Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park
Monica Tindall
We’re fresh from a staycation at what we think might be KL’s coolest hotel, Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park. The IHG Hotels & Resorts property delivers the quality the brand is known for while celebrating design deeply rooted in the city’s vibrant spirit. Furthermore, it’s conveniently planted in the city centre yet removed from the noise and traffic with its location across the road from Bukit Nanas forest reserve. Rooms, location, service and food furnish plentiful reasons to sign up for a weekend getaway or be a tourist in your own city.
Location: City Chic Meets Nature’s Embrace
Hotel Indigo occupies a prime spot in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle. It’s across the road from the iconic KL Tower and the peaceful green Bukit Nanas forest reserve. Few KL hotels can boast this unique juxtaposition of urban energy and natural serenity. You can spend your mornings amidst the towering skyscrapers and pulsating city life, then retreat to the tranquillity of the nearby forest for an afternoon hike. End or start your day atop the KL Tower, taking in a birds-eye view of the sprawling city and appreciating just how central Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park is.
Design: A Celebration of Local Culture
Unlike many international brands, Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park feels more like a boutique experience than one of 150 others worldwide. The key is that each property is designed specifically to mirror the neighbourhood, with no two blueprints alike. Rather than walking into a room that could be anywhere in the world, the Indigo concept is to honour local culture through its design elements. Upcycled art pieces throughout the hotel showcase the work of Malaysian artists, not only in a nod to national talent but also in appreciation of sustainability. One wall features melted plastic bottle tops that incredibly resemble blown glass. Another piece comprises painted newspaper folds, while another uses pages from old Chinese calendars.
Luscious greenery throughout the hotel adds to the local flavour. The lobby hosts a large plant wall, plenty of potted plants, and verdant landscaping that literally creates a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere is warm and inviting while also feeling hip and contemporary.
A Room with a View (and So Much More)
The respect for local continues in the rooms with some incredibly good-looking aesthetics. Rooms have splashes of colour thanks to the subtle use of Peranakan tiles and mottled glass sliding doors. Old school cabinets are filled with ceramic cups reminiscent of those found in your grandfather’s favourite kopitiam. Even the dining table is shaped like a giant cangkak game (a popular game where small pebbles or beads are moved around the board). The mix of contemporary conveniences while honouring Malaysian culture is done tastefully.
Even the towel-folding art is different from the usual. There are no elephants or swans here—instead, we find a silver-leaf monkey reclining casually against the window sill and a puppy eagerly awaiting our arrival on the bed.
A range of rooms, from standard to corner suites with spectacular views, suit various needs. We’re in a corner suite with an expansive window that frames a breathtaking view of the Kuala Lumpur Tower, Merdeka 118 (a.k.a. the pineapple and walkie-talkie in our house), lush tropical foliage, and the rooftops of Chinatown. Waking up to that panorama every morning is an absolute delight.
The room is impeccably appointed with plush bedding, a separate walk-in closet, a work area, an armchair and sofa, two large televisions, a living area with a mini bar, an espresso machine, and complimentary tea and instant coffee. Double blinds completely block the light, with one blind made of opaque material. At the same time, the other is translucent, letting some light in while still providing privacy.
The bathroom is one of the best in the city. It’s compact but extremely well-designed, with double basins, a high-pressure instant hot water shower, and a magnificent bathtub with motifs reflected in the sinks. Bath bombs, salts, and loofahs are provided, and there is a view of both towers and sprawling treetops. We appreciate quality products in reusable pumps and water in glass bottles, reducing single-use plastic.
We love the room so much that we want to spend most of our time in it. Much of my hours are spent in the fantastic bath with a bath bomb, a good book and a glass of wine. Our only complaint, rooted in the fact that we have different time clocks as a couple, is that the attractive sliding doors with mottled glass resembling an old Malay house don’t block the light from the living room from entering the bedroom. So, if one person watches TV while the other tries to sleep, the flashing light can be disturbing. If your sleep schedules differ, bring an eye mask, and the problem will be easily solved.
Restaurants & Bars
Wok Star
As mentioned, we like the room a lot, so it would be tempting to rely on room service and not leave. However, Wok Star, Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park’s all-day dining venue, is worth a second look.
Breakfast is a mix of local and Western recipes. We’re impressed with the quality and the choice. Going beyond the all-too-common KL buffet offering under-ripe melon, Wok Star provides pineapple, watermelon, papaya, longan, pears, and oranges. There’s a fridge of mini yoghurts, granola, Bircher muesli, smoothies, and cold cuts. The bakery station features several varieties of loaves alongside some local sweets.
