ST. REGIS KL Class central
Modern and regal, The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur marries contemporary pop culture with old-world luxury. Sanjay Surana checks in
The term “oasis” comes to mind the moment you step into The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, a cool, crisp haven of refinement in the heart of Malaysia’s capital. Its location in this city of 1.8 million people could not be better: A three-minute walk from Kuala Lumpur Sentral, with direct train connections to the airport via the KLIA Ekspres, it’s also near the National Museum and sits across from the Perdana Botanical Garden, a colonial park with large, striking manicured gardens.
Starting with the lobby and its super-high ceilings, everything about the property that opened in 2016 exudes an uninhibited sense of grandeur. Take, for instance, the lobby’s huge artwork, Grace Thunders by British artist Mark Evans. Comprising two art pieces, each made up of 18 etched-leather panels, placed at opposite ends of the lobby, it took more than three years to complete. Placing the viewer in the position of the ball, with players and horses bearing down at full tilt, the pieces beautifully capture the power and speed of polo – a sport that is both discreetly and overtly celebrated throughout the property. (St. Regis founder John Jacob Astor IV and his ilk were fans of the sport of kings, attending polo matches on Governors Island in the 1900s.)
Guest rooms continue the sense of grand proportion, starting at 63sqm – the largest opening category of any room in the city. They are accessed via a lift with leather panels on the walls and mirrors with an oxidised effect that give them a distinguished, aged patina. Recreating the look and ambience of a luxury Manhattan apartment, the rooms are done up in light, neutral tones, with a giant reproduction trunk as a mini-bar, walk-in wardrobes and soft carpets that subtly display orchid motifs – a nod to the St. Regis matriarch Caroline Astor’s favourite flower. The pick of the rooms is the Presidential suite; accessible from the car park via a private lift, it has its own gym and spa room, twin walk-in wardrobes, and a show-stopper marble bathroom with views of the planetarium and botanic gardens from the bathtub. That said, all rooms, regardless of category, come with butler service that helps with unpacking, packing, the pressing of clothes and other arrangements such as appointments at the tranquil Iridium Spa.
Meals provide a similar sense of reward. The Brasserie, with the aesthetics of a relaxed French cafe, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and has double-height ceilings, an oversized bar in the colour of oxidised tin, giant pendant lamps and tall, cosseting banquettes. Crystal, set next to the pool, offers outdoor dining and cocktails, while Taka by Sushi Saito (the first overseas outlet of the three-Michelinstarred Sushi Saito in Tokyo) and Ginza Tenkuni draw crowds for their authentic Japanese interiors as well as sublime sushi and tempura.
No visit here would be complete without a drink at Astor Bar. The setting for a scene in the film Crazy Rich Asians (it was repurposed as a jewellery boutique frequented by the character Astrid Leong), it is a sexy, swanky den of Austrian crystal chandeliers and decanters galore, with a bar done in stingray skin and a private room where the dome is finished in interlaced Italian hand-glazed golden tiles. Order an Asam Boi Mary – the local version of the iconic Bloody Mary invented at The St. Regis New York, given a Malaysian twist here with ingredients such as asam boi-infused vodka, chilli padi and Sarawak pepper.
Perhaps what stands out most, in some cases literally, is the art, all specifically made or chosen for the property. Grace Thunders recounts the painstaking dedication afforded to a piece by an artist, as does the gargantuan Horse. Set on a plinth, standing 3.5m tall and weighing nearly 2,270kg, the latter is the largest sculpture made by celebrated Colombian artist Fernando Botero. The smooth bronze piece is his first work in Malaysia, and required cranes and forklifts to put in place.
Meanwhile, the oeuvre of pop artist Andy Warhol is represented by four paintings inspired by the cut-outs of Hans Christian Andersen, including one of the Danish author himself. Magical and ethereal, Birds and Butterflies by Barnaby Hosking features 200 bird wings and 100 butterfly wings in gold-plated metal set into a six-storey concrete wall. Cleverly highlighting the interplay of light and shadow, the piece was inspired by the native fauna of the nearby Perdana Botanical Garden, giving it a sense of place while honouring The St. Regis’ undeniably fantastic locale.