Playing tourist, Hanna Hussein hops on a GOKL City Bus to see the city attractions and enjoy a stay at a luxurious five-star hotel in the heart of the city
“DO you prefer to take public transport or drive in Kuala Lumpur?” my friend asks. Well, I have to admit, I am more comfortable driving although it can sometimes be dreary and pricey — oh, you know what I mean.
What I don’t know is that I can save a lot by taking public transport in Kuala Lumpur, especially now that GOKL City Bus has a free public bus service. Yep, you heard me. It’s free!
Of course, I just have to experience it myself. Will the service be frequent? Will it be packed with passengers? Let’s find out.
KL FREE SIGHTSEEING GOKL
City Bus offers four routes — Go Relax, Go Work, Go Sightsee and Go Shopping lines, which pass through different areas in the city. The route map is available for download at its website so you can plan your journey.
I opt for the purple line — Go Sightsee. From my Bangsar office I take a quick LRT ride heading to Central Market, the purple line hub.
Central Market, like always, is crowded with people. It’s a great place to shop for souvenirs, local handicraft, antiques, collectibles and more.
I leisurely stroll towards a bus stop where I see a line of purple buses parked there. You can easily distinguish the GOKL City Bus by its pop of purple and you can see a sign at the front of the bus stating the colour line.
GOKL operates daily from 6am to 11pm (it starts at 7am on weekends) and the frequency is every 10 minutes, and five minutes during peak hours.
I hop on the frontmost purple line bus which will be taking me for a drive to see some of Kuala Lumpur’s scenic attractions.
The bus is neat, air-conditioned, disabled-friendly and offers free WiFi too! Oh, very convenient for both city dwellers and tourists.
Seating is quite spacious. I even get to sit! On board, I spot a lot of foreign tourists and the locals.
For the purple line, we will be passing a number of attractions including Telekom Museum, KL Tower, Bukit Bintang and Kotaraya.
My verdict — travel via GOKL costs nothing, and I can just put my feet up and enjoy the KL scenery. No doubt, it’s a smart way to travel.
To fully explore Kuala Lumpur like a tourist, I book a room at Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur. It is international five-star hotel in the heart of the city at Bukit Bintang adjacent to Pavilion Kuala Lumpur shopping mall.
EXCLUSIVE CLUB
The GOKL purple line bus makes a stop at Starhill Gallery very near to the hotel where I am staying for the night.
My arrival is welcomed by a friendly employee who ushers me to the Executive Lounge on the 18th floor for a quick checkin. I do not go straight to my room. I chill out at the lounge for evening cocktails instead.
The lounge is spacious and it has a stunning view of the city. It offers quite an extensive choice of delicious snacks. After spending more than an hour enjoying the food and exclusivity, I head to my Club Room on the same floor.
My room is luxurious with white and grey details. I love the pop of coloured flowers to brighten the room and that it has wide windows which offer natural lighting.
The king-sized bed comes with luxurious custom-made linens and bedding, complete with a pillow menu. Perks of the Club Room include a choice of a hearty breakfast in the lounge or at The Mill Cafe.
ITALIAN JOB
In the evening, I head to The Mill Cafe, a modern restaurant with vibrant open show kitchens that serve an extensive selection of Asian and Continental specialties, featuring some of the city’s most tantalising delights.
But on Friday, it is Tutto Italiano night. Yeay, I love Italian food especially pasta.
Priced at RM118 nett per person, you can enjoy a rich spread of Italian cuisine including lasagna, risotto, ravioli, gnocchi, pizza and pasta.
Oh, and if you like cheese, try out its wide selection. Of course, every meal ends with delectable Italian dessert such as gelato, tiramisu and panna cotta.
CHOCOLA-TEA AFTERNOON
Grand Millennium is popular for afternoon tea at Bistro 160 which serves all sorts of chocolates!
Scrumptea Delicious is available every Saturday and Sunday, from 3pm to 6pm at RM88 nett per person and you can enjoy its chocolate buffet.
There’s a buffet of cookies, French pastries, cakes, meringue and slabs, homegrown chocolate plaque, as well as multiflavoured fondues with choice of dark, white, milk, mint, mango, orange, pandan, rose and more.
The afternoon tea includes Chinese chocolate pau, finger sandwiches, as well as plain and chocolate scones.
FAST FACTS
GRAND MILLENNIUM HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR
160 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
TEL 03-2117 4888
EMAIL enquiry.gmkl@millenniumhotels.com
WEBSITE www.millenniumhotels.com
STAY
Deluxe Room, Grand Deluxe, Club Room, Club Plus, Executive Suite, Presidential Suite and Imperial Suite.
EAT
Dining choices are plenty. There’s Mill Cafe offers open show kitchens; chic open-style Bistro 160 offers desserts, bites and tempting beverages; Hanaya presents traditional Japanese dishes that combine delicacy and flair in a wonderfully serene setting; and Cantonese delicacies take centre stage at Lai Ching Yuen.
DO
Relax by the pool and try out all the restaurants.
GO
Shopping at the Golden Triangle.
HIGHS
Location.
LOWS
The area is congested all the time.