I had a few criteria for the first hotel I would be staying in on my trip. I didn’t mind forking out for it as I was preparing myself for feeling awful after a 12 hour flight. Being thousands of miles away from home by myself, I didn’t know if I’d be emotional or scared, so I wanted to make sure I was staying somewhere that would be safe and comfortable.
Located in KLCC, Traders Hotel is situated in a circle along with other big name brands like the Mandarin Oriental and towers above the park in the centre. It doesn’t have a grand palatial lobby, but neutral marble floors and gold gilded lifts give me a hint of tasteful luxury before I made it to my room.
Let’s be clear: there was one reason I booked the room I did, and it was the view. Take a look at this:
As soon as I saw the gorgeous Petronas Towers gleaming right in front of me as the sun went down, any anxiety I’d had about travelling was gone. I literally jumped up and down and squealed before Snapchatting and Instagramming like a woman possessed. Every morning and every evening I must have sat in the armchair by the window for at least half an hour. It is impossible to get tired of that view.
My bed was enormous, and the bathroom was sleek and provided everything I needed for my four night stay. The temperature in Kuala Lumpur didn’t drop below 35C the whole time I was there, so decent air conditioning, plenty of shampoo and soft fluffy towels meant that I could perk myself up and get ready for the evening after practically melting during the day.
My room on the 31st floor was part of the Traders Club Lounge – a temporary membership scheme that allows you to access to the 32nd floor where breakfast, afternoon snacks and an evening bar are all complimentary. After my very local breakfast at Imbi Market, it was nice to have more familiar offerings on mornings where I wanted to take it easy. And the free gin and tonics in the evening went down a treat as I continued to fall in love with the Petronas Towers.
The most famous part of the hotel though is the Sky Bar. Literally everyone I spoke to before I arrived had told me to go there for a drink, even if they didn’t know I was staying there. Stepping out onto the 32nd floor, there is a crystal clear swimming pool, flanked by lounge compartments overlooking KLCC and the Towers. It’s one of the best views you can get in KL and you don’t even have to be staying at the hotel to access it.
Traders Hotel was exactly what I needed to feel safe, relaxed and excited about the start of my journey. Looking out of any hotel window will never be quite the same again.