Bangsar is one of the most popular expatriate districts in Kuala Lumpur. At the edge of the district lies the hip and trendy business hotel Pullman Bangsar, part of the well known Accor Group. The hotel lies directly along the highway that brings you downtown KL in less than 10 minutes. Opposite of the hotel is the Bangsar Convention Centre located, a big contributor of hotel guests.
Pullman Bangsar is a modern business class hotel with similar stylish interior like the other Pullman hotels. It is a 5-star hotel with a sleek design, and it contains 513 rooms. When you enter the beautiful lobby, you are immediately welcomed by the pleasant and more importantly very efficient staff. To the right, there is a cozy lounge bar with the restaurant behind it. To the left a small coffee bar named Petit Café with great coffee and delicious pastries.
Rooms
Rooms are large and nicely decorated. The view is magnificent from every floor. This is because the hotel lies on a hill, and also because the second floor is high due to the enormous lobby (so floors start at a much higher altitude). The standard Deluxe room was very large, with a beautiful bathroom and a glass wall separating the bathroom and the rest of the room (which you can darken with a rolling blind). In the bathroom, you will find a nice freestanding bath, with a separate shower area containing a nice rain shower.
The bed is very comfortable; especially the mattress was of high quality (you would not expect anything less from a 5-star Pullman hotel). The pillow service is very nice; on the nightstand there was a card showing different kinds of pillows. By calling room service, you can order the selected pillow. Also, a nice touch was the flashlight on the nightstand; perfect for midnight errands without turning on the light. The bedside lamps are made for dimming, which is nice if you want to read before sleeping. There is also an iPhone dock on the nightstand.
The minibar was only partially full; leaving enough space to store your own drinks. There is a safe to keep your valuables. And there is complimentary Wi-Fi of course as you would expect from a 5-star business hotel. Sockets are suitable for all kinds of plugs; no need to bring an adapter for foreign plugs. Guests staying on higher floors (Executive Floor) have access to the executive breakfast area, with a magnificent view of the city. Here you can enjoy your breakfast and read a paper or magazine. Now and again the hotel has sharp deals for stays in one of the executive rooms (keep an eye out for the best deals at Agoda.com).
From the higher floors, you have a spectacular view of the southwest of Kuala Lumpur; with all the suburbs in the distance (among others; Petaling Jaya, Bandar Sunway and Bangsar). On the other side of the hotel you have a view of the city centre; though partly hidden by a few large office buildings (like the enormous Menara TM skyscraper) situated directly next to the hotel.
Breakfast
Breakfast was of an extreme good quality, with a huge quantity of breakfast dishes to choose from. Dishes ranged from local dishes (like Nasi Lemak) to European and American inspired breakfast sets. Then there was a bread alone section, with different types of breads, spreads and delicious snacks and desserts. There was even a huge vertical honeycomb, where fresh honey was dripping off for you to enjoy. Two Bean-to-Cup coffee machines can be found there; so coffee lovers do not have to drink local coffee but enjoy a freshly brewed cup instead.
The whole breakfast area in restaurant LINK was huge, with well over 50 tables. Even during crowded times like breakfast on a day of full occupancy still leave enough available tables for you to sit at.
Dining options
Downstairs, next to the lobby the open-kitchen Mediterranean restaurant La Cucina can be found. All dishes are prepared in a large open kitchen, in plain sight. The kitchen is an island in the middle of the restaurant. They also have a brick oven for the most delicious pizzas. Prices vary from RM30 to RM60; which is very reasonable. We were lucky to be able to try a few of the chefs’ specials; they were all really delicious. I can definitely recommend having dinner there, even if you are not staying in the hotel yourself. La Cucina is opened daily from 11am to 3pm, and from 6.30pm until 10.30pm.
Another restaurant where you can have dinner is LINK (same place where you have your breakfast in the morning). Here you can enjoy lunch and dinner inspired by international cuisine. The restaurant is open daily until 10pm.
Lounge bar
Next to the restaurant lies The Lounge, a wonderful lounge bar where you can enjoy live music 5 days a week. Prices of drinks vary from RM10 to RM60, relatively cheap compared to other lounge bars around KL. Cocktails cost RM35, a glass of 12-year-old Macallan RM45. The bartender surprised us with his signature cocktail; the tasty Flaming Lamborghini. In the back you can enjoy a cigar at the Cigar Lounge.
The Petit Cafe is located nearby the lounge bar; it is a cozy cafe that serves tasty snacks besides a great cup of coffee.
Pool & gym
There is an beautiful swimming pool, with nice deckchairs. The swimming pool looks out over Bangsar South; an enormous urban centre with shopping malls, several offices and multiple residential areas. You will also find the Bangsar Convention Centre there. Next to the swimming pool there is a gym, containing a large number of exercise equipment.
Free shuttle service to numerous destinations within Kuala Lumpur
The hotel is situated just outside KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre). There is a free shuttle service bringing you to several destinations within the city. The shuttle bus goes to downtown KL (KLCC & Bukit Bintang), but also to the nearby situated shopping mall Mid Valley Megamall & The Gardens (one of our personal favorites). Then there is a service going to Sunway Pyramid and KL Sentral (for the train to KLIA & KLIA2).
Across the hotel, you will find the subway station University; but because of the busy crossing in-between, it is better to walk to the subway station Kerinchi (a 5 minutes walk from the hotel). This subway line will bring you to KL Sentral in 5 minutes, to Pasar Seni in 8 minutes (Chinatown) and Suria KLCC (Petronas Towers) in 10 minutes. Metro tickets can be bought at the station.
Another option is to take a taxi right in front of the hotel. If there are no taxis waiting, you can simply have the concierge order or hail one for you.
Car park
Below the hotel, you will find a car park, where hotel guests can park their rental car for free. With a rental car you will soon find yourself on one of the main roads leading out of the city; it runs directly along the hotel.
Affordable 5-star hotel
Most travelers prefer to stay in the city centre while visiting Kuala Lumpur. The disadvantage are the substantial prices you will have to pay while there are very luxurious hotels just outside the city centre at reasonable prices. Pullman Bangsar is a good example; you will be staying in a 5-star hotel for a fraction of the price you will pay for a similar hotel in the city centre. The shuttle service makes it easy to get anywhere you want to go.
Our final verdict
Pullman Bangsar is an excellent hotel at very affordable rates. The standard rooms are already very spacious, the executive rooms are the height of luxury in this business hotel. The location is not its strong point, but the free shuttle service certainly makes up for this. If you are looking for value for your money, Pullman Bangsar is definitively the best choice.
promodj.com
5 years ago
September 29, 2019 at 6:06 am
Excellent blog you have here.. It’s difficult to find good quality writing like yours these days.
I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!