Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Stay & Dine-in Package

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Stay & Dine-in Package

Monica Tindall

The Stay & Dine-in Package at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur has been a lifesaver this week. Many will appreciate it as a short escape from working from home monotony, but we had even more reason to be grateful for the getaway. 

While I’ve seen many benefits of working from home (no commute, no mask, no shoes), the extended period without a break from the same four walls has started to wear thin. To make matters worse, the construction site next to our condo is right at our floor level, meaning noise and dust are at a maximum. Adding tension to a tight string, night work has begun, seeing jackhammering of the sidewalk (presumably to avoid daytime traffic) occurring in the middle of the night. Interrupted sleep is not conducive to coping in an already stressful environment.

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Stay & Dine-in Package

Enter the sanctuary of the Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur and its Stay & Dine-in Package. Starting at RM1000 per night, guests enjoy a stylish and spacious room in the city centre, along with a three-course dinner and breakfast for two. Towering over 50 floors above the streets and with sound-proof double-glazed windows, silence is just one of many things we are thankful for.

Signature Sky Retreat

The expansive views of the Signature Sky Retreat at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur offer not one landmark tower but three! Merdeka 118, the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers can all be taken in with one sweeping gaze from left to right. You might enjoy these from the daybed by the floor-to-ceiling window or from the deep oval soaking tub!

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur’s Bath Menu

Straight to that bathtub… What better way to make the most of it than with a bath menu? The Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur team is ready to run you a speciality bath accompanied by various treats of your choosing. Mud, milk and herbal baths come with various refreshments and scents. We’re living up the escape with the Intimate Moments package, complete with wine (RM 358) or Champagne (RM 488). This tops the lot with its handcrafted sweets, essential oils, candles, rose petals and bottle of vino.

Room Details

Even if you don’t order from the bath menu, you can easily run your own with both foam and salts provided. There are even essential oil, burner and incense to complete the scene. Additionally, a chromotherapy shower promises to change your mood with colour. Rain, jet and mist water settings pledge to wash away your worries. Products are all in reusable pumps, Banyan Tree’s signature organic range. And, those spectacular skyline views are the touch of a button away with automated blinds.

But wait, there is more to brag about before we leave the bathroom. And, gosh, it might seem a bit silly to get excited over a toilet, but Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur’s rooms are fitted with TOTO intelligent toilets! I have not yet figured out the myriad of functions, but the sensor lid that lifts or lowers as needed and the heated seat tickle my fancy. Two days is not long enough to tire of the game of saying, “Open sesame!” and waiting for the lid to automatically rise.

Still on the bathroom side of the room, I admire the plentitude of storage space in the walk-in closet – our bags and shoes can be tucked away tidily. Very stylish are the lightweight cotton yukatas in a black and white print with matching slippers (that you can take home). Traditional bathrobes are hanging too, perfect for lazing in after your bath. 

Bedroom

The main room is separated from the bathroom by solid wood sliding doors. This is quite handy for our different sleeping habits, enabling one of us to complete a morning routine without disturbing the other still in bed. After the bathtub, and running a close second in appeal to the views, is the cosy king-sized bed. The secret is not only its grandiosity but soft goose feather bedding. It’s worth turning the air-conditioning down a few degrees just to snuggle a little deeper. 

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Stay & Dine-in Package

So that’s the “stay” part of the Stay & Dine-in Package… now for the “dine-in.” Both dinner and breakfast are included in the promotion. Guests can choose a three-course set dinner for two from Horizon Grill or a Japanese meal from Ebisu. We pick the barbecue menu on this occasion as we’re interested in trying some items from the kitchen’s Santa Maria grill. Having two menus to choose from, though, does tempt us to stay for a second night…

Horizon Grill – Appetizers

The Poached Tiger Prawn Cocktail brings me back to the 80s where it was a prized dish in our household. Living 600 km from the sea, fresh seafood was a rarity, and presenting the pink crustaceans in a cocktail glass seemed very snazzy (at least to a six-year-old). The team at Horizon Grill have modernized the presentation. Seven plump, firm and tasty prawns lay across chopped iceberg lettuce, local herbs and jicama. A delicious cocktail sauce with a hint of spice is on the side for dipping at your pleasure. 

