PARKROYAL Serviced Suites is located in the heart of downtown Kuala Lumpur. Since the center of the city is now quite large, it is better to use the term in the heart of the city. PARKROYAL Serviced Suites is located in the popular tourist district of Bukit Bintang, which is within walking distance of shopping malls, eateries, food streets and the buzzing nightclub district of Changkat. This probably is the best location to stay.
We used to live in Kuala Lumpur, and witnessed the construction of this magnificent hotel, from our condo which is directly opposite the construction site. When the complex was nearing completion we could already see how luxurious it was. Now several years later, the hotel is one of the top rated hotels in Kuala Lumpur on Trip Advisor at the time of writing this.
We didn’t hesitate on our second trip to KL, and made a reservation at PARKROYAL Serviced Suites. For such a centrally located hotel, prices per night are in fact very affordable. It was a wonderful feeling for us staying in our old familiar district again.
Rooms
As its name suggests, the hotel offers suites only. The Standard Suite is a 55m2 studio and is already quite large for hotel standards. Their largest suite, the Executive Suite is a whopping 121m2. For an overnight stay in the largest apartment you pay around RM1500 per night.
Suites are all fully equipped apartments with one or two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen (with stove, microwave and fridge) and a large bathroom. Each suite has air conditioning, a dining table, and LCD television with many channels, a mini bar, safe and free Wi-Fi (and also free wired internet). In the standard suite the bed is tucked away in the back of the room, making it seem as though the suite has multiple rooms. The living room adjoins the kitchen with a large kitchen island.
All two-bedroom apartments come with a washer and dryer. If you stay in a standard apartment, and you want to be able to wash or dry clothing, then there is a laundry room with several washers and dryers on the 1st floor (opposite the gym). A coin can be purchased at the reception. If you are traveling with kids, then a baby cot can be placed in your room free of charge.
Breakfast
The breakfast was of very good quality. The choice was adequate but not hugely extensive as you often see at other five star hotels. This actually is a good thing, because KL has so many fantastic eateries that it would be a shame if you are too stuffed to eat anything more throughout the day because of the huge breakfast you had in the morning.
The breakfast area is located just behind the lobby. The coffee was delicious. Outside you have an ‘egg station’ for a tasty omelette. The bread was fresh and delicious and they have a lot of fresh fruit too. There are high chairs for small children and there was even a special children’s tableware available. Because it is a business hotel, the busiest time is early in the morning (between 7.30am and 8.30am). From 9.00 onwards is nice and quiet. If you made reservations without breakfast, do not worry because there are dozens of places to enjoy breakfast within walking distance of the hotel (Tip: The Loaf at Pavilion KL, or a local bite at Jalan Alor).
Swimming pool and other facilities
The hotel has a beautiful swimming pool and also two Jacuzzis on the 31st floor. Since the pool is on the top floor, you have a fantastic view over the city and especially the view of the Menara KL Tower is amazing. By day it is usually very quiet, most guests are on the road exploring the city (or at work). In the evening, guests often come to relax by the pool and have a little swim, or just come to sit down and enjoy the beautiful view. The pool is open daily between 8am and 8pm.
On the 1st floor you have another pool, less spectacular but often very quiet. Here you also have a small playground for children. On the same floor you also have a nice gym, including a sauna.
Near the lobby is a small tour desk where you can arrange tours packages in and around Kuala Lumpur. Business travelers can make use of one of the two meeting rooms (once daily for a maximum of one hour).
Mezzanine Lounge
The Mezzanine lounge is a bit hidden behind the breakfast area. You walk through the breakfast area and at the back you have a staircase that leads up to the Mezzanine floor. The lounge is beautiful. You have comfortable couches, free coffee from the coffee machine and also free mineral water. Furthermore, you have a bookcase full of great books and magazines that you can read at the huge table. Along the wall you have a long worktable with multiple PCs where you can work or where you can browse the Internet.
There is a huge television, where you can play games (Xbox) or watch movies (you can get DVDs at the reception). For older children there is fuss ball and also an air hockey table, surrounded by a large number of beanbags for spectators. Additionally, there is a small play area for toddlers.
Bukit Bintang
PARKROYAL Serviced Suites is located in Bukit Bintang, the shopping mecca of Kuala Lumpur. Here you have over 10 large shopping centers, each more luxurious and beautiful than the other. The most popular ones are Pavilion KL, Fahrenheit88 and Lot10. Those that fancy electronics and gadgets should visit Low Yat Plaza, located at a mere 10 minutes walking distance from the hotel. Low Yat Plaza is a huge mall with six floors of electronics shops. From the hotel, it is an easy walk to Pavilion KL, perhaps the most popular shopping Center in Kuala Lumpur.
Changkat
Changkat is one of the most popular entertainment centers of Kuala Lumpur. The cozy lounge bars and restaurants are all within a few blocks away. Changkat ‘starts’ almost opposite the hotel, with a huge amount of restaurants and several comfortable lounge bars right at your doorstep. If you like to enjoy Kuala Lumpur’s vibrant nightlife scene, Changkat is a popular area where, apart from tourists and expats also many locals love to hang out.
