Best Luxury Hotels in Malaysia

This century-old mansion was the first member of Design Hotels in Malaysia. Each of its eight unique suites has specially commissioned artwork, different architectural features and mod cons like minibars and Nespresso machines. Blanc, serving French – Asian fusion cuisine is considered to be one of the finest contemporary dining establishments in the city, while The Cellar, is a sophisticated haunt, specialising in whisky and cheese. Guests can stay active in the small gym, or with laps in the shimmering green pool.

The E&O as it’s fondly known was first established in 1885 and remains the only hotel in the city to occupy prime sea frontage. A new wing, the Victory Annexe was opened in 2013, adding a sixth-floor infinity pool, an art gallery and a Thai spa. While the Heritage Wing is an ode to a bygone era, with antique furnishings. The decor at the Eastern & Oriental is, in the main, classic and polished, with muted earthy tones, marble and dark wood. Planters Lounge serves drinks and snacks with a view, while the 1885 restaurant offers European style fine menus and a buffet or a la carte can be enjoyed at Sarkies.

Thoroughly modern glitz and quirky features await at the light, bright,162 bedroom Prestige. Look out for showers encased in golden cages, floating beds and tropical accents in among the almost exclusively ivory colour scheme. Ministry of Design – also responsible for Macalister Mansion’s decor – have created the interiors here. A sleek, glass-walled saltwater infinity pool looks out onto the harbourfront from its elevated fourth-floor position – a great spot to recline on a lounger, drink in hand and watch the port comings and goings. A pastel-hued Glasshouse restaurant is a place to eat and drink at The Prestige, or you can order food to your room.

Take the 15-minute boat ride from Marina Island to Pangkor Laut Resort where you can check into your overwater or jungle villa with up to four bedrooms. Some come with butler service, an outdoor tub, a private pool and a dining pavilion, overlooking Emerald Bay in the Strait of Malacca. The resort is built beside a rainforest (listen out for the resident macaque monkeys), which you can explore with the resident naturalist. It encompasses two swimming pools, a spa village employing Malay, Chinese, Indian and Thai practices, yoga facilities, squash and tennis courts and seven restaurants.

The 5-star Casa del Rio Melaka is a spectacular waterfront hotel with beautiful views of the Melaka River and nearby Piazza. Guests can discover Malaysia while staying in a luxurious, Mediterranean-style guestroom or suite with stunning balcony views. This hotel also features two split-level Premier suites – the Royal Suite and the Presidential Suite – where guests are invited to sprawl in spacious, beautifully decorated accommodations. The River Grill and River Café serve a breakfast buffet and traditional, local Malaysian dishes in style while Bar Rio invites guests to indulge in a carefully crafted cocktail. Bar Sol sits beside the hotel’s shimmering rooftop infinity pool and treats guests to a panoramic view of the city’s skyline and the Straits while they savour tapas and tipples. The on-site Satkara Spa provides a blissful experience for guests to unwind and a range of full-body spa treatments to transport them and reinvigorate their senses. Casa del Rio Melaka is also the ideal location for hosting unforgetting functions and a first-class wedding venue

Taking hospitality firmly into the 21st century, Aloft Kuala Lumpur is the country’s first-ever VR hotel — pop on your headset and strap in for some immersive 360-degree in-room gaming. The tiki-style poolside rooftop MaiBar (with frequent DJ sets and live music acts) is another highlight of any stay here, or you can drink in the W XYZ bar. And there are some quirky, themed, pop-up features, like all-pink and matcha afternoon teas, served in one of the four restaurants. Colourful, trendy and tech-forward, this hotel also caters ably for its “Little Travellers”, with a kid’s club.

Set on the top seven floors of a towering skyscraper, the Banyan Tree is a sleek and modern space that can be found in the very centre of the Malaysian capital. Clean lines and bright surfaces are enlivened with plenty of splashes of colour to appeal to those who are young at heart. There are just 55 rooms for guests to choose from, which helps to add to the feeling of opulence, and being attached to Pavilion Mall you are two minutes from shopping heaven!

Fully embracing the luxury and style of the Colonial era, the Mandarin Oriental is set in the shadow of the Petronas Towers and is sure to dazzle with its stunning marble-floored lobby. Guests should make sure they secure one of the spacious rooms that overlook the Petronas Towers so that they can recline in their goose-down bed and gaze out at the city. The rooftop swimming pool is lined with palm trees to create a real city oasis, while those who want to get back into the swing of things will love the indoor golf centre.

Conveniently located right next to KL Central train station, St Regis KL reflects the luxury and style of the 20th-century New York Art Deco theme. This includes wide spaces set with gleaming marble, lavish chandeliers and subtle yet evocative murals. Guests are treated to a personal 24-hour butler service and impressive picture windows that provide plenty of light as well as unblocked views of the city centre’s iconic attractions. Guests who book one of the couple’s suites will also be treated to their very own hot tub and sauna for optimum luxury.

Comprising 65 storeys and providing guests with views of the Petronas Towers, the Four Seasons perfectly combines style with convenience. The crisp white furnishings of each of the 209 guest rooms are teamed with light blue walls and textured wallpaper to provide a very light and airy look that creates the illusion of extra space. Guests can take in views of the city from the infinity pool that is set on the seventh floor, while this floor also boasts a large and fully loaded gym and spa. Lovers of authentic Cantonese cuisine will want to make sure that they reserve a table at the hotel’s celebrated Yun House restaurant, while a blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian dishes are served in the Curate restaurant.

Offering guests easy access to KLCC Park and Suria KLCC shopping mall, W Kuala Lumpur boasts a fun and friendly use of colours and style to make guests from all walks of life feel right at home. From bamboo chandeliers to warm LED lighting, the hotel has plenty of character while also offering pure luxury in terms of spacious guest rooms and sumptuous furnishings. Each room features a well-stocked minibar and a LED lighted cabinet containing tea and coffee-making facilities and wine glasses, while the en suite bathrooms come with large bathtubs and powerful showers. Whether guests are travelling for business or pleasure they are sure to love unwinding in the on-site spa, which comes complete with a sauna, while the swimming pool boasts uninterrupted views of the iconic Petronas Towers and sipping a cocktail beside the pool is the perfect way to get the evening started before indulging in a meal in one of the on-site restaurants.

Set in the very heart of the city, the Shangri La Kuala Lumpur provides guests with a luxurious retreat. The hotel’s décor boasts tones of gold, black and silver and every surface is polished so that it gleams. The main lobby is extremely impressive as it is set with a wide staircase and plenty of nooks where guests can unwind. There are 662 rooms in the hotel that fall into ten different types of rooms and suites for guests to choose from, ranging from the deluxe to the extremely spacious royal suite that offers stunning panoramic city views. The hotel is especially celebrated for its huge outdoor swimming pool, which boasts views of the Menara Tower, while guests are also treated to a modern spa. Lovers of fine dining are sure to be in their element as there are eight different excellent restaurants to choose from on the site including the Lemon Garden, which features a huge buffet including an impressive seafood section.