The Grand Hyatt in Kuala Lumpur is one of the most central hotels in the city offering a fantastic vantage point overlooking many of the key sights in Kuala Lumpur City Center. I had a chance to stay here on a recent trip returning to Malaysia.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Hotel Basics

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is located in the heart of the Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle with breathtaking views of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. With 411 guestrooms, including 42 suites, the is not exactly a small property but it does have its charm and staff do provide some level of personalized service.

Strategically located adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, the hotel is a stone’s throw away from shopping and entertainment hubs including Suria KLCC, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, and Bukit Bintang. KLCC Park and the Kuala Lumpur Tower are also easily accessible, making it an good choice for anyone looking to explore the city.

Events are apparently a big part of the hotel’s offerings and it advertises 4,215 square meters of flexible event space, including a Grand Ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,450 guests for receptions and a sky lobby lounge on the top floor with space for 120 guests at a cocktail reception.

It’s also a popular hotel with VIPs. During my stay, a number of floors of the hotel’s floors were blocked off to host the crown prince of Brunei who was visiting Malaysia and I noticed a few muscular men carrying while wearing hotel uniforms, presumably in conjunction with the visit.

Booking Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

I paid for this hotel using a Hyatt Category 1-4 free night award. The award can be earned either as a World of Hyatt Milestone Reward. You can also earn the award by holding the World of Hyatt Credit Card — one automatically on your cardmember anniversary and a second award by spending $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year.

The property is a World of Hyatt Category 3 property. While I was planning to stay at the Alila in Bangsar again to close out my visit to Malaysia, I had an expiring Hyatt Category 1-4 free night award. While my habit of saving awards for outsized redemption value sometimes pays off (such as when I booked the Park Hyatt Saigon), I also often end up making a last-minute booking to get some value out of the soon-to-expire award (as I did most recently at the Grand Hyatt La Manga Club).

Either way, this was a nice chance to experience a hotel that I’ve heard great things about from both other Hyatt loyalists and brand-agnostic frequent travelers.

For comparison, the cash rates for standard rooms were about $300. Interestingly, the hotel was offering a “Barbie Room” and “Barbie Suite” and the rate for the room was only $218. While I considered it, I don’t think I would last a night in a room decorated in Barbie pink.

Getting to Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

The Grand Hyatt is located conveniently in the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Center about a 5-minute walk from the Petronas Towers. The location is ideal for exploring Kuala Lumpur but does mean that you’ll experience some serious gridlock if you try to drive anywhere during rush hour.

If you’re heading to the airport from the hotel, the hotel can arrange transport at the following rates (as of August 2024):

Car Type	Seating	Price (one way)	Price (round trip)
Mercedes S-class / BMW 7-Series	2 persons with luggage 3 persons with hand luggage	MYR 570.00	MYR 1,140.00
Mercedes E-class	2 persons with luggage 3 persons with hand luggage	MYR 350.00	MYR 700.00
Toyota Vellfire	3 persons with luggage 5 persons with hand luggage	MYR 480.00	MYR 960.00
Minivan	5 persons with luggage 7 persons with hand luggage	MYR 450.00	MYR 900.00

While convenient, if you’re arriving in Kuala Lumpur, I would suggest downloading Grab, the Southeast Asian superapp to get around. Grab has a dedicated pickup area at the airport and various vehicle types available on-demand which cost a fraction of the rates charged by the hotel.

Arriving at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

A few days before my stay, I received an email from a front desk host welcoming me and asking to confirm my arrival time. While not necessary to reach out ahead of a stay, I appreciate when hotels do this — it’s the kind of small personal touch that goes a long way towards setting the tone for a positive stay.

I replied and informed the hotel that I planned to arrive around noon or 1 pm, a few hours before the official 3 pm check-in time, and a few notes on my diet preferences. The hotel replied confirming the arrival time and noted my diet preferences.

I arrived at the hotel as planned at around 12:30. The bellhop promptly took my bags and directed me up to the lobby to complete my check-in. The hotel’s lobby is on the 39th floor so to check in, you’ll first want to take the express elevator to the 39th floor “sky lobby”.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Check-in Experience

As a Globalist, I have automatic club access at Hyatt so I was directed down to the 38th floor to check-in where I enjoyed a cappuccino with soy milk while check-in formalities were completed. I was informed that I was assigned room 2621 which meant I had been upgraded to a 1 King Bed Deluxe Room.

While I did see suite availability in the app, I didn’t push this point since I was checking in early and since I was hoping for a later check-in than the 4 pm Globalists are automatically entitled to the next day. (I was granted a 6 pm checkout.)

