Review: JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Sandwiched between our time in Macau and China, my brother and I decided to spend a few days in Malaysia, as neither of us had visited the country before.

I’ve always found JW Marriott to be one of the most consistent brands in the Marriott portfolio. The brand places a strong emphasis on excellent amenities, and since we both highly value a good executive lounge, we often default to a JW Marriott whenever one is available in the city we’re visiting.

That strategy has served us well countless times, with the vast majority of our stays exceeding expectations. While our stay here was perfectly acceptable, we both agreed that, despite the hotel’s many positives, there were a handful of areas where it missed the mark.

Booking & Check-in

For our three-night stay, we paid the standard Members Flexible Rate of MR 2,044, which worked out to approximately MR 681 (CA$232) per night. Rates at the JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur tend to remain fairly consistent throughout the year, with significant increases mainly limited to major holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s.

Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for a free night here doesn’t make much sense. Most nights cost around 85,000 points, which provides a value well below our target valuation of 1 cent per point. 

Unfortunately, with the rapid devaluation of Marriott Bonvoy points in recent years, particularly in major cities and during periods of high occupancy, this is increasingly becoming the norm. Perhaps this just reflects the current state of the Bonvoy program and something members will have to learn to accept when staying at popular hotels in a prime location going forward.

The lobby is a grand, multi-story space, with the entrance to the mall on the right and the reception area on the left. We arrived later in the evening and were promptly assisted by the friendly staff.

During the check-in process, the agent welcomed us as Titanium Elite members and confirmed that I would receive the default 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points, as our lounge access already covered the Marriott Bonvoy breakfast benefit, so no choice was required on my part.

The agent noted that we would have the choice of taking breakfast either in the hotel’s main restaurant or in the lounge. While the Bonvoy program terms technically only guarantee breakfast in the lounge, it’s always appreciated when a hotel extends the benefit and gives guests the option to have breakfast in the main restaurant instead.

Location

JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur is centrally located along Jalan Bukit Bintang, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s main shopping and entertainment district. If shopping is on your agenda, the hotel is within easy walking distance of several of the city’s largest malls, including Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, The Exchange TRX, and Berjaya Times Square, with dozens of restaurants, cafes, and entertainment venues in the surrounding vicinity.

The hotel is part of The Starhill, a large mixed-use complex with hotels, residences, shopping and restaurants.

The hotel’s location also makes it a convenient base for exploring the rest of Kuala Lumpur. The nearest metro station, Bukit Bintang MRT, is just a five-minute walk away and provides access to other parts of the city.

However, we found the Kuala Lumpur MRT network somewhat disappointing in terms of coverage and ultimately not all that useful. In many cases, walking or taking a Grab proved quicker and more convenient than using public transit.

For visitors who want to be in the heart of the action without venturing far from the hotel, it’s difficult to find a more convenient location, with shopping, dining, and nightlife all right outside the door.

Other popular attractions, including KLCC Park and the Petronas Towers, are about a 20-minute walk from the hotel.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is located well outside the city center. Traveling to or from the airport takes about an hour by Grab or train. We opted for the KLIA Express train to KL Sentral Station, followed by a short Grab ride to the hotel, which we found to be the most efficient option.

Parking

Self-parking is available to hotel guests at a rate of RM 10.00 per day.

Room – Superior Twin Guest Room

We were assigned a Twin Guest Room on the 26th floor. The design and aesthetic are unmistakably typical of a JW Marriott, but the hotel originally opened in 1997 and was last renovated in 2017. With nearly a decade now having passed since that renovation, the room is still perfectly comfortable, but it’s starting to show its age.

Despite the hotel’s age, the main living area was reasonably spacious, with plenty of room for the two of us. The furnishings were also in good condition, and the twin beds were comfortable, with soft sheets and substantial pillows.

A couple of universal power outlets were between the beds, but the room lacked many of the modern connectivity features found in newer hotels, such as wireless charging and USB-C outlets.

Across from the beds was a wall-mounted flatscreen TV and a small desk with an office chair.

The desk area was sufficient for a laptop and featured a couple of universal power outlets on the side for charging devices.

On the desk was a welcome amenity consisting of some sweets along with a note from a member of the management team wishing us a pleasant stay.

Below the window was the minibar cabinet, which had a coffee machine, kettle, and bottled water on top. The in-room safe was located underneath, and a mini refrigerator was also tucked into the cabinet.

Moving back closer to the entrance of the room was a closet area that had plenty of hangers, an umbrella, a robe, and a spot to place a suitcase.

The bathroom had been nicely updated, although there’s only so much that can be done with the dated layout. It featured a single vanity, large backlit mirror, and attractive tiling.

The walk-in shower and bathtub were enclosed behind a glass door, with the shower featuring both a wall-mounted fixture and an overhead rainfall shower.

The bathtub was particularly unusual, measuring only about four feet long and crammed into the available space. It seemed to be nothing more than an afterthought, included just to check the box for having a bathtub, rather than a practical or usable amenity.

