The Chow Kit

Style

Bright lights, full bellies

Setting

Markets and neon

Kuala Lumpur’s The Chow Kit hotel sits on the edge of the one-time red-light district, within a fish-ball’s throw (not that you’d waste food like that) of the city’s largest market. Spend days embarking on guided walking tours of the district – you’ll want to work up an appetite to do justice to the mod-Malaysian restaurant’s tantalising menu. Wind down with gin-based craft cocktails in the low-lit bar before retiring to your room (twinkling skyline views, anyone?) and starting all over again the next morning.

Facilities

Rooms

113, including 22 suites.

Checkout

Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm.

More Details

Rates don’t include breakfast, but for MYR35 a day each you’ll get a cooked-to-order breakfast served with tea or coffee and fresh juice.

Also

There are no wheelchair-accessible guest rooms, but the lobby can be reached by ramp.

Free Internet Access

On-Site Restaurant

At the Hotel

Free WiFi. In rooms: free bottled water, air-conditioning, smart TV and organic bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

The Towkay and Towkay Soh Suites have the most room to stretch out, so they’ll be most comfortable for longer stays. If you’re hankering for city-skyline views, avoid the Den rooms – some are interior-facing.

Packing Tips

Leave a little room in your suitcase for some locally made trinkets from nearby design store Naiise.

Also

The Chow Kit has partnered with KL artisans, craftspeople and companies to kit out the hotel, from decorations and furniture to bath products.

Children

This city stay is best for grown-ups, but cots can be added to some rooms and highchairs are available in the restaurant.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Snag a cosy booth at the far end of the restaurant for a secretive tête-à-tête. Dining with a group? Ask for the Library – a private space lined with handpainted wallpaper by local artists Chong Yong and Patricia Leong.

Dress Code

If you needed an excuse to break out your qipao, this is it.

Hotel Restaurant

The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar serves up reimagined Malaysian cuisine, with ever-evolving dishes that pay loving homage to family recipes, traditional techniques and local flavours. Along with its sapid lunch and dinner menus, you’ll also find freshly baked pastries, mix-and-match à la carte items, freshly squeezed juices and rich coffees at breakfast.

Hotel Bar

Follow the sound of soul music to the low-lit bar and treat yourself to a tipple from the craft-cocktail menu. Signature spirits are infused with a variety of creative additions: we're partial to the oolong-infused Not Your Regular and the tequila-based Asam Boi Pomelo, which is laced with sour asam boi. Settle in for an evening and order free-flowing sharing plates of loaded fries.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served from 7am to 10am (10.30am at weekends), lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm and dinner from 5.30pm to 10.30pm.

Planes

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is 60 kilometres from the hotel and transfers can be arranged for MYR75 each way; Subang Airport is 27 kilometres away – transfers to and from this hub cost MYR50 each way.

Trains

The Medan Tuanku stop on the city’s monorail is six minutes away by car, and under five minutes on foot.

Automobiles

You won’t need your own set of wheels if you’re staying in the city, but it’s worth downloading the Grab app before you arrive – Malaysia’s answer to Uber. If you do choose to drive yourself, valet parking is MYR3 an hour or MYR15 a day.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Salute the sunrise with yoga sessions, held Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the hotel’s rooftop terrace. Then, after a fortifying breakfast, book onto a bespoke walking tour and learn about Chow Kit’s history, food and culture.

Wander through historic Loke Mansion or take a guided walking tour of nearby Chow Kit Market, Kuala Lumpur’s biggest, and get the inside scoop on the sprawling mass of stalls that sell everything from fresh produce and fish to DVDs of questionable origin.

In the mood for a little retail therapy? Make your way to Bukit Bintang, also known as Starhill, and treasure hunt through the district’s bijoux boutiques and sizeable shopping centres, stop for snacks at the hawker-style eateries and get your caffeine fix at one of the many alfresco cafés. If you’re inspired by Malaysian design, spruce up your own space with handcrafted furniture from Rattan Art Enterprise.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .