After our brief stay in Langkawi, Malaysia, my friend and I continued on to Kuala Lumpur, where we had booked a two-night stay at the Le Méridien. Starwood has no shortage of hotels in KL, where other options include the Sheraton Imperial, Westin, Aloft Sentral, and the upcoming St. Regis and W, both opening towards the end of this year.
The location of the Le Méridien is perfectly ideal for those who are looking for convenience to and from the airport. Literally just across the street from Sentral Station, and exactly 28 minutes on the KLIA Ekspres train to the Main Terminal, Le Méridien shares a twin tower complex with the Hilton Kuala Lumpur. Since we were arriving on Air Asia via the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), we first needed to board a shuttle bus, which took us to a connecting station to catch the KLIA Transit train. The total journey from the LCCT is considerably longer, taking approximately one hour to arrive at Sentral Station.
Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur
Upon arrival, we walked out the north exit, crossed the street, and entered the Le Méridien/Hilton entrance from the ground-level doors. After taking the elevator up to the lobby level, we came upon a funny "choose your own adventure" moment, where one set of doors takes you to the Hilton lobby, while the other leads to the Le Méridien lobby:
Choose wisely
The Le Méridien lobby was beautifully modern, with a backdrop of colorful LED lights behind the check-in counter and plenty of couches and seats for lounging in the circular atrium. A coffee shop and wine bar nearby offered a place to recharge or relax, and free WiFi throughout the lobby allowed guests to catch up on email and work. Unfortunately, complimentary WiFi has not been extended to the rooms, although Platinum and Gold members do get this perk automatically.
Check-in counters
Lobby
Wine bar
