The newest landmark standing near Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2 in Sepang, Malaysia sports a very distinctive architectural style. S Puvaneswary spends a night and leaves with a lasting impression
Location
Movenpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA is located less than a 10-minute drive to both KLIA and KLIA2, which makes it a perfect hotel for those in transit and seeking a place to rest, or for unexpected flight delays. For guests’ convenience, the hotel provides a complimentary air-conditioned shuttle service to and from the airport every two hours.
It is also about a five-minute drive to Mitsui Premium Outlet Park. The factory outlet also provides complimentary shuttle service every hour to and from the hotel, from 10.00 to 22.00 daily.
The hotel is also situated a 10-minute drive away from the Sepang International Circuit, making it a perfect accommodation base for motorsports enthusiasts.
Rooms
There are 333 rooms in total. The Deluxe Room I stayed in was modern, with sensors that detect a guest’s presence whenever the room door opens, automatically turning on the lights and air condition. Similarly, the smart sensors can detect when the last person leaves the room, and turns off the electricity.
Each room has a smart TV, which in addition to its offering of 36 channels and five radio stations, also provides the latest flight information at both airports.
What I loved best about my room is its expansive size at 46m2. It is outfitted with a king-sized bed, two lounge chairs, two work chairs, a small work table and a long coffee table, but still leaves plenty of walking space.
A solid wooden sliding door separates the room from the bathroom. The bathroom is also impressively large, and boasted two sinks, a small round bathtub with shower facilities and a rain shower. There’s a sensor on the huge bathroom mirror that when pressed, lights up a round vanity glass that is positioned at just the right height for personal grooming.
Guests staying in the executive suite room categories can also make use of the executive lounge on level eight.
F&B
Temasya, a swanky coffee house on the ground floor, stands out for its unique concept, with flat stones lining the clear glass flooring that leads to the outlet. I was told that come April, the flooring beneath the glass would be covered by shallow water and swimming fish – that will surely be a captive sight.
The spacious eatery features live cooking stations, serving a mixture of local and international food. I strongly recommend Malaysian favourites such as satay and kuey teow, or international dishes such as the chicken fajita sandwich, an absolutely yummy number served on focaccia bread baked in-house.
At 17.00 daily and lasting for an hour, the hotel holds its chocolate hour at Sira Lounge in the lobby. Guests are welcome to indulge in as much chocolates, biscuits, truffles and brownies as they can possibly devour. The desserts were made just right – without them being saccharine – which resulted in my overindulgence.
Four other F&B outlets are scheduled to open this April. Among the soon-to-open spaces is Bara, a fine dining restaurant with a combination of Mediterranean, Korean and Japanese influences, while Redup will specialise in light snacks. As the hotel is Syariah compliant, the kitchen is halal-certified, and no pork and alcohol is served on the property.
Facilities
There are separate recreational facilities – swimming pools, gyms and spas, etc – for men and women. It is only on the tennis court that men and women are allowed to enjoy a game together.
The rooftop swimming pool offers more privacy than usual for the self-conscious, as it does not face any restaurants or rooms unlike other hotels.
In March, 12 spa pods are scheduled to open to provide short, complimentary neck, shoulder and feet massages. A kids’ club will also open then.
Service
Excellent! I called for help way past midnight as I didn’t know how to connect the TV to Netflix and someone came to assist right away. I also loved the hassle-free check-in service – I was handed my room key in less than five minutes – and the efficient service in Temasya where my plates were cleared from the table each time I left for seconds at the buffet line.
Verdict
Fantastic hospitality. Staff were also attentive, friendly and made me feel right at home. The food served at Temasya was remarkably delicious, so I will be back with friends for a weekend lunch or dinner.
No. of rooms 333
Rates From RM388+ (US$95+) a night
Contact details
Tel: (60) 3 8661 8661
Email: hotel.klia.reservations@movenpick.com
Website: www.movenpick.com/Mövenpick/Kuala_Lumpur
