Recently in Kuala Lumpur Category

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia.

When I was living in Langkawi, I started to purchase Royal Selangor photo frames as a memento of my stay in Malaysia.  I did not know a great deal about the history of pewter or Royal Selangor until a recent visit to the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre. Thank goodness that visiting friends force you to do a few touristy activities!

Founded in 1885, Royal Selangor is the world's foremost name in quality pewter goods.  The company employs more than 600 skilled craftsmen & women today.  Their pewter is made of tin, copper and antimony, but unlike the olden days, pewter today does not contain lead. The brand, originally known as Selangor Pewter, changed its name in 1992 to Royal Selangor to reflect its royal endorsement by His Royal Highness.
 
Your tour begins with an overview on the history of pewter in Malaysia.  Despite modern technology, every piece of Royal Selangor is still handcrafted.  During your tour of the factory floor, you will have the opportunity to test your skills with the professionals in areas such as hammering the perfect patterns onto the products that I was sure were machine produced, as well as soldering, polishing and engraving.
 
The School of Hard Knocks is a half-hour workshop where you can produce your very own piece of pewter, complete with your engraved initials, using just a few simple tools such as a hammer, mallet and wooden mould.  After polishing your new pewter dish, it's yours to take home with your certificate.  The class costs just RM50 (US$15)/person. Of course, at the end of the tour you can simply relax in the café or head for some retail therapy. With over a thousand different pieces available, you'll have a whole new appreciation for the time and effort that goes into each piece of Royal Selangor pewter. 

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia.

My family recently visited me in Kuala Lumpur or 'KL' as the locals call it! Given that they were traveling with friends and in town for six nights, I thought it best that they take up residence somewhere a little more heavenly than my lounge room. So, we headed to The Westin Kuala Lumpur's Executive Residences. With a choice of 63 one & two bedroom apartments, you are sure to feel at home here. Of course, all the things you love about Westin are available in these residences. There's Service Express®, WestinWORKOUT, Heavenly Shower® - a dual showerhead with five adjustable jet settings - and the world famous Heavenly Bed (which turns 10 this year) all turn this hotel into your home away from home - ideal for long stay visits to the city.

The Westin Kuala Lumpur, located right on the bustling Jalan Bukit Bintang in the heart of the city's famous shopping area, is an easy stroll to Star Hill Gallery, Pavilion and Lot 10 shopping centers. The Petronas Twin Towers - the world's tallest twin towers at 88 stories - are just a five minute drive from The Westin. The two towers are connected by an aerial sky-bridge at the 40th floor, providing spectacular views of the city below.

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia.

Kuala Lumpur Design Week is set to make its inaugural mark from March 28 - April 4, 2009. For nine days, the city of KL will play host to a number of events which have been designed to inspire and foster talking points within the community such as art installations, exhibitions, forums and workshops. Creative design has become an important national strategy for many countries and cities as a process to develop their own identity and to build national pride. Look at the success in Beijing and all of their newly designed buildings and national monuments built for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Showcased at KLDW will be Chris Bosse, one of the designers of Beijing's acclaimed Water Cube. He joins such designers as Stefan Sagmeister, Aya Kato, David Carson, Kuntzel+Deygas, Tokyo Plastic and Studio 4ºc to showcase and discuss their work. For tickets and more information on the event, visit the design week website. The official hotel of KL Design Week, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur is offering special room rates for the event, which is open to the public. Do you have a question about our Starwood Preferred Guest program? Click here to go to our forum.

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia.

Are you starting to notice a few changes at Le Méridien? One of the first - you will walk through - is our Transitional Portal. We are working on stimulating your senses from the moment you arrive. The transitional portal is designed to take your from the outside world and into our world, the world of Le Méridien.

