If you're ever in Chinatown Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Street, you will surely notice Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown, just a short walk from the LRT, MRT and bus stations. For those looking for a hotel to escape to for the weekend without venturing too far out, this might just be the getaway you need.
Just at the foot of the hotel is a plethora of cafes and bars just waiting to be explored all day. The ever Instagrammable Kwai Chai Hong lane is just a stone's throwaway from the Four Points' entrance as is the Ho Kow kopitiam that often garners a crowd of local visitors early in the morning.
The aesthetics of Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown was the first thing I noticed as soon as I arrived at the main entrance on the ground floor. The decor perfectly blended modern colours of gold, blue and green with the oriental touch of Chinatown. The standard SOPs (temperature and mySejahtera app scanning) are done at ground floor before I headed up to the 7th floor to the lobby for check in.
Keeping up with the oriental theme, the lobby and even the restaurant, bar and hotel rooms are beautiful done up with touches of local cultural designs and even historical photographs depicting olden day Chinatown. Natural lighting spilled in from the ceiling-to-floor windows of the lobby, lighting up the warm brick walls and vibrant colours of its sofas. If you want to take photos in the lobby to spruce up your Instagram, you can start from the moment you check in.
Going a step further, Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown has installed glass panels as a protective buffer between the staff and the guests during this ongoing pandemic. Everything in the hotel was redesigned to minimise contact such as just dropping off the card keys in a box upon checkout and contacting the staff via an app.
Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown also features Jann bar, well known for its locally inspired cocktails and view of KL tower, Quan's Kitchen restaurant on the 8th floor and Lady Yi's Tea House at the lobby. For fitness junkies, there is a swimming pool and a gym that is not without an oriental touch as well.
Similarly a wallpaper artwork created by Malaysian artist Loka Made featuring an artwork of Chinatown greeted me in my hotel room, right above my comfy king size bed. The room I got had the view of the national mosque and the old KTM train station. There was just something about watching the trains go by and the standstill traffic build-up while I just relaxed the evening away before venturing out to look for dinner. If you prefer, you can try asking for a view of the KL Towers instead.
Sleep was blissful thanks to the wonderfully plush bed with its many pillows and comfy blanket. I swung by the gym in the morning for a quick workout before my growling stomach demanded I seek out breakfast at the kopitiams nearby. I spent the morning walking around Chinatown to catch a glimpse of Petaling Street on a quiet Friday morning. The great thing about staying at the hotel right smack in the middle of Chinatown was that I got to explore the area for some street photos and head back for a quick shower before check out.
My entire stay at Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown was perfectly relaxing - the best way to sate my travel itch without having to travel too far out. I am sorely tempted to book another stay at the hotel just so I can enjoy a late night cap at Jann and at the bespoke bars in the area without having to worry about coming home tipsy. Jann also has happy hour from 4pm to 9pm while Quan's Kitchen has a reasonable customisable Nourish meal with one main dish and three side dishes or desserts at only RM33.
For those driving into town, Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown has its own parking floors at RM2 per hour while stay-in guests gets a fixed rate of RM10. Street parking was also available (depending on your luck) but if you're like me and want to skip the stress of traffic, just take the MRT or LRT.
All in all, I would say Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown is great for a short staycation for those looking to explore Kwai Chai Hong lane, its many cafes and bars as well as Petaling Street. Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown offers a great start point to seeing what Chinatown has for locals.
Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown
Address: 2 Jalan Balai Polis, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.