3pm, should the room not ready, there will be a swap and we will be given a room. Also, the staff words were, 'I'll give you a call when the room is ready for check-in and then we will send the key up to level 6 to you'. I appreciate the kind intention, as they saw me with my 7 month old baby.

At 3.45pm, we did not receive any call, nor did anyone send the keys to us. I went to the lobby with my baby in our bathing suit wrapped with the pool towel to enquire about our check in. So, the counter staff informed me that our luggages were already in the room. I was shocked. I was waiting for them to get back to us. If you can deliver what you have said to a hotel guest, then don't mention it. I was led by your staff to our room 2117. And again, out of kind gesture, he asked he I needed a drink and offered a cup of chamomile tea. I accepted it, since I was quite caught up with my baby. Till the day we checked out, no one return with any sort of tea or drinks.

In the room, we realized the TV remote controls in the room and the bathroom were not functioning. We called up to get them checked. The technician solved the one in the bedroom and said he will come back to replace the faulty bathroom remote control. Also, to my surprise, no call, no replacement, no updates about it. It was just left as it was.

Now, back at the pool area, we ordered Chicken Karaage and wholemeal pasta for my 6 year old. To judge the taste of the food it's going to be very subjective. To me, tastewise was awful. But what I wasn't pleased at all was the pasta was hard and tasted raw. Uncooked. I informed the staff and he brought it to the kitchen to replace it. But that did not happen. I was served the same plate of pasta with explanation that wholemeal pasta is expected to be hard. I understand if it is supposed to be Al dente, but it shouldn't taste raw. The kitchen team refused to rectify it. This is very very unacceptable.

I was very disappointed to have spent NYE at your place with such appalling service. The pool side experience was highlighted your Duty Manager, Nana. She apologized and send an Afternoon Tea Set to my room and waived the food charges we ordered at the pool side.

During check-out, we were billed with an outstanding amount from our dining. Items from the poolside were not waived. So we informed the staff handling our check out, and she said she was not able to check because she cant find the receipt and also was not inform it was supposed to be waived. She mentioned they were overwhelmed with the amount of bills they have to go through from the NYE celebration. Good thing they got back to us this time after we left the hotel and got it waived. Nothing seems to be pleasant from check in till check out.

Aside from having such luxurious and beautiful looking room, service, food, staffs' knowledge and communication needs a lot more work to do. Being such a prestigious hotel and under such a reknown group, I expect top notch service from your end. By far, this is the worst I've experienced. Very unfortunate for us to have spent the NYE at...