A new hotel suite in the city outsourced an excellent cafe and
comes with thoughtful service, writes Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan
THE best thing about Tribeca Hotel Suites in Jalan Imbi is Wizards,the restaurant du jour that serves delicious comfort food and excellent coffee, is on its ground floor. If you are unfamiliar, Wizards belongs to the same people behind Yellow Brick Road in Jalan Batai and Red Bean Bag in Publika, known for their food, coffee and relaxing ambience.
Long story short, whoever made this choice for Tribeca made a very good call.
The two meals I had there for buka puasa when I reviewed the property were excellent.
The chef did a great job with our fish dishes. My pan-seared salmon with sauteed mixed vegetables and tamarind coconut milk sauce and the pan-seared halibut were both done to perfection, with crispy skin and tender, juicy flesh.
My husband's lambshank was also nicely done, with the juicy flesh melting into the gravy. Oh, and my son polished his pumpkin soup - we ate the cheese-filled gnocchi because we thought he might find it salty-but otherwise, this simple dish made my baby smile.
The team at Wizards was kind enough to even supply food and juice for us for sahur and packed pumpkin soup for my son too.
LIFESTYLE PODS
The second best thing about Tribeca is its pods, little spaces in the building curated for different guests. The Jungle Pod is a little playroom and reading corner for children and toddlers. It's a small, non air-conditioned indoor playground where kids can play on the swing, go down the sled, wall climb or move along the monkey bar.
I thought it's a neat idea to have this space where children can play despite the weather outside. The space is designed to have fresh air, but if ventilation is improved, then the ambience is much better.
The Social Pod has a pool and foosball table and an area where adults can karaoke or chat with friends. Then there's the Zen Pod, an empty space suitable for a small yoga class or a talk forasmall group.
COMPLETE ROOM
The Studio Suite which I was assigned to comes with a washing machine, kitchen and a refrigerator. Having a baby makes staying in a serviced apartment-as opposed to a hotel — better due to the warming up of food that needs to be done.
The ample space in the family-sized refrigerator allows parents to bring fruits, puree, porridge or any other baby food that they might need throughout their stay. For adults, an option to cook can help reduce expenditure while travelling and cooking is economical, especially when you travel in a group.
There's a wooden divider between the sitting area and the bedroom so the layout feels homely. The sofa bed can accommodate another person.
OVERALL VIEW
The vibes at the Tribeca Hotel Suites is more business than family, given its central location, limited F&B option and overall layout, but the self-sufficient suites, with amenities for families and groups, make up for what it lacks.
Service is swift from the team - the baby cot, prayer mats and laundry detergent were delivered immediately upon request.
In fact, the concierge was even kind enough to send up my order of Truffle Fries from Wizards because I could not leave the room since my son is sleeping.
It's a nice place for a weekend stay, especially if you plan to shop in Pavilion or Suria KLCC but want to save on accommodation.
FAST FACTS
TRIBECA SERVICED SUITES
215, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
TEL 03-2727 2288
WEBSITE www.flh-tribeca.com
STAY From the Studio to the Pinnacle, there are 103 suites with space ranging from 47 square metres to 120 sq m depending on occupancy. The rooms come with full amenities — kitchen, washing machine and dryer, refrigerator and coffee machines (on Premier floors).
EAT It's walking distance to Pavilion KL and Jalan Bukit Bintang where choices are aplenty. Otherwise, Wizards on the ground floor serves excellent coffee and brunch you should give the cafe multiple visits during your stay.
DO Enjoy the different pods available at the property or walk out to experience the city centre on foot.
GO Walk to Pavilion or Lot 10 and feel the heartbeat of the city's shopping district. Otherwise, just Grab your way to anywhere you wish to go in the city.
HIGH The service is swift and the location is central.
LOW There is no comfortable walkway or proper pedestrian crossing nearby — which is no fault of the premises but the city planning — so walking with babies and young children could be potentially difficult, not to mention dangerous.