Each Le Méridien offers you a different experience, each designed by an LM100 member. The artists have worked to create a unique feature of the destination. The newly opened Le Méridien Bangkok has transformed its hotel entrance with the unique artwork, entitled "Man with Poodle" by LM100 artist Ralph Gibson. Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur has partnered with An Xiaotong who has chosen the shapes of trees for her artwork. The tree shoots take names of cities and spreads them over the world, to express the idea that trees hold power that extend throughout the world. To complement this visual arrival experience, LM100 member, Henri Scars Struck curated a soundtrack which identifies with different times of the day. So next time you arrive at Le Méridien, stop for a moment, enjoy the artwork and discover more about the artists who welcome you to your destination city.

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia.

Recently, I traveled between Kuala Lumpur & Hong Kong and using the airport trains in both cities, I was able to leave Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and arrive at W Hong Kong with out taking a taxi or getting wet in the tropical rain storms of the day. Both airports offer very convenient airport - city rail links with airline check-in facilities in their city stations.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (or KLIA as the locals fondly call it), is some 50 kilometers or a 60-90 minute drive from the city centre. However, the KLIA Ekspress travels between KL Sentral's CAT (City Airport Terminal) and KLIA every 15 minutes during peak hour and every 20 minutes off-peak. The journey will take you just 28 minutes. The KL CAT allows you to check-in for your flight between 2 and 12 hours before your scheduled departure time. Your luggage is tagged to your final destination, saving you carrying your bags to the airport. The train staff takes care of this for you!

So, next time you are arriving or departing KL, try the KLIA Ekspress. Tickets are RM35/way (approx: US$10/way). First train departs at 5:00 am whilst the last train departs KL Sentral at 12:30 am (midnight) or KLIA at 01:00am.

The Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur is located at KL Sentral and is within walking distance of the CAT station, while The Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur and The Westin Kuala Lumpur are a short taxi ride from KL Sentral.

It's time once again to take a fall break, and this year, why not think big? There's nothing wrong with a few days of leaf-peeping and apple-picking, but a weekend in Malaysia might be nice too. It's not as crazy as it sounds, thanks to Starpicks. That's because the Westin Kuala Lumpur is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends. The weather in "KL" is balmy and comfortable this time of year, and there's plenty to do around town. Art lovers, for example, will want to drop by the National Museum, which holds the country's most impressive collection of Malaysian art and artifacts, while fans of classical music might appreciate a performance by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, which plays in the elegant Petronas Philharmonic Hall. But for those who just want some rest and relaxation, it's hard to top the Westin Kuala Lumpur, which features the Splash outdoor pool, the WestinWORKOUT gym, and six innovative dining options. Whether you're into the traditional Italian cuisine of Prego or the modern Zen delights of EEST Asian restaurant, you'll find an explosion of flavors served up in a dynamic yet relaxing atmosphere. It's a nice way to usher in the new season. Of course, the Westin Kuala Lumpur is just one of dozens of Starpicks properties this week, so check the list to find the destination of your dreams.

Kuala Lumpur is one of Asia's most dynamic cities, with cutting-edge modern architecture and a pervading sense of history and tradition. Visitors to this Malaysian gem are at once awed by the ambition of the Petronas Twin Towers - which were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004 - and humbled by the serenity of ancient places like the Batu Caves, where early Hindu settlers created their own houses of worship. If you've ever wanted to visit Kuala Lumpur, here's a golden opportunity: the Sheraton Subang Hotel and Towers is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends. This exquisite five-star property has luxury at every turn, from a beautifully-landscaped swimming pool - with a separate Jacuzzi and children's pool - to a full-service spa, whose selection of pampering treatments includes the 90-minute Tanjung Signature Treatment and therapeutic foot reflexology. Fitness buffs will appreciate the hotel's Clark Hatch Fitness Center, which features all the latest equipment in a modern facility, as well as the lakeside jogging track and green nature trail, which winds through Subang Ria Park and has beautiful views of the lake. You'll find excellent food in abundance at the hotel's six different eateries. Whether you're in the mood for international/Mediterranean cuisine at Terazza Brasserie or sushi at Miyako Japanese Restaurant, you'll be able to savor tasty morsels in a relaxing atmosphere that's sure to inspire you. And as you toast the sunset with a cocktail at the Piano Lounge, enjoy the moment and then start thinking about your next spontaneous Starpicks getaway.