GTower Hotel

GTower Hotel is situated in a major mixed-use tower -- GTower itself is Kuala Lumpur's first green office building -- and like much of the architecture in development-mad Kuala Lumpur, the hotel looks about as inspiring as a mall. Upstairs in the reception area, though, the ambience turns to chic and sophisticated, with white modern seating and large black-and-white artwork. The hotel has cultivated an exclusive, business-friendly atmosphere. It's business center is billed as The Club, and is far more luxe than the typical computer rooms on offer at most hotels. To this end, the hotel isn't particularly kid friendly, and there are restrictions on children under 12 during the weekdays. It's not all no-nonsense corporate offerings, here, though, and the hotel has two bars, including a rooftop bar with a trendy lounge and city views. There's also the smashing Bridge Bar, which has glass flooring, mirrored ceilings, and city views -- the space floats between two towers and is something special to experience. Owing the hotel's prime location, a good deal of couples pass through here in addition to the high numbers of business guests. 

GTower is located on the upper floors of the GTower skyscraper on Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Ampang, a busy area in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The ground floor has banks, shops, restaurants, and bars, and there are plenty of other dining choices nearby. It’s a five-minute walk to the Ampang Park train station. The immediate area is one of the more swank districts in central Kulala Lumpur, known as KLCC, and the streets are lined with glitzy development of all kinds (and, of course, the construction that goes along with it). The city's embassy district is adjacent, and while there are shops and restaurants within walking distance, guests should bank on taking taxis or hiring car services to get around comfortably. The landmark Petronas Twin Towers -- home to the massive KLCC mall -- are a 15-minute walk from the hotel, while KL City Park can be reached in about 10 minutes on foot -- both are less than five minutes away by car. The Pavilion shopping mall is 10 minutes away by car. It's also about 10 minutes by car to the street food and local flavors lining Jalan Alor. Kuala Lampur International Airport is a 50-minute drive.

The 180 rooms and suites -- divided into Executive, Premier and Premier Deluxe levels -- are spacious and sleek, with a bit more personality than most corporate-minded hotels. Contemporary decor includes glass-topped desks and artsy black-and-white photographs above the beds. Color schemes are warm, but neutral, with taupe carpets, off-white walls, and mid-tone wood-veneer furniture with clean lines. Rooms also have a mod-style chair for kicking back next to the windows. All rooms come with 37-inch flat-screen TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, free Wi-Fi (dedicated Internet access is available for a fee), executive work desks, minibars, safes, iPod docking stations, and robes and slippers. The large marble bathrooms are equipped with glass-walled stall showers with rainfall showerheads, modern square sinks, and small flat-screen TVs (though, it would be nicer if there were tubs from which to enjoy the TVs while soaking). Additional striking black-and-white wall art in the bathrooms is a nice touch.

This business-friendly hotel is built around The Club, an expansive business lounge with 12,000 square feet of meeting space, curtained seating areas, and meeting rooms, which is also where breakfast is served (though breakfast is only included with select room rates). Aside from this, the hotel does have some features on-site that are more ideal for relaxing than hammering out deals. The Bridge Bar is suspended between two towers and has impressive glass floors and nice views of the city skyline. There’s also a rooftop bar with panoramic skyline views. The hotel’s Tanzini restaurant serves Italian lunches and dinners on weekdays and dinner on weekends, and there’s also the casual Bread Lounge for quicker bites and coffees. There are two small infinity pools, including one that adjoins the lobby, though it is not very private and views are of the neighboring buildings, which are under construction. The hotel has a large gym with modern cardio machines, plenty of weight machines and free weights, and private studios. Sompoton Spa has a full menu of beauty treatments. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.