One of the most prestigious hotel addresses in Kuala Lumpur reopened to business at the end of 2012: the Majestic Hotel, a YTL Hotels & Properties Sdn Bhd, is back to its colonial heyday.
KUALA LUMPUR- For almost 30 years, the building looked in a rather sad shabby state: the old Majestic Hotel, an architectural jewel blending its neo-renaissance style with art deco details, was one of Kuala Lumpur’s most prestigious hotel addresses in the capital. Opened in 1935, the hotel closed finally its doors in 1984, became for a while the National Gallery before being totally abandoned.
But on December 8, the Majestic hotel officially reopened for business, after a long span of 28 years. And its new owner, the Yeohs, a Chinese family managing YTL, one of Malaysia’s most prominent real estate companies, gave the management to Lim Heng Suan, the son of the former managing director of the hotel, Lim Thye Hee.
The Lims were the owners of the hotel which started with 51 rooms as Kuala Lumpur’s premier hotel. It was built by Loke Wan Tho (1915-1964), a film magnate, in 1932. Loke was the ninth of 11 children of Loke Yew (1845-1917), a Chinese-born business magnate who made good in Kuala Lumpur.
The hotel was closed in 1984 in order to house the National Art Gallery. The move was not without resistance, however, as many did not agree to the hotel making way for an art gallery. But in 1995, the Government, a Finance Ministry company and YTL Corp Bhd signed an agreement to resettle the National Art Gallery in a new building and take back the former hotel. The Art Gallery relocated to its new home in 1998 leaving the Majestic Hotel empty, despite its recent gazetting as a heritage building. It took another ten years until YTL received approval to refurbish and develop the hotel.
The renovation has turned the hotel into one of prominent colonial heritage site. According to newspapers, it seems that the investment into the hotel reached about RM 250 million (US$ 75 million) although YTL management did not confirm it.
The Majestic Wing, which has about 50 rooms, fronts the KTM railway station, and is among Kuala Lumpur’s most famous buildings. That structure, described as Neo-Moorish/Mughal or Persian style, was designed by British architect Arthur Benison Hubback (1871-1948. He designed the Rail Way Administrative Building, Masjid Jamek, Carcosa Seri Negara, which at one time, was a 13-room hotel located in the Lake Gardens, now known as Taman Tasik Perdana, and the extension of the Royal Selangor Club of Kuala Lumpur. Hubback also designed other buildings in Ipoh and Seremban.
The YTL group has added a new wing, known as the Tower Wing fronting the Sulaiman Building, an Art Deco treasure from the 1930s. It formerly housed the Syariah Courts.
According to the Yeoh family, the “Hotel Majestic is the only hotel in Kuala Lumpur to be included in the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) luxury collection.”
Philip Ho, Asia Pacific vice-president, Leading Hotels of The World describes the new hotel as “a masterpiece that is truly one of a kind.”
A third structure, known as The Smokehouse, has been added for smokers along with an orchid conservatory known as The Orchid Room which showcases a variety of species.
Much of the structure in the main wing has been retained, included the dome in The Colonial Cafe.
Says Yeoh of the group’s latest hotel: “We did a survey. More meeting rooms and a huge banquet would help boost the hotel.”
(Source: The Star)
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.
