Safe Staycation KL, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur

Safe Staycation KL

Monica Tindall

You’d think that after months of being at home that there’d not be a single job left for me to do. Not the case! I seem to have invented new ways to be busy and now that I’m back full time at work, the last thing I need when returning home is to be faced with my newly curated to-do list. While I’ve been content with beach and jungle travel, I’ve avoided staycays in KL city hotels as I am a cautious type. Faced with a collection of do-it-myself home renovation ideas and some pretty tough weeks back at work, I garnered courage to try a weekend staycation at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur.

With strict Marriott hygiene protocols in place and my own workarounds to avoid crowds, it was quite a pleasant and safe staycation in KL. I didn’t freak out too much or have disrupted sleep thinking about who may have breathed on me. Instead, we enjoyed the space of a suite and housekeeping, spent leisurely outdoor time in the pool and across the road in the park, as well as dined on some excellent food.

Suite

Having the additional space provided by a suite allowed us the luxury of movement and reduced the desire to leave the room. Two huge televisions and high-speed W-Fi provided entertainment we don’t have at home (no TV in our house). My favourite pastime, however, was seated by the bay window with views over Lake Gardens. Here I happily read and wrote for a good part of the day.

An advantage of a suite is the ability to close off the bedroom from the lounge – especially appreciated as I’m an early riser and hubby is a late sleeper. The bathroom too can we opened or closed off as desired with a blind and sliding door.

Bedding is excellent and the shower is worth a mention too. Instant, high-pressured hot water streams from several heads – rain shower, handheld with multiple settings (the strong massage stream is my favourite), and even jets from the walls.

While I’d much prefer to see reusable pumps for bath products, the sage body wash does have a nice gentle scent. Same goes for the plastic water bottles. I try to avoid single-use plastic and found an alternative here by bringing a couple of my own refillable bottles and topping them up in the fitness centre. I also recommend bringing your own shampoo and conditioner to avoid those single-use mini-bottles.

I hold in high regard Coffex coffee for the French press and Harney & Sons Tea as elevated options for the hot drink making facilities. We have no need to make them ourselves, however, as we can head up to the Club Lounge and someone will pamper us by doing it for us.

Le Meridien Club Lounge

Perhaps one of the most stylish lounges in the city, Le Meridien Club Lounge is an expansive 420 sqm of space. Walled in glass, it’s blessed with an abundance of natural light and views over the city. Hours are limited post-COVID-19 with the usual breakfast now only offered in one of the outlets downstairs (Gastro Sentral during the week or Latest Recipe on the weekends). Tables are distanced, all staff wear masks, and bites and drinks are delivered directly to guests reducing movement and hands on surfaces.

Executive chef Antoine Rodiguez’ canapes and a glass of wine entice us up for cocktail hours. I know many are fond of the abundance of a buffet, but I’m quite happy with the increased hygiene as a result of everything being served to the table. We have a succession of cold and hot bites and finish with something sweet. Table wine, beer and spirits are available and a seat by the window offers lovely light at sunset.

Recreation

As we gradually venture further out of the room, we explore recreational facilities and restaurants.

Gymnasium

The fitness room is always a high priority for me in a staycay. I’ve been avoiding even our own condo gym, however, so have a little trepidation visiting a larger facility. The Gym & Spa is currently only allowing 12 users at a time. Appointments must be made in advance, and it’s closed twice a day for the entire facility to be fully sanitized. Equipment has been marked so that only every second piece can be in use at one time. Both times I book, I choose a time so that I’m the first group in after the place has been cleaned. With the double-story ceilings and limited gym-goers, it feels quite safe to work out here.

Pool & Park

If you want to avoid indoor activities altogether though, both the pool on level 8 and the park across the road are options. Sporting the longest free-form pool in the city, there’s an abundance of room to splash (or lounge) about. Alternatively, Lake Gardens can be reached by taking the covered walkway to the MRT (you have to pay 80 sen to enter and exit), cross through the station and come out the other side to the National Museum of Malaysia. From there you can access the park.

Restaurants

Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur holds some of the top-rated restaurants in the city. PRIME is known for their steak and wine selection, Favola for Italian fare, Gastro Sentral for their modern pub menu, and Latest Recipe for their buffet spread.

Again, attempting a safe staycation in KL we request in-room dining to avoid social contact. It’s a fabulous choice for a Friday evening when the last thing I feel like doing is making myself presentable for a night out. With the additional space provided by a suite, it’s a relaxed time and highly enjoyable. Read more about that here.

While we could continue with in-room services for the rest of the stay we decide to see what systems Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur has for safe dining. At Latest Recipe, physical distancing is encouraged. Everyone wears a mask and only chefs serve the food to your plate. We add our own safety measure by avoiding peak hours (we eat before 8:45 am for breakfast, and arrive at dinner as soon as they open at 6 pm).

Safe Staycation – Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur

All in, we found the experience to be reasonably low-risk. If you’re looking for a safe staycation in KL, we can recommend Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur. The Marriott group’s strict hygiene protocols, coupled with my own caution made the weekend a relatively carefree couple of days.

Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Prices & Deals

Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur currently has several packages offering more than simply a hotel room and breakfast. Find inclusions such as a wine and dine experience at PRIME, and many others, here. Additionally, from now through 31 August 2020, Marriott Bonvoy members who book directly can enjoy up to 20% discount on rooms and suites for stays through October 12, 2020.

Marriott International has recently launched #JomCutiBRB across its portfolio of hotels and resorts in Malaysia, encouraging domestic travels as travellers eagerly embrace countrywide staycations. A Malaysian catchphrase, the campaign name translates to an invitation (Let’s Go On A Holiday!) in support of the local government’s efforts to promote in-country tourism. With a tangible footprint in some of the country’s most beloved destinations bursting with exciting experiences across various price points, the #JomCutiBRB campaign offers three themed packages – romantic getaways for couples, family packages for quality time together, and food and beverage for those who would like to indulge in culinary experiences. Following a renewed commitment to cleanliness for the safety of guests, the hotels are poised to welcome the return of travellers with these curated packages. The #JomCutiBRB campaign is available from now till 13 September 2020 for stay bookings from 20 July 2020 till 31 May 2021 at participating hotels.

For more information and bookings at select serve and premium hotels, kindly refer to this link: https://hotel-deals.marriott.com/malaysia-staycation/ For more information and bookings at luxury hotels, kindly refer to this link: https://hotel-deals.marriott.com/malaysia-luxury-staycation/

Reasons to enjoy a safe staycation at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur: Marriott hygiene standards mean all precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of guests and employees; excellent location; great dining options.

A Safe Staycation at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
2 Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral
50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.facebook.com/lemeridienkualalumpur/
+6 032263 7888

Check out more hotels for domestic travel in Malaysia here and stay up-to-date on the latest gourmet travel happenings around Malaysia here and here.