InterContinental Kuala Lumpur Review: A Great 30,000-Point Stay
Updated: Oct 5
After my stay at The Westin Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok, it was time for the next part of the trip—a Thai Airways flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Once I arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, I took the KLIA Ekspres to KL Sentral. The train takes about 28 minutes and, for me, is one of the easiest ways to get from the airport into Kuala Lumpur.
From KL Sentral, I ordered a Grab for the final part of the journey. About 15 minutes later, I arrived at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur.
This wasn't my first stay here. I had stayed at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur about seven years earlier, but this visit would turn out to be a very different experience.
Booking the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
I booked the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur for just 30,000 IHG One Rewards points.
Compared with the number of points I've seen required for many InterContinental hotels in North America, I thought 30,000 points was excellent value.
There was another reason I was looking forward to this stay.
I had earned an Annual Lounge Membership after reaching 50 nights with IHG One Rewards, so this time I would have access to Club InterContinental.
Combined with my IHG Diamond status and InterContinental Ambassador membership, I was interested to see how different this stay would be from my first visit seven years earlier.
Checking In at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
When I arrived at the hotel, I was told that as an IHG Diamond Ambassador, I could check in at the Club InterContinental lounge.
That was certainly a nice way to start the stay.
Instead of checking in at the regular front desk, I headed up to the lounge, where I was offered a welcome drink while the staff took care of the paperwork.
Check-in was quick and relaxed, and the staff also took the time to explain the hotel and the benefits I would receive during my stay.
After that, it was time to head to my room.
My Room at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
When I opened the door, my first impression was how much space I had.
There was plenty of room to move around, along with a sofa and a proper work area.
A Desk I Could Actually Use
One thing that's important to me in a hotel room is having a decent-sized desk.
Since I often spend some time working while travelling, I appreciate having a desk with enough space to actually use my laptop comfortably.
This one worked very well.
The additional ledge to the right of the desk gave me even more room for my things, which was a simple feature but one I really appreciated.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was another part of the room I liked.
There was plenty of space, and I liked how the bathroom connected with the overall layout of the room.
One feature I particularly enjoy in a hotel bathroom is a rainfall shower, and this room had one.
It's a relatively small detail, but it's one of those hotel-room features I always appreciate.
Club InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
One of the biggest differences between this stay and my visit seven years earlier was having access to Club InterContinental.
The lounge is large, with plenty of different seating areas, and actually extends over two levels.
I really liked the amount of space here. Rather than feeling like one large room filled with tables and chairs, there were different areas where you could sit depending on whether you wanted to eat, have a drink, get some work done or simply relax.
Large windows also bring plenty of natural light into the lounge.
From the second level, you get a good view looking down over the rest of the lounge.
It was one of the larger hotel lounges I had visited, and I certainly wasn't expecting this much space.
Afternoon Tea at Club InterContinental
When I first visited the lounge, afternoon tea was being served.
There were a few snacks and soft drinks available, but I was also given the afternoon tea menu.
Since I was travelling by myself, rather than bringing out the traditional three-tier afternoon tea stand, the staff gave me the menu and let me choose what I wanted.
Couples and groups appeared to receive the regular three-tier presentation.
At first I wasn't sure what to think about getting just the menu, but it actually worked quite well. I could simply choose the things I wanted rather than being served items I might not eat.
I tried an egg and cheese sandwich along with some of the mango tarts.
The food was very good, but what stood out even more was the service. The lounge staff were excellent throughout my visit.
A Very Different Stay Seven Years Later
This was my second stay at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, with my first visit taking place about seven years earlier.
That first stay was quite different.
At the time, I didn't have lounge access and didn't receive an upgrade.
Seven years later, after reaching around 70 nights with IHG and having Ambassador status, I was able to experience much more of what the hotel had to offer.
Club InterContinental in particular made a big difference.
Having somewhere to go for afternoon tea, food and drinks—and simply having another comfortable place to relax outside the room—added considerable value to the stay.
It also made my 30,000-point redemption feel like an even better deal.
Extra Security During My Stay
There was one unusual aspect to this particular visit.
An ASEAN summit was about to begin in Kuala Lumpur, which meant there was considerably more security than you would normally expect around the hotel.
Only the hotel's main entrance was open, while the other entrances had been closed.
It was a minor inconvenience and obviously not something the hotel could control, but it did make getting in and out a little less convenient than usual.
On the other hand, it certainly made this particular stay a little more memorable.
Final Thoughts on the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
My second stay at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur was considerably better than my first visit seven years earlier.
For only 30,000 IHG One Rewards points, I thought the hotel offered excellent value, especially when I added in the benefits I received from my IHG status and Annual Lounge Membership.
The room was spacious, I had a proper desk where I could work, the rainfall shower was a nice touch, and Club InterContinental was one of the highlights of the stay.
Most importantly, I found the service in the lounge excellent.
The additional security surrounding the upcoming ASEAN summit made entering and leaving the hotel a little less convenient, but that was specific to the timing of my visit and wouldn't stop me from returning.
Would I stay at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur again? Absolutely.
At 30,000 points for my night, particularly with lounge access, I thought this was one of the better-value IHG redemptions of my trip.
But my time in Kuala Lumpur was fairly short. Next, it was back to the airport for another short flight—this time from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and my stay at the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay.
This review reflects my personal experience during my stay at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur. All views and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
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