I was presented with a letter explaining Grand Club benefits at the hotel.

After checking in, I sat in the club and enjoyed some snacks, spring rolls, and sparkling water while getting a bit of work done before heading to the room.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur 1 King Bed Deluxe Room (City View)

To access any rooms in this hotel, you first need to head up to the “Sky Lobby” on the 39th floor to switch elevators to access any of the rooms or hotel facilities. You can also cut through the spa on the second floor.

I was already at the Grand Club, so took the elevator down to the 26th floor.

The deluxe rooms at the hotel are marketed as 699 sq. ft. making it comfortable enough for a solo traveler. The door leads to an entryway shaped like an uppercase Gamma (Γ) with the bathroom ahead and bedroom at the end of the entryway. There is a suitcase stand in the hallway which is where the bellhops had deposited my luggage.

Turning right in the entryway, you’ll see the bedroom ahead of you, the bathroom to your left, and closet to your right.

The bedroom has a king-size bed, a chaise lounger, a club chair with a matching ottoman, and a desk.

On either side of the bed, there were controls for the adjustable master lighting and for reading and night lights. While one side of the bed had a universal outlet, the other side had an old-fashioned USB-A charging outlets which could definitely use an update…

Unlike most hotels, the card noted that sheets at the hotel are changed every three days as a standard and to have them replaced guests need to contact the hotel. I’m not a fan of the added friction (most hotels simply require leaving the card on the bed) but it did not affect me on my one-night stay and I assume an email would be enough to have the sheets changed if desired.

Unfortunately, the lowest the thermostat would go was 18.5°C which is about 65°F. That’s on the high end of what I prefer to sleep in (and on the high end of the 15-19°C (60-67°F) range medically recommended by the Cleveland Clinic).

The room had limited closet space with bathrobes, slippers, a shoehorn, iron, and ironing board all located in the closet. This wasn’t an issue for me traveling solo but it would be hard for two people to fit their belongings here!

Coffee & Minibar

Between the desk and closet, there’s a built-in credenza that houses a stocked minibar and a Nespresso coffee machine and kettle for tea.

Prices for the minibar were quite reasonable, all things considered. This seems to be a recurring theme at luxury hotels in Asian cities, likely a result of competition from the ever-present prevalence of Japanese konbinis which allow guests to access items on demand cheaply and conveniently.

There was complimentary drinking water in four reusable glass bottles.

Bathroom

The bathroom features a single vanity, makeup desk, restroom, and a waterfall shower and tub with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the city (there are blinds you can raise and lower).

You can access the bathroom from either the entryway or directly from the bedroom.

There was a volume control lever next to the vanity, but I never figured out what it was for.

Toiletries are from Balmain and come in mounted bulk containers.

Other bathroom amenities were also stocked (and additional items can be requested by calling the front desk or through the digital concierge either in the Hyatt app or scanning a QR code in the room).

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Welcome Amenity

The hotel’s welcome amenity wasn’t delivered until later in the afternoon and consisted of a plate of fruit. While I prefer a bottle of wine, the Japanese side of me can certainly appreciate a selection of high-quality fruit — and I understand alcohol is tricky in Malaysia given the majority Muslim population. It was accompanied by a typed note from the general manager.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Turndown Service

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur provides a limited turndown service. When I returned from the club lounge, I found that the curtains had been closed, my bed had been freshened, and towels replaced. That was the extent of the service and no chocolates were left or slippers prepared, which I’m frankly fine with (I rarely use the slippers or eat the chocolate anyway).

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Dining & Club

The Grand Hyatt features four restaurants. You can review information about them and their menus here.

During my stay, I only experienced Thirty8 (on the 38th floor, clever) for breakfast and the Grand Club during their cocktails and canapés hour.

Grand Club

The Grand Club is located on the 37th floor of the hotel exclusively for the use of guests with club-level rooms or who otherwise have access (including Globalists and those using a club access award). It’s a comfortable space to work from with coffee and small snacks available throughout the day.

I especially appreciated Nicole and Samy on the F&B team, who were friendly and attentive, ensuring my drink was always topped up whenever I was in the lounge.

The club features excellent views of the Petronas Towers and Merdeka 118, the second tallest building in the world and soon to house a Park Hyatt on its top floors which will be the highest hotel in the world.

You can look down at the Mandarin Oriental, the OG of luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur, or up at the Four Seasons’ modern tower.

The club has a separate “entertainment lounge” for families with children. During the evening canapés another room was opened as a “quiet room” which I did not get photos of (it was full throughout the hour).

