Kuala Lumpur has finally its first Hyatt-brand hotel. The Grand Hyatt opened its doors at the end of August in the vicinity of KLCC and is the third property of Hyatt in Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR-The Hyatt logo has been a familiar sign during more than a decade for the inhabitants ofKuala Lumpur. Passing along Jalan Sultan Ismaïl in the central business district of the capital, visitors and locals could see a giant Hyatt logo gracing ruins made of concrete. The abandoned structure recovered by scaffoldings was indeed the last reminiscence of 1997Asia’s economic crisis which saw many construction sites being stopped by the time. The future Grand Hyatt was by then one of the first victims…
But this is now history and finally, a few days in advance over its originally planned opening in September, the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur received its first guests on August 24th 2012. The location is just ideal: a few meters away from the famed Petronas twin-towers and the luxurious shopping centre KLCC and adjacent to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The Pavilion shopping centre is also less than a 10-minute walk via the covered sky-bridge outside the hotel.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring the Grand Hyatt brand to the Malaysian community,” said Hyatt Hotels & Resorts – Asia Pacific managing director Larry Tchou. “Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur’s opening echoes Hyatt’s development strategy, which is to focus on the gateway cities and markets where customers are travelling. We are very excited to introduce our authentic hospitality to Kuala Lumpur and cater to travellers from Asia and other continents around the globe.”
Designed by award-winning architecture firm, WATG and interior designers Bilkey Llinas Design, the hotel exudes contemporary grandeur. The ground floor lobby is decorated with specially commissioned art pieces, such as the gold/bronze sculpture by Malaysian artist Abdul Multhalib Musa and a crescent-shaped sculpture that is the centre piece of the ground floor lobby, sitting perfectly in the calm pond by the grand staircase.
The hotel is the first Grand Hyatt property in Malaysia, and is the first international luxury hotel to open in Kuala Lumpursince The Westin in 2003.The luxurious hotel has 370 rooms and 42 suites. All guestrooms and suites are designed with floor-to-ceiling windows to maximise natural daylight, and this resulted in the rooms having expansive views of the city, the greenery of KLCCParkor the PetronasTwinTowers.
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur has some of the largest rooms in the city, starting at 47sqm. The use of warm and neutral earth tone interiors in the modern guestrooms enhances the welcoming and stylish feel that is projected throughout the hotel.
It also offers over 3,300 sqm of meetings and events space in six different venues, with the Grand Salon and Grand Ballroom catering to gala events.
Check in at the hotel is on the highest floor, with four elevators to shuttle guests directly to the top floor. Spa lovers will be delighted to know that an entire floor is taken up for spa facilities which also connect to an outdoor swimming pool. For food and beverage, currently there are three restaurants; Thirty8, JP Teres and Poolside.
Hyatt Hotels Corp also operates the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu and Hyatt Regency Kuantan in Malaysia.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