Overall, I found the rooms to be in line with the JW Marriott brand. While nothing stood out as particularly exceptional, the room was perfectly adequate, although it was starting to show its age with a fair number of dinged corners and scuffed paint. None of this detracted from the stay in any major way, but I certainly wasn’t wowed by the room.

Restaurants

JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur has four restaurants on-site. The only restaurant we had a chance to visit was for breakfast at Shook! The restaurants include:

• Shook!: International cuisine serving breakfast and lunch.
• Luk Yu Tea House: Authentic Chinese cuisine offering a selection of Hong Kong dim sum, and Cantonese and Chaozhou specialties.
• The Alchemy: A Manhattan inspired bar with an extensive gin collection.
• Shanghai: A MICHELIN Selected fine dining restaurant serving authentic Shanghainese cuisine with a selection of Chinese wines and teas

Something we found a little odd was that all of the restaurants were located on the same belowground basement level of the tower. With no windows, the entire space had an atmosphere that felt more like a shopping mall food court than a collection of restaurants at a luxury hotel.

I understand that locating dining areas on the lower levels of large developments is common in Asia, it felt like a missed opportunity. We would have loved to enjoy some of the city’s outdoor views and skyline while dining, which would have made the experience feel more in line with the rest of the hotel.

Along with the hotel’s own restaurants, there are another 20 or so restaurants, bars, and cafes within Starhill Mall. Across the street, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur has what seems like hundreds more, so there’s certainly no shortage of dining options in the area.

Shook! – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast 

We had breakfast at Shook! on our first morning, but unfortunately, we didn’t enjoy the experience. The buffet was largely picked over and wasn’t replenished quickly enough, and the overall atmosphere felt more like a large cafeteria than a luxury hotel restaurant. There were simply too many people for the staff to keep up with replenishing the food and clearing tables.

What was on offer was typical of a JW Marriott breakfast buffet in Asia, with plenty of Chinese and Japanese dishes alongside a good selection of Western and Indian options.

Just to emphasize, there was nothing wrong with the food itself. Just that neither of us were particularly vibing with the cattle-call-style feeding frenzy taking place in the restaurant, so we retreated to the relative calm of the lounge for breakfast for the rest of our stay, which we found to be a much more pleasant atmosphere.

Facilities

JW Executive Lounge

The Executive Lounge is one of the hotel’s greatest strengths, offering a comprehensive selection of food and drinks throughout the day in a much more peaceful and relaxing setting than the main restaurant.

The lounge also offers plenty of comfortable and varied seating, including armchairs, sofas, and dining tables.

For breakfast, you’ll find all the usual staples, including fresh fruit, yogurt, meats, cheeses, eggs, pastries, and more. While the selection isn’t nearly as extensive as in the restaurant, there was still more than enough for a complete meal.

In the afternoon, a light snack service is available with sandwiches, cereal, sweets, tea, coffee, and a selection of cold drinks.

For the evening lounge service, there was a full bar offering beer, wine, and spirits, along with plenty of food options including salads, pasta, sushi, fruit, and desserts.

As usual, JW Executive Lounges continue to be an excellent amenity in Asia, offering more than enough food to cover nearly three full meals each day, along with a comfortable place to enjoy a drink in the afternoon and friendly service from the staff.

Fitness Center

The fitness center is a modern, brightly lit space with a good selection of cardio and strength equipment, providing more than enough for a satisfactory workout.

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that this is a huge hotel with nearly 500 guest rooms. While the equipment selection is good, there isn’t a huge amount of it, and the gym can become extremely crowded during the morning workout rush. This can result in a lengthy wait for certain pieces of equipment.

Pool

The swimming pool is located on the sixth floor, set on a large outdoor terrace. Of note, it is a saltwater pool, which is fairly uncommon but a nice touch. Plenty of loungers surround the pool, providing ample space to relax.

Drink service is available from the pool deck bar, and several attendants on hand to deliver drinks directly to your lounger.

Spa

JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur features a full-service spa offering a wide range of massages, treatments, and amenities available to guests.

You can view the treatment menu on the Donna Spa website. 

Just past the check-in area is a nice relaxation space where you can unwind before or after a treatment and enjoy infused water, coffee, or tea.

Also available to spa visitors is a full wet lounge with a sauna, steam room, and two hydrotherapy pools. The facilities are complimentary to use and don’t require an appointment or treatment, which I always appreciate, especially as some hotels have started charging extra for access to these amenities.

Conclusion

I’m finding it difficult to put my finger on exactly what this property is missing. There was nothing objectively wrong with our stay, but something just didn’t quite hit the mark or deliver the usual fantastic balance of approachable luxury that JW Marriott does so well.

I think this ultimately comes down to the fact that the property is simply getting old. Yes, it has been updated over the years, but there’s only so much you can do with an aging hotel.

For the most part, everything was only just acceptable and passable, with the executive lounge being the notable exception. I thought it was easily the highlight of the property. However, I think many guests could overlook some of the shortcomings because the location is unbeatable, putting you right in the middle of the city center.

Our stay at JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur was by no means a negative one, but if I return to the city, I’ll probably look at other options before considering a stay here again.