Midday “Refereshments”

The Grand Club offers snacks from noon to 4 pm. This isn’t intended to be a meal as much as some finger food. On the first day, there were spring rolls and matcha cheesecake available. The second day, there were finger sandwiches and macha cheesecake again.

The first day, I snacked on some spring rolls briefly after checking in. On my day of checkout, I returned and had a cappuccino (soy milk) and San Pellegrino water, along with a slice of the matcha cheese cake. Delicious.

Evening Cocktail & Canapés

The Grand Club has drinks and canapés from 6 to 8 pm every evening. Hotel clubs in Asia always offer benefits that are much more extensive than in the United States or Europe. This is particularly apparent during evening cocktail hours. It’s not uncommon to see families seemingly using the hour to have dinner, something I have also been guilty of at times.

At the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, there was a selection of hot and cold food options.

To drink there was beer (which I neglected to take a photo of) as well as a selection of wine and spirits including Tanqueray gin, Tito’s vodka, Absolut vodka, Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker Black, Campari, among others. Later on, the Tanqueray ran out and was replaced by Bulldog.

I stuck to my regular drinks and enjoyed a couple gin and tonics along with a campari soda — and San Pellegrino to stay hydrated.

Breakfast at Thirty8

Globalists get free breakfast across the Hyatt portfolio which always includes a hot entrée or buffet, coffee, and juice. Hotels with an executive lounge have the option of providing breakfast in their lounge or at the restaurant — or giving guests the choice. This is probably the best elite hotel breakfast benefit out of any of the major programs but almost every Hyatt property goes above and beyond.

At the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, guests with Grand Club access have the option of having their breakfast in the Grand Club or at Thirty8. Buffet breakfast at Thirty8 is served from 6:30 am to 10:30 am daily. Meanwhile, continental breakfast is available in the Grand Club from 7:30 am to 10:30 am.

Since I had already seen the Grand Club, I chose to head one floor up to Thirty8 for a one-floor change in scenery.

Thirty8 is advertised as having 360° views of Kuala Lumpur with a “show kitchen” in the middle. The views definitely deliver, even on a rainy morning.

At breakfast time, options are spread out over 14 sections with an expansive selection of both Asian and western options.

I was particularly pleased with the Kombucha fountain with lychee and green tea kombucha available and the stand with ingredients allowing you to have fresh juice made with your selection.

Ever the Asian and a creature of habit, I had a bowl of buckwheat noodles followed by an egg white vegetable omelet. I also had a barista-made cappuccino with almond milk, which was excellent.

One area for improvement at breakfast would be adding plant-based protein items. For example, I would have loved to have added some tofu or vegetable meats to my noodle soup. This is usually present in other upscale hotels in the region so it was disappointing not to have that here.

That said, the breakfast definitely has a wide selection of options so unless you’re the pickiest of eaters, there should be something that you’ll enjoy.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Fitness Center

The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur features an excellent fitness center for a city hotel with modern cardio and weight training equipment from TechnoGym. It seems to be sparsely used; I utilized the facility twice during my stay and was the only one in the gym both times. The gym is located on the 2nd floor of the hotel within the spa area.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Spa

The spa at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is located next to the gym on the 2nd floor of the hotel. I didn’t book a treatment but did use the sauna and steam room. These facilities are split by gender at this hotel.

The men’s locker room is located towards the end of the hallway past the gym. Inside, you’ll find lockers to your left, showers, some amenities, and the sauna, steam room, and a whirlpool. There is also lemon water. I wasn’t able to get a photo of the sauna (it was consistently occupied during my visits). The steam room was intense (in a good way) and ranks as probably the best steam room I’ve ever experienced at a hotel.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Pool

The pool is located on the second floor along with the spa and gym. To access it, go through the entrance to the spa then outside. The Poolhouse restaurant is also located here. I stopped by to take a look but didn’t have a chance to take a swim.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Facilities

The hotel is, while well maintained, in some ways showing its age but is aging gracefully and has a location that’s second to none in Kuala Lumpur City Center. The views at night are particularly striking.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a central stay in Kuala Lumpur, the Grand Hyatt is probably the best upscale hotel option. It’s located in the heart of Golden Triangle, offering stunning views of the Petronas Twin Towers. Despite having 411 rooms, including 42 suites, it still manages to provide personalized service. Globalists and club-level guests enjoy exclusive access to the Grand Club, and the hotel is quite good about upgrading Globalists to the best available room per Hyatt policy. It also has a great gym and solid spa area. The hotel is adjacent to key attractions like the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Suria KLCC, and Bukit Bintang.