Restaurants
The hotel itself has no restaurant. However, they do have a kitchen and each suite contains a room service menu so you can order a variety of dishes from the comfort of your room. In that respect, PARKROYAL cleverly considered, with so many eateries around the corner, guests will seldom have a reason to stay in the hotel for dinner. You have a wide choice of restaurants and other eateries very close to it.
Downstairs, next to the hotel, you have a cute coffee shop Paper + Toast where you have excellent coffee and other drinks. They sell sandwiches and other snacks too. If you want some work done, you can also use one of their workspaces. Next to it you have the Taps Beer Bar; a popular bar with hundreds of beers (many available on tap). This is the ideal place for beer lovers.
Opposite the hotel, you have the popular Mamak restaurant Bahdushah (the perfect place for very cheap local food). Here you can order dishes from a menu, but you can also request a plate and fill it by yourself. Once you have prepared the perfect plate, you walk to the checkout counter and pay (usually up to RM15 per meal). Drinks can be ordered once seated; someone will come to you for your drink order.
Also located opposite the hotel’s along Jalan Mesui is the popular restaurant Pisco. Here you can order several small bites (similar to tapas) and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere. Every now and then they host a live band, which makes it a fun place to hang out. Next to it at the corner you have The Burger Bar, should you fancy delicious burgers (and other Western dishes). A little further on is Feeka, a very well rated coffee shop (coffee lovers will appreciate their freshly roasted beans). Other popular spots are Calavara (Spanish restaurant) and Table23 (lunch restaurant). Everything discussed here is within a minute walk from the hotel entrance.
A little further along the main road Jalan Nagasari starts Changkat, with dozens of hip restaurants to choose from. Popular are The Rabbit Hole and Dining in the Dark. At a 5-minute walk lies Jalan Alor, the premier food street of Bukit Bintang. Here you can try just about every local dish. Popular is W.A.W. (Wong Ah Wah) at the end of Jalan Alor. This shop is famous for its delicious grilled chicken (recognizable by the Mickey Mouse logo).
Within the large malls you also have several (often luxury) restaurants. Recommended are Jogoya in Starhill Gallery and Quivo in Pavilion KL. Check out the restaurant guide of TripAdvisor to find the best restaurants in the area.
Other attractions in the area
The shopping facilities in Bukit Bintang are actually an attraction themselves. If you walk towards Pavilion KL (via Jalan Raja Chulan) you will find the covered and elevated pedestrian bridge right in front of the rear entrance of Pavilion KL. Through this bridge you walk to Suria KLCC in just a few minutes, with attractions like KLCC Aquarium and the Petronas Twin Towers.
If you want to visit Menara KL Tower, then walk from the hotel to Jalan Raja Chulan first, and turn left. At The Weld crossover and turn right down the street. The climb up to Menara KL is pretty tough, so it might be better to catch a taxi in front of the hotel.
The Raja Chulan monorail station is the nearest station where you can catch the monorail to KL Sentral, among others. Once at KL Sentral you can move easily to others lines, with stops that include Chinatown, Batu Caves and again Suria KLCC.
An alternative way to visit some attractions in the area is by taking the Hop-on, Hop-off bus. The bus has a stop in front of Lot10. At the main crossing at Lot10 you can also catch the free GOKL. GOKL buses go to Chinatown and the Petronas Twin Towers.
How to get there?
The hotel is easily accessible, and every taxi driver knows where to find it. If you come by public transport, then you should take the monorail to Raja Chulan; the first station after Bukit Bintang Monorail station seen from KL Sentral station. From here you cross the intersection and walk past the 5-star Istana Hotel. PARKROYAL Serviced Suites is located diagonally behind Istana Hotel.
Our final verdict
PARKROYAL Serviced Suites is truly a wonderful place to stay. The suites are all large and tastefully decorated. You really experience yourself (especially in our case) what temporarily living in Kuala Lumpur feels like. You have so many great things within walking distance, the location of the hotel couldn’t be any better. Big attractions are Changkat, Jalan Alor, shopping along Bukit Bintang and Suria KLCC with the Petronas Towers and KLCC Aquarium nearby.
It is the best hotel for families that travel with children. If you have a reasonable budget, it is a family suite absolutely worth considering. The family suite consists of several rooms, a living room with dining table and kitchen. Children can play on the Xbox downstairs in the lounge, or watch movies on the huge TV. Due to its central location in the business center of Kuala Lumpur (and to a lesser extent because of things like the washing machine and the many eateries nearby) the hotel is also very popular among ‘long stay’ business travelers. I was told long stay guests can negotiate a very reasonable price per month at the hotel.
What make it exceptionally nice are the relatively low prices. If you get a good deal, you can stay in a standard suite for around €100 per night. This is a very good price when you consider that it’s a luxurious five star hotel, rated nr.2 (August 2015) on Tripadvisor (for accommodation in Kuala Lumpur) and that this also includes a great breakfast. We know where we will stay next time!
