Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates – I had my wedding ceremony over the weekend and it was crazy. Now that it’s back to regular programming, I’m procrastinating by blogging instead of doing actual work, lol.

N and I recently checked into Citizen M Kuala Lumpur, a stylish boutique hotel in the heart of the city. This is the Dutch brand’s first hotel in Southeast Asia, so we KL-ites are pretty blessed! All Citizen M hotels share the same thing in common, namely location + comfort at an affordable price.

VIDEO REVIEW AND MY NASALLY VOICE: 

We start off with the self-check in process, which is done at computer terminals at the foyer. The process is seamless, convenient and totally automated. All you have to do is key in your details, pay by card or app, and get your room cards.  For the non tech-savvy, fret not as there are actual humans on hand to assist.

Doing away with the conventional rigidities of five-star luxury hotels, the hotel is quirky and fun, with cool inspiring spaces that are designed to appeal to a younger crowd. The lounge area boasts a modern and contemporary look, its open spaces blending into each other seamlessly. Every nook and corner seems to be occupied by some amazing art piece/installation or other, so Instagrammers will have a field day.

What I imagine my home to be like. It actually reminds me a lot of the Lyon Housemuseum in Melbourne!

Our room is small but cleverly designed and furnished to make it look more spacious – almost like a studio apartment. The platform bed is flush against the window, with blinds for privacy and to shield against the sun. Both the bed and the pillows are extremely comfy – not too soft (which tends to give me back aches) nor too rigid. Of course, the view of the street is awesome – I feel like I’m in New York, surrounded by towering skyscrapers!

Room amenities include a safe under the bed, a mini fridge, and these cheeky toiletries. Since the hotel is pretty tech-driven, you get a tablet that acts as a command centre for everything in the room, including the blinds, lighting, temperature as well as media such as TV and radio. There is also a ‘mood pad’ which allows you to select different ‘moods’, such as one which darkens the room and plays relaxing sleep music, and another that helps you to focus if you need to work. You can even adjust the lighting in the bathroom to suit different moods.

Breakfast is served at the lounge/foyer. They don’t have a restaurant per se, so you can basically sit wherever you want.

The selection is not fantastic, but what they do have is pretty tasty. For our meal, we had cold cuts of ham and cheese, bread, pastries, dimsum, chicken sausages and cereal with milk and fruit juice. They also serve salad, nasi lemak and porridge.

The bar island where you can grab a couple of drinks after dark is the most striking fixture of the lobby, thanks to the chess-like black and white tile flooring and red bottles at the top.

Bold, quirky and colourful best describe Citizen M Kuala Lumpur’s eclectic design. There is literally not a single corner that isn’t Instagrammable! In a way, it is also like an art gallery – N and I had a lot of fun looking and admiring each of the pieces, including:

Portraits of famous artists and designers such as Yayoi Kusama and Frida Kahlo made from folded paper art 

Hand sculptures depicting different gestures. I interpret them as a ‘story’ whereby everything starts off with A-OKs and likes, before ending in a handshake. Once the deal is sealed, the last hand flips the bird (I find it hilarious that they used an actual figure of a bird as part of the installation lolol)

You also get some sexually suggestive installations…

…along with something more blatant lol. Well, it IS a Dutch brand…

I am curious as to how a cock ring with a buzzer works. Aren’t you?

A whole collection of popular fiction and rare titles for the bookworms

The Mezzanine floor above the lounge is equally quirky and stylish. The meeting rooms are located on this floor, as well as workstations. The feeling is like that of one of those hipster co-working spaces in the Sillicon Valley, complete with sofas and stuff.

 

That being said, there are some cons to Citizen M KL. If you’re looking for the full experience of a traditional five star hotel then look elsewhere – the hotel does not have facilities such as a gym or pool. Parking is another con: if you’re driving, the only place you can park is on the street (if you’re lucky) or at the open-air carpark next to the hotel, which charges RM12 per entry (additional RM7 if you’re staying overnight.) There isn’t much security since it’s an open-air space.

If you’re from out of town and not driving, Citizen M has an excellent location. It’s steps away from KL’s famous food street, Jalan Alor, and the glitzy shopping district of Bukit Bintang is just a couple of minutes away. There’s also a 7-11 downstairs if you need to grab some Indomie to satisfy your late night noodle cravings.

Rooms start from RM220++ per night.

CITIZEN M KUALA LUMPUR

128, Jalan Pudu, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Bookings: Website