The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur’s uber premium service leaves a lasting impression on Syahirah Mokhtazar
I HAVE heard nothing but good things about the newly built St. Regis which opened its doors in Kuala Lumpur in May last year. Many say it is the new “it” place to be seen in.
Glamorous, lavish and majestic are some of the words others use to describe their experience there. Finally, I’m off to my first St. Regis experience!
The St. Regis brand is known worldwide for its unrivalled luxury and bespoke service. For modern connoisseurs who desire the finest expression of service, this is the place to be.
The uber-premium service begins even before I arrive at the hotel. I receive an introductory email from the hotel head butler asking me to confirm my flight arrival and if I need airport transfer to the hotel. Though I don’t need this service as I am staying in KL, I am impressed by the service.
ART AND LUXURY
Walking into the St. Regis is like stepping into a world of ultimate elegance and grandeur. Even the air smells expensive! Inspired by a luxurious Manhattan apartment, the hotel features a timeless design created with a historical context and a great sense of opulence.
Standing in one of the two lobbies (one for hotel guests, the other for St. Regis residents), I spot the monumental 3.5m horse sculpture by Fernando Botero standing tall in the middle of the drawing room, where guests