Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur

Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur is a five star hotel in the Golden Triangle, a short walk from the Petronas Twin Towers and the shopping along Jalan Bukit Bintang. It is built as an urban retreat rather than a city block, with tropical gardens around the pool and a lobby that opens onto a water garden. The mix of business and leisure suits couples, families and longer city stays alike.

Rooms look out over the city or the hotel gardens and carry a pillow menu, a fifty five inch smart television and marble bathrooms, the larger ones with a soaking tub and separate shower. Horizon Club rooms and suites add lounge access with breakfast and evening drinks, and the Family Premier Suite sets a kids tent in the living area beside its own bedroom. Executive rooms can be booked as a connecting pair.

Complimentary weekend family activities run from Friday to Sunday for children aged three to eleven, taking in arts and crafts workshops, family yoga, gardening, bingo and the SLKL Junior Chef session. Advance registration is needed and places go in order. Horizon Club guests take evening cocktails with canapes in the lounge, which stays open from half past six in the morning until eleven.

An outdoor swimming pool and a separate children's pool sit in the gardens and open from seven in the morning until nine at night. The Health Club runs from six until ten with cardio and strength equipment, hot whirlpool baths, a hydropool, steam rooms and saunas. The Spa at Shangri-La opens from ten until ten with signature massages, foot reflexology and detoxifying treatments, and there is a hair salon.

Seven venues cover the day, with room service running around the clock. Lemon Garden lays out an international buffet in a room full of natural light, Shang Palace serves Cantonese including traditional Peking duck, and Zipangu turns out omakase under Chef Kazuo Takizawa. Arthur's Bar and Grill is a Manhattan style grill, the Lobby Lounge pours afternoon tea beside the water garden, and Poolside Terrace handles the rest.

The Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC are close by, with Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Lot Ten, Starhill Gallery and Fahrenheit Eighty Eight all within the same shopping district and KL Tower a little further on. A complimentary shuttle bus runs from the hotel, and a limousine can be arranged in advance. Kuala Lumpur International Airport is forty three kilometres south, roughly forty five minutes by road.