Everyone knows the Hilton hotel chain; you can find a Hilton hotel in almost every holiday or business destination in the world. Doubletree by Hilton is a hotel chain under the Hilton group. Often they are luxury 5 star hotels with a modern interior and trendy vibe. In Kuala Lumpur, you can also find a Doubletree by Hilton. This luxury hotel is right in the centre of town, located in the Intermark office and shopping complex. Doubletree is a business hotel but because of its excellent location also very suitable for tourists, who want to discover the city in a few days.
Check-in
Checking in with Doubletree by Hilton is very comfortable. At arrival, there is always someone waiting for you to take your luggage. Once you are in the lobby (on the second floor that you can reach by escalator), a hostess will welcome you, to take your details and help you along. During check-in you are offered a signature Chocolate Chip Cookie, freshly baked, that has to be eaten while it is still warm to enjoy it to the fullest. This is Doubletree’s way of welcoming each guest into their hotel. CARE (Create A Rewarding Experience) is the hotel’s central idea; a well thought-out program to offer every hotel guest the ultimate stay. We agree that the service from the moment of walking in was fantastic. Business travelers may already be used to a service like this, but tourists will be amazed.
Rooms
In total, the hotel has 540 rooms and suites. Standard rooms come in a normal variant and a Deluxe variant; both are very spacious and the latter provides a view of the city centre. In the rooms you will find a worktable, a safe and a mini bar. There is free Wi-Fi through the whole hotel and also in the rooms (if you need super quick internet there is an extra fee). The mattress is of a superb quality and the pillow service (you can order your desired pillow through room service) is a fantastic extra touch.
The room we stayed in was fantastic. It was very well designed and had a pleasant vibe. The mattress slept great and we were lucky to have a stunning view from our room. Though we are that much into watching television in our room; the tv was huge with many channels (including movie channels) to chose from.
Suites are large and contain a bedroom, a living room with work table and a large shower and bath. Furthermore, there are executive rooms available; with access to the executive lounge on the 35th floor where you can quietly enjoy your breakfast or coffee while reading a paper or magazine. From the executive floor, you have an impressive view of Kuala Lumpur’s city centre. The small accompanying terrace is ideal for taking spectacular panoramic photo’s ( a tip: when you are staying in a regular room, ask at reception if you can take some pictures from the terrace).
Breakfast at Makan Kitchen
Guests that do not have access to the breakfast facilities at the executive floor will enjoy their breakfast at buffet restaurant Makan Kitchen. Here you will find a huge variety of breakfast dishes, ranging from European and American breakfast, to delicious local breakfast dishes (again, based on the three main kitchens).
Please remember that between 8 and 9 am it can be very crowded in Makan Kitchen. Also, you may have to wait for the elevator. When you come after 9 am, it probably will be much quieter as the businessmen have left for work. I you arrive before 8 am it usually is much more quiet too. A tip is to take the elevator upstairs and stay in it when going down.
Stunning pool
The swimming pool is on the 11th floor, as is the gym. The swimming pool is big and beautifully designed. Next to the swimming pool there is a shallow children’s pool. The swimming pool is filled with salt water; conveniently making the use of chemicals unnecessary. There are enough showers around the pool to rinse yourself after your swim.
Highly rated restaurants
The hotel has two restaurants, Tosca on the 11th floor and Makan Kitchen on the 12th floor. Tosca is an Italian restaurant with many Mediterranean specialties. The restaurant is located next to the swimming pool.
Makan Kitchen is a popular buffet restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. You will find the three kitchens of Malaysia there: Malaysian (and Peranakan), Chinese and Indian. Every kitchen has an island of its own, in them are chefs preparing dishes. Around the island, there are plates with deliciously prepared fresh food. The restaurant always gets good reviews, and it is the ultimate way of trying all the well-known Malaysian dishes. From Makan Kitchen you have a breathtaking view of Kuala Lumpur.
Lounge and food store
Next to the lobby you will find the big Axis Lounge, with a bar next to it. Here, great live bands will perform regularly and the lounge will be full with people during a show. Directly behind the lounge there is a small coffee placed The Food store. Here you can also buy snacks and sandwiches to take up to your room.
Intermark mall
Within the big Intermark complex you have the Intermark Mall with several shops, restaurants and a few ATM’s. Directly below the hotel there is a Plan B and a Dome; two popular lunch places. Just a little further you can find the coffee shop Juan Valdez; they serve delicious coffee. Also a San Francisco Coffee can be found within the complex. In the basement, there is a large supermarket and a food court with different small eateries.
Distance to KLCC
Doubletree has a free shuttle service to several destinations in the hotel’s vicinity. In front of the hotel there are always multiple taxis waiting to bring you anywhere you want to go. Remember that the main road near the hotel usually is very busy, especially during rush hour there are many traffic jams. Suria KLCC and the Petronas Towers are about a 15 minutes walk from the hotel; partly underground because going to the mall Ampang Park is easy through the underpass below the Intermark building. Under the hotel lies subway station Ampang Park, from where you can take the subway to several destinations. One station further is KLCC station with the Petronas Twin Towers above it. Chinatown and Kl Sentral (from where you can take the train to KLIA/KLIA2 and to where the luxury mall NU Sentral is located) are also along this line.
How to get there
Getting to Doubletree by Hilton is easy. Every taxi driver knows where to find the hotel. You can also take the metro to station Ampang Park. From there it is only a few minutes’ walk to the hotel entrance. If you arrive by rental car, you can park it for a small fee in the hotels’ parking garage (accessible from entrance C at the rear of the Intermark complex).
Our final verdict
Doubletree by Hilton is a magnificent 5-star hotel with a beautiful and quiet appearance, where you will enjoy a lovely stay. It is centrally located and the most important attractions of Kuala Lumpur are easily accessible. The rooms are big and beautifully decorated. As you may expect from a 5-star hotel everything is perfectly organized combined with great staff and a modern vibe. Staying there is not cheap but for anyone who enjoys a bit of luxury it is worth every penny. The food (breakfast) is truly fantastic, rarely did we see such an elaborate assortment of breakfast dishes.
