A View to a KL

This might cause some confrontation, and I don't mean to offend, but I'm afraid to say that my visit to Kuala Lumpur underwhelmed me. I had visited Singapore first, some time prior, so I might have had a heightened expectation to get more of the same from KL. I didn't.

KL left me wanting more. Not more from excitement, but more from the 'Is this it?' perspective. I mean, it was good, it just wasn't great. 

KL Tower was tired, unkempt. Even the poor donkeys forced to trek people at the entrance were ready to roll over and sleep. The markets were too much on the wrong side of knock-off for my liking, historic landmarks were a check the box off the map, but lacked presence. Even the Royal Palace was sleepy. It was like I had found the Marmite of Asia.

I needed some bling. Some pizzazz to turn my tourist glass to half-full. Cue Petronas Towers. Cue all it's sky scraping shininess and shoppingness. Now we were talking. I'm usually a creature of culture and prefer a little heritage to complement my love of über modernity but, being blatantly honest, this was the one thing that impressed me in KL.

As luck would have it, my now half-full glass was practically overflowing with Petronas, courtesy of a stay in the KL Traders Hotel. Deluxe Tower living, bang opposite Petronas themselves, it's like KL could sense this was my sweet spot and decided to bathe me in it. 

And bathe I did, right on the top floor cocktail bar swimming pool. Trust me, sipping martinis to a backdrop like this is something you will not forget. Food, service, comfort, design - Traders KL has all the standards you expect from the Shangri-la group, but definitely leads the way for the Traders hotel portfolio.

Day 2 needed more than bling. I was thirsty for culture and escaped the city in search of some real Malaysia, to Bata Caves. This is a must-see if you are in the city. Climb to the temples in the caves, find your inner sanctum, you might even play with some mean cobra snakes. It's that eclectic.

So, I'm glad I visited KL, but it's a one off for me. I will never forget sleeping eye to eye with Petronas. The rest, I possibly shall.

'Til next time, Pandora

Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, KL
Photos: Pandora Skies