Hotels & Resorts: Alila Bangsar

Alila Bangsar #DaretobeDifferent

Text by JUHAN KAMARUDDIN Images by ALILA HOTELS AND RESORTS

Alila Bangsar, being Alila Hotels and Resorts’ first entry into Malaysia, has been much anticipated by discerning travellers and proponents of tasteful luxury in the country. This hotel – which has just been opened under a year – is a contemporary urban retreat, a combination of worldclass sumptuous functionality that meets assiduous Eastern flair, accents, and sensibilities. Alila, which means “Surprise” in Sanskrit, suitably describes the refreshing character of its properties and guests’ reaction as they step into them.

Strategically accessible

The choice for the hotel’s location is intentional because it is in line with Alila Hotels and Resorts’ own strategy to be ‘surprisingly different’. Occupying the top floors of a mixed-use development known as The Establishment and elevated above one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan districts in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Alila Bangsar celebrates Alila Hotel and Resorts’ signature charms and well on its way to become a destination in its own right. Since the brand represents innovative design and hospitality set in unique locales, it is only natural for the hotel to open the hotel in Bangsar, a vivacious and colourful area full of character and remarkably accessible via public and private transport. As a matter of fact, guests who stay at Alila Bangsar can conveniently walk up to the RapidKL light rail transit (LRT) station connected to the hotel via a link bridge to reach the city’s transport hub, KL Sentral, or KL’s other popular landmarks, attractions and neighbourhoods.

A unique bolthole

The property seems to have been designed for the purpose of sheltering and protecting guests from the cacophony and humdrum of urbanity. Neutral, muted, earthen and soothing tones are employed throughout the hotel to evoke tranquillity and encourage guests to return to their centre. The entire hotel is imbued with South East Asian archipelagic exoticism expressed in an understated manner as a tribute to Alila’s roots and brand essence. There are many nooks that invite guests to contemplate and meditate, which guests may find therapeutic and even monastic. Those who feel their senses are constantly being assaulted will find Alila Bangsar’s interiors palliative. On top of attracting those who are desperately in need of respite from the daily grind, the hotel is a haven for lovers of minimalism, wabi-sabi and Zen-inspired aesthetics through its clean lines, spaciousness and utilisation of materials that age well.

To check in, guests need to take the fast and impressively smooth elevators that whisk them from the ground floor up to the lobby on level 41, which also happens to be where the inspiring restaurant Entier and alluring 20th century cocktail lounge and bar Pacific Standard are situated. Guests will also be able to locate the hotel’s incredibly inviting swimming pool with natural light where they can unwind amidst tropical-style landscaping, luxurious loungers with city views and smart gym overlooking the city skyline from level 40. The hotel’s public areas are designed with triple-height ceiling that let in more natural light to brighten up the interiors and uplift guests’ mood.

After checking in, as guests step out of the elevator on their respective floors to head to their rooms, they will be greeted by a cosy space aptly called ‘Alila Living Room’ where they can frolic and treat it like, well, their own living room complete with local titbits and free-flowing refreshments like coffee, juices and drinking water throughout the day, all prepared by dedicated butlers. It also means that gregarious guests could use the space to socialise and make new friends, deemed as an added value by today’s travellers, particularly among millennials.

Meticulously designed by internationally renowned duo Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu, the hotel’s 143 guestrooms balance privacy and streams of natural light with rooftop views of the surrounding neighbourhood. The rooms come with double-height ceiling and extra large king-sized beds for more restful slumber. The wooden accessories inside the room such as waste bins, trays, tissue box, vanity stool, and bedside box elicit a particularly intimate and unique sense of place, reminding guests that they are currently staying at a reputable property within South East Asia. At the same time, the bathroom sports granite flooring while its walls are cladded with clinical white tiles as an assurance of the hotel’s uncompromising level of hygiene.

When it comes to dining, guests should head to the avant-garde French restaurant Entier (http://www. entierfrenchdining.com/) for simple yet fulfilling breakfast spread and casual yet polished dining for the rest of the day. Helmed by Chef Masashi Hirouchi who was the Chef at the two Michelinstarred L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London for five years, the dishes served during lunch and dinner innovatively infuses internationally-inspired menu and techniques with fresh, local and organically grown ingredients. Among the signature dishes that guests are recommended to try are the flavourful Sawara Fish (pan-seared mackerel fillet plated with sauce and puree with subtle yet invigorating hint of stink bean) and the gratifying whole Maine lobster. Another restaurant worth trying out is Botanica + Co (https://www.botanica. com.my/restaurant/), which serves up wholesome international and Asian fare in generous portions.

Sustainability is key

Alila Bangsar is big on sustainability, which is one of the pillars of Alila Hotels and Resorts, hence the hotel strikes a chord with travellers who are environmentally-savvy. For instance, you will find the bathing amenities like shampoo, conditioner and bath gel all contained in refillable containers with pump dispensers to eliminate the usage of single use plastic bottles that need to be discarded once their contents are finished, as normally practiced by many accommodation providers. The customary drinking water that hotels normally provide in the rooms for guests are filled in bottles made from glass instead of plastic to conscientiously reduce waste.

On the same note, the hotel also implements IPTV technology, whereby guests can obtain information regarding the destination and facilities, as well as ordering room service, simply from their in-room television sets to limit the use of paper. A Press Reader app will be made available soon too so that guests can read magazines and newspapers directly from a mobile phone or tablet, including e-check-in via iPad and paperless invoicing.

Conclusion

Alila Bangsar is a boutique property that could even be classified as a unique urban sanctuary that sets its own terms. As one of the few bastions of refined, uncluttered chic ever to be found in Kuala Lumpur that dares to be different, sophisticated travellers at home and abroad are bound to be surprised and smitten by the hotel’s quiet elegance, discreet finesse and unpretentiousness with sustainability at its core.

For more information, please visit https:// www.alilahotels.com/bangsar and https:// www.alilahotels.com/.