Hotel Review: Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur in Bukit Bintang
PUBLISHED April 15th, 2019 01:09 am | UPDATED February 7th, 2020 11:07 pm
In December last year, real estate conglomerate Pavilion Group unveiled its very first hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, with Singapore hospitality giant Banyan Tree managing the property. Sounds like a winning combination? We thought so, so we paid a visit to Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Situated right about shopping destination Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in Bukit Bintang, it’s a great one stop for tourists who don’t wish to be part of the infamous KL jam (because we all know how bad that can be). The hotel is surrounded by more malls, street eats, and landmarks including the Kuala Lumpur Tower, Petronas Tower, and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Space & Location
While its exterior may not leave much of an impression, their reception located on level eight boasts a beautiful panoramic view of the city while you check in. Complemented with reflective pieces of falling art hung from the ceiling and a large floral table arrangement, the space almost feels like an art gallery. Since it’s managed by Banyan Tree, it comes with no surprise that wellness is something that they emphasise, with an abundance of lemongrass scents and ambient music soothing enough to put guests in a relaxed state throughout their stay.
Rooms
With a total of 325 rooms across 13 floors, accommodation options range from a cozy City Oasis Room (344 square feet, 32 square metres) to a more luxurious Club Room (645 square feet, 60 square metres) with access to the Club Lounge. Modern and sleek, the room’s soft white walls play well with the depth of dark wood and warm lighting. The bathroom on the other hand, is well-lit and laid out with clean marble tiles, perfect for soothing the mind while taking a nice hot dip in the bathtub or shower using Banyan Tree’s signature amenities.
The bed was an absolute joy for someone with back pains like me. Featuring King Koil customised mattresses, some find it a tad hard, pair it with some soft, fluffy pillows and there’s nothing left that awaits but a deep, wonderful slumber.
Facilities
Located on the top floor, the Sky Gym and Rooftop Infinity Pool offers an unparalleled view of Kuala Lumpur. While there’s ongoing construction, you can’t help feel a sense of serenity while looking at this wondrous city from a distance.
Be sure to pay a visit to the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa. Offering a variety of Asian-inspired treatments, put yourself in the hands of one of their highly skilled therapists, each having undergone a minimum training of 350 hours at the Banyan Tree Spa Academy. Unfortunately for us, while the massage was fantastic, we weren’t able to experience the treatment in its full glory as the room was left in complete silence, leaving me wondering if it was just a simple mistake of forgetting about the music or a way to get us to focus on the treatment. The post-massage snacks and ginger tea, though, was a pleasant way to end the afternoon, feeling rejuvenated physically and spiritually.
Food & Drink
Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur is home to two restaurants – The Courtyard, an all-day dining concept that focuses mainly on Southeast Asian cuisines, and Ebisu, a modern Japanese restaurant and bar. Breakfast is served at The Courtyard, where we enjoyed a series of local delights including the ever popular Nasi Lemak and Rendang. Too heavy for an early breakfast? Fret not, they’ve got the continental selection of bread and cereal too.
Ebisu on the other hand, took us by surprise. The Dobin Mushi, a clear soup served in a teapot, opened our palate right away, leading us to the freshness of the sashimi followed by the smokey essence of the Wagyu Fried Rice and Teppanyaki Seafood. The best dish, however, would definitely have to be the Ebisu Chawamushi. A steamed egg custard coated with a thick slab of crab sauce and decorated with a generous portion of ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin). Did we also mention that it’s three times the size of the average chawamushi? And only for about 60RM, we say it’s pretty darn worth it.
For a simple down time after dinner, we’d recommend checking out the hotel’s bar, Whiskey Cove, on Floor 7M, where you can indulge in one of their few signature cocktails in a setting that sets a completely different mood from the brightly-lit hotel above.
