Prestige in KL

Sun, 09/07/2008 9:47 AM  |  Supplement

A must-have in any self-respectable city around the world, like Kuala Lumpur, is the world-renowned chain of Ritz-Carlton hotels. The name alone adds prestige and glamor to the city and certainly attracts high-income tourists to pay good money for nights of their stay-over.

Synonymous with top-notch service standards, the Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur stamp was left upon me and two friends as soon as we checked in. We were warmly welcomed by the front desk staff. The front office manager then gave us a personal tour along classically decorated hallways to our suite, tastefully appointed with contemporary furnishings and touches of Asian influences, like the antiques on the living room shelves.

Our suite was a revelation. Creature comforts included an ultra-comfy bed with six plush pillows, silky bed sheets and fluffy feather bed and duvet covers. We couldn't resist jumping into it! Amenities, such as a workstation corner with Internet access and spacious closet space with two luxurious bathrobes, will appeal to business travelers. The marble bathroom, equipped with a hair dryer, shaving mirror and toiletries that would delight kleptomaniacs, was to die for, and I actually locked myself in to soak in its grandeur (you'll find out how later) and take a languid shower in the dedicated bath area. Even the soft towels were delightful to use afterwards. Such meticulous attention to detail had already made the hotel a winner.

Our privileges (wait for this) included all-day dining of fine cuisine from the menu in the room and served by a personal butler! How cool is that? Without wasting time, we ordered fine food, which was brought to us by our butler within a standard time of between 30 to 45 minutes. Although we said thank you, our moms would've been shocked about us pigging-out in bed!

Later in the day, I experienced the luxurious Lover's Bath (never mind that I had taken a shower earlier), discreetly prepared by a hotel staff with ylang ylang, patchouli and clary sage oils. Along scatters of rose petals on the floor that led to the bathtub (itself lined with aromatic candles), I enjoyed a relaxing, romantic soak, accompanied by gourmet chocolates to indulge in. My friends were envious, although they rejected my suggestion that they join me in the bath.

After the bath, there was nothing much to do except to surf TV channels - 37 of them! Decisions, decisions! Although we don't understand French, German, Arabic or Spanish, we decided to enjoy the novelty of watching channels like TV5, TVE, Qatar and Kuwait, among others, which got us hooked till sundown. For dinner, we indulged again in a variety of dishes. And for dessert, we enjoyed a big plate of pistachio, chocolate chip and cornflake cookies, and rounded off with glasses of fruit juices - all served by a different butler working the night shift.

While enjoying our meals, we admired commanding views of the entertainment and shopping district of Bukit Bintang in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, illuminated with dazzling city lights. It was a perfect retreat and an ideal locale for us to be idle, watch TV, talk, read and enjoy personalized services such as attentive, friendly butlers. The next day, we woke up to a wonderful breakfast of waffles and pancakes before relaxing and hitting the well-equipped gym downstairs to work off all the food we'd had. And it was the only time we left our room.

-- Tan Hee Hui/Contributor

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