A noodle station makes steaming bowls to order next to an a la carte egg station. Salads, cheese, and several Western and local hot items top it off. There’s a coffee and tea machine for you to brew your own beverage, but waitstaff are also happy to make it for you. Milk alternatives, such as oat milk, are a welcome luxury.
Chef Ridzuan Hussin heads the kitchen at Wok Star, and he’s prepared a special three-course menu for our first evening. Celebrating local cuisine, the menu presents Indian, Malay and Chinese flavours.
The starter, a Pani Puri (RM M22) trio, sits on a round wooden plate. The crunchy spheres inspired by Indian snacks are filled with lentils and potato salad with a hint of curry. They are bedded with hummus, salad greens and halved cherry tomatoes. Bringing the garden to the kitchen with local greens supplier Cultiveat, the leaves couldn’t be any fresher, plucked seconds before serving. It’s an innovative beginning, comforting and fresh at the same time.
Chef Ridzuan fondly recalls school lunches and picnics packed by his mum in tiffin carriers. As such, he brings this memory to the table in a three-tiered tiffin carrying fried rice, steamed chicken with ginger and wok-fried vegetables (these are available on the menu as main meals, but here we have a convenient tasting set). He’s adjusted the spice levels, making the recipes easily palatable for spice-aversive palates. The steamed chicken roulades are tender, moist, and covered with shredded fried ginger. The veggies are fresh chunks of broccoli, carrot, bok choy, and mushrooms quickly wok-fried in a light oyster sauce, ensuring each retains a lively crunch. Lastly, the village fried rice is dotted with long beans, carrots, water spinach, shrimp and omelette. Black pepper adds a touch of heat to the rice, but we like it most when mixed together with the sauces of the vegetables and chicken.
Apam Balik Cheese & Avocado (RM 22) is a level up from your typical night market peanut pancake snack. The finger-size folds are filled with crushed peanuts, gula Melaka, avocado, cheddar cheese and teh terik sauce. A little pandan paste is also on the bottom, sticking each bite to the plate. A side of berries, cookie crumbs, and artistic sauce stripes add creative flair. Surprisingly, it is not too sweet, unlike the majority of Malay desserts. I manage to eat both turnovers. For someone who doesn’t usually eat sweets, that’s saying something.
As with most quality hotels, the kitchen can accommodate a variety of dietary preferences. With a little warning, they can prepare gluten-free, vegan, less spicy, and healthier options to your liking.
Silver Monkey
Wok Star is great for all-day dining, but if you want something more elevated, head up to Silver Monkey on the 24th floor. The double-storey restaurant is lined with glass walls, letting in loads of attractive natural light and also providing a 270-degree view of the surroundings. From the lounge and bar, both Merdeka 118 and the KL Tower loom above.
Chef Anas Syafiq gives us a sneak peek of future plans for high-tea, which will most likely be running by the time this article is published. It’s nothing like your usual, overly sweet tiers of saccharide delicacies. Instead, it has a much more savoury focus with a good deal of nutrition and decadence thrown in. In the platter we’re presented with, there’s Canadian oysters with mango salsa and ikura, a cup of hummus with sea grapes from Tawau, sago crackers with maguro tuna, confit egg yolk tartlet with a sesame dressing, cannoli with avocado in a baked crust, skewers of chicken pieces alternating with shitake mushrooms, mini onions, and a vegan tartare sauce. Sweets are provided in the form of a fresh fruit platter holding grapes, mulberries and jackfruit. Coconut mousse, drizzled with berry juice and chocolate crumbs, sides it.
Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park Facilities
Both the fitness room and infinity pool are on the rooftop, providing inspiring views at any time of day. The pool is lined with deck chairs and lush landscaping; even bubble jets are on one side. It’s a good length, plenty long enough to do laps. The gym features Precor equipment with several cardio and strength machines alongside free weights. Chilled water and towels are provided, and we’re happy to see glasses for drinks rather than single-use cups. And, yes, the gym is open 24-7, so there are no restrictions for those who work out in the wee hours.
Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park Review
Our weekend staycation at Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park was worth every penny. It provides the perfect blend of luxury, cultural immersion, and a touch of nature, all within the heart of the city. Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or a local seeking a refreshing escape, the hotel offers an experience that is both enriching and unforgettable.
Reasons to stay at Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park: gorgeous one-of-a-kind design; splurge on a suite with a bathtub and tower views – the dip, sip and gaze are well worth it; excellent location both for travellers or residents wanting a staycation escape alike; fantastic service, from the guards helping us take photos at the entrance to the reception staff to the kindly wait team making me an endless stream of oat milk lattes in the morning; inspirational upcycled art pieces; currently one of the coolest stays in the city.
Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park
5, Jalan Puncak, Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
@hotelindigokualalumpur Link to Google Map
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