Seafood Bisque is the alternative for appetizers. It’s a bowl filled with farm-raised baby abalone, a tiger prawn, seabass and sea cucumber. The lush, thick broth is served apart, allowing you to add as much or as little as you please.

Mains

Beef, seafood and poultry are the options for the main course. We share the Santa Maria-Grilled Angus Rib Loin (180 gm) and the Organic Quarter Kampung Chicken. Both come with roasted cocktail potatoes, sauteed seasonal veg and beef or chicken jus. 

We’re intrigued by the Santa Maria grill, which actually dates back to the 1800s. Once used in central California by ranch-owners holding feasts for their cowboys after a cattle round-up, it’s pretty simple in style. Basically, it’s a moveable (for temperature adjustment – closer or farther from the flame) large iron grill over burning wood. To be authentic, the wood should be red or live oak, and usually, only a dry rub of garlic, pepper and salt is used on the meat (no sauce). The seasonings combined with the smoke infuse themselves well into the rib loin. This thick cut of fine-textured beef with even marbling gives a full body and accepts the flavours nicely. The chicken also benefits from the grill, especially in the bold aroma with smoke reminding us of camping and barbecues.

Dessert

Granny Smith Apple Pie concludes the meal with a classic dessert. Sweet and tart apple slices are wedged between a light pastry. Cool vanilla yoghurt ice cream has a nice tang to it, making an excellent complement.

Stay & Dine-in Package – Breakfast at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

Honestly, I’m so glad to be away from the noise on our street that I’d be quite content with a hot bath and coffee for brekkie. Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, of course, offers much more than that. Breakfast is delivered at the time of your choosing and is an impressive selection of options. You can choose up to four mains from across the sections. A basket of fresh baked goods, cold cuts, cheese, and hot beverages are part of the standard delivery. 

Kick Starters

Sweet beginnings are found in the yoghurt bowl, almond French toast and waffles. The energy bowl is sweet yoghurt with a mix of cereal flakes on top. The waffles are a hefty double portion with sliced strawberries and chocolate sauce.

Bites Delights

Salad, dim sum, Bircher muesli and seasonal fruit provide the following possibilities. Hubby’s salad is brimming with rocket and lettuce (grown in-house), radicchio, cherry tomatoes, black and green olives, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers and mozzarella. Grated parmesan and balsamic are all that is needed as dressing. The fresh fruit today is jackfruit, rockmelon and papaya.

International Selection

We choose cold mezze and salmon donburi from the international section but could have also dined on nasi lemak, congee, tadka dhal or noodle soup. The Arabic platter holds hummus and baba ganoush with soft pita bread to mop them up. The Japanese rice bowl is filled with plump, short grains of rice below a cover of grilled salmon, tamago and pickles. 

Eggs Sensation

Lastly, eggs, just about any way you can imagine, ensure energy for the rest of the day. I can’t resist the popular avocado on toast, and hubby gets his carnivore fix with steak and eggs. 

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Stay & Dine-in Package Review

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur’s Stay & Dine-in Package is a brilliant escape from routine. We appreciated it even more so given the dreadful noise pollution surrounding our home. Considering pre-pandemic room rates, this deal is excellent with the inclusions of dinner and breakfast for two. The room is exceptionally comfortable, food of high quality, views superb and that bathtub, oh that bathtub.

Reasons to try the Stay & Dine-in Package at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur: an escape from routine; quiet sanctuary; fabulous views; every room has a bathtub with views; quality food; gracious service.

Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
2 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+ 603 2113 1888
[email protected]
www.banyantree.com

Find more recommendations for hotels in Kuala Lumpur here and stay up-to-date on the latest gourmet and travel happenings around Malaysia here and here.