Kuala Lumpur Hotels - The Gardens Hotel

The Gardens Hotel is one of the latest additions to the 5-star line-up in Kuala Lumpur. Located at the Gardens Shopping Centre, it is a sister hotel to the nearby Boulevard and Cititel. Touted as an urban spa resort, the Gardens Hotel is positioned at the premium end of the market. Location is definitely one of the main attractions, as you are literally steps away from endless food and shopping.

Design-wise the hotel aims at a modern contemporary look with a touch of opulence. Rich timber tones add a touch of warmth to the overall ambience. Somehow the overall design doesn't seem to pull together - there are exquisite corners here and there, but also not so successfully design touches. 

The room layout is quite standard and not very big. Bathroom is the now popular open concept which is connected to the sleeping area. One nice touch is the coffee bar at the entrance area which doubles as a counter to put your odds and ends as you enter the room. 

The lobby is very big but quite sparely furnished. One odd thing was the drop-off area is not right in-front of the lobby but at the side. The main hotel entrance is screened off from the road and can be a bit obscure.

The drop-off area. Interesting design on the backdrop, with large ceramic pots hung on the wall.

The swimming pool and pool deck area is quite small. A bit unexpected for a hotel of this class.

Staying at the Gardens Hotel is a pleasant experience. The staff are friendly and eager to help. One caveat is that the food outlets are not all completed yet, which is strange after one year in operation. There are plenty of options at the shopping centre though.  The location is great, unless you plan to go to the KL city centre which is a pain during peak hours.