We recently had the opportunity to stay in one of Kuala Lumpur’s first ‘Post Independence’ hotels and did not leave disappointed. Opened in 1957 as the Merlin Hotel, it was well established by 1991, when it changed hands and became the Concorde Hotel, retaining their most popular features (and food) while adding new ones. The hotel has welcomed many famous guests over the years including pop star Michael Jackson in 1996, during his HIStory World Tour.
What’s special about the Concorde Hotel?
First things first! Yes, you can book MJ’s suite. But it was occupied when we were there, so we didn’t manage to get a quick peek.
Location, Location, Location – right in the green part of the Golden triangle, the hotel is within walking distance on the Dang Wangi LRT and the Monorail and very close to KL Tower and Petronas Towers, also a pleasant walk if it’s not too hot. We certainly enjoyed the view from our windows on the 13th floor. The Petronas Towers were all lit up for the coming National Day at night and in the morning they were bathed in the sunrise. 
The monorail station is less than 100m from the entrance.
The rooms
The rooms are regular hotel rooms, that is, the bathroom by the door as you walk in, with wardrobe and tea/coffee and fridge opposite. You’ll have either twin beds or a double/king sized bed with a firm mattress and two pillows apiece. So we slept well, partly thanks to the positioning of the aircon vents, which weren’t directed at the beds. All the charging sockets were multi-sockets and one was fitted with 2 standard USB ports.
The bathroom has been renovated with more up to date tiles and fittings with a walk-in shower. It’s clean and well lit, with a makeup mirror. Do be careful at the door, there is a small step. There aren’t any windows or pedestal baths, it’s functional with non slip tiles.
The towels are absorbent and soft. We specially liked that Hot and Cold are clearly marked for the shower tap and that the cake of soap is a decent size.
The Amenities
Concorde Hotel has a business centre on the ground floor, specially for their Premium Guests, who are offered a number of perks, including a private check-in lounge upon arrival. There are function rooms and a ballroom, close to the well equipped gym, which overlooks the pool on the Ground floor.
The Food
While we only had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast in the Melting Pot Cafe and pastries and teh tarik at the Pool Terrace, we did drop in for a look at the Chinese Restaurant, Xin Cuisine and the Xroads Xpress cafe, both of which would be good places for lunch or dinner. You can see more in our video above, or watch on YouTube.
One of the thoughtful little touches we noticed was the cards in the Melting Pot Cafe to indicate if the seat is occupied or not. Very handy, even if the cafe is not full, because you can ‘book’ your seat while you go for the first buffet round.
Special Mention
The Dim Sum lunch (brunch on weekends) at Concorde has been a feature of the hotel since its early days and they’ve retained both the decor we remember and the carts carrying the tasty bite sized dishes which are the stars of the show. This is definitely non-halal, but we’ll be back to check it out and bring you our report afterwards. The only thing missing is the fish pond outside, but they do have a big Arowana in a large tank to greet you at the entrance.
Economy Traveller stayed at Concorde Hotel courtesy of the hotel and Gaya Travel Media. However, our impressions and opinions are our own and we believe this reasonably priced hotel in a great location, ticks all the boxes for a comfortable and fuss free stay in Kuala Lumpur.
Bon Appétit and Sweet dreams.
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