"Did you request for an air mattress?" my husband hollered from our suite door as I tried to convince our son to try out his sampin for Hari Raya that arrived by courier earlier.
"No," I said. "Murshid, can you try this on please? We'll take it off very soon," I said to my son.
My husband walked into the bedroom and told me the hotel staff's manager had asked for the mattress to be delivered to our room. So we moved the living room table and replace it with the green inflatable mattress and before we knew it, Murshid left us alone, happily jumping up and down from and onto the sofa, with the help of the mattress.
"Thank you," I muttered to myself. The hotel had also sent a kid's tent but Murshid prefers being outside, with us.
After a chaotic morning, we arrived at The Westin Kuala Lumpur on a Friday afternoon, ready for a weekend staycation right smack in the middle of the city.
Priorities have changed after Covid-19, and these days, I will take a city staycation any day compared to a trip to Melaka or Port Dickson.
Time is precious, and if I could have two hours in a hotel room instead of on the road, that's amazing savings for me. And judging from the family crowd at Westin's The Living Room and its pool, I am not alone in this thinking.
PIVOTED BUSINESS
The Westin Kuala Lumpur opened its doors in 2003, the first in Malaysia. For more than a decade, it was predominantly a business hotel. Foreign visitors stayed here for the proximity with the bustling Bukit Bintang area.
For the last 19 years, I have been here many times for assignments and a few staycations. It used to house my favourite Italian restaurant, Prego, but many things took a beating with the pandemic, and that wonderful restaurant, where the pasta carbonara is mixed in a rounded cheese bowl and the appetiser bread and salsa is to-die-for, is one of its casualties.
The Westin Kuala Lumpur I arrived at two weekends ago is markedly different. There's more focus on families-- hence the inflatable mattress.
Except for hotel staff, I didn't see anyone in a suit, something I used to on Friday afternoons at hotel lounges. Instead, families queue to check-in at the reception.
We were welcome by hotel general manager Gregory Gubiani, possibly the most hands-on GM I have witnessed to date. He helped with our luggage from our Grab ride (without knowing I was the one reviewing the hotel) and we met him again during dinner at The Living Room.
He cleared table cutlery and lifted baby chairs for toddlers. He was also at the pool, scooping dried leaves from its bottom.
Our Westin Suite is amazingly spacious. The door opens to the dining room and the living room, overlooking Jalan Bukit Bintang, is on the right. On the left is the bedroom and my favourite-- a spacious shower with bath tub and rain shower.
KID-FRIENDLY
Far from its business hotel days, The Westin Kuala Lumpur has pivoted to be more kids-centred. At The Living Room, its all-day dining outlet, there's a kids corner with local snacks, doughnuts, popcorn, and the local ais krim potong.
The pool area is designed to be resort-like, with a kid's pool and an adult pool that at its deepest, is 1.45m. And true to its kids-centric efforts, there are giant and colourful floats guests can borrow for pool use. This, I really think, is really thoughtful. It brings joy to children, and for parents, that's a big bonus.
The star of the pool float party is a white, giant unicorn float that can hold an adult up to 80kg. Guests love to play with it but alas, on our second day there, that float is deflated.
The service at The Westin Kuala Lumpur is I have always remembered it-- impeccable and friendly. I could not help but notice that the hotel is short-staffed. The pool, for example, opens at 8am but staff start work much later. At The Living Room, only a few staff are available to clear tables, but everyone puts their best smile forward.
At the end of our meals, we stacked the plates and place cutlery together, so table clearing is faster and easier. If there's one thing I have learned from the pandemic, is that we all should make each other's lives easier.
OTHER AMENITIES
For fitness buffs, the hotel has a well-equipped gym. The Technogym treadmills will ensure you of a comfortable indoor long run. The gym is not spacious, but it gives you enough equipment for cardio and weight-bearing exercises. But if you are an outdoor runner, the KLCC park is nearby for a morning or late afternoon run.
I love the Asian dinner buffet because it packs a lot of protein choices. I love the grilled salmon with sambal, a local take with a fish usually cooked in Western style. There are satay, grilled chicken and grilled beef too, alongside a selection of kerabu, or Malay salad.
Salad leaves come from a hydroponic supplier so you choose and cut your own leaves before mixing them with your dressing or other vegetables.
There's a whole room for dessert, including bread and butter pudding, bubur kacang and ais kacang. Cakes and pastries are made in mini sizes-- great for variety and portion control.
As a whole, we had a great time at the hotel, thanks to its impeccable service. While the location is second to none if you are on a luxury shopping spree, it's the hotel's hospitality that made our weekend awesome.
FAST FACTS
The Westin Kuala Lumpur
199 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
TEL 03-27318333
WEBSITE https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/kulwi-the-westin-kuala-lumpur/over...
STAY There are rooms and suites and each one is tastefully-furnished. But the best has got to be Westin's Heavenly Bed, that's a great hybrid between hard and soft mattress to ensure that you get a good night's sleep.
EAT The Living Room is its all day dining restaurant. Buffet breakfast is good, but the Asian dinner buffet is better. The 443 Bar Lounge is good for coffee and long chats and there's a poolside restaurant and bar, Splash, for small bites in-between pool dips, which is especially great for kids.
DO Take your pick. You can stay in and enjoy the hotel's facilities and services, like us. Otherwise, you can venture out to Pavilion KL or Fahrenheit 88.
GO The city's best attractions are either within walking distance or just a short Grab ride away. In the morning, head to the city's parks like the KLCC Park or Taman Tasik Titiwangsa. Afterwards, you can get some retail therapy done, meet friends over coffee at the endless cafes and food joints nearby.
HIGHS Location, location, location.
LOWS Traffic along Jalan Bukit Bintang can be chaotic. Thankfully, you don't hear the noise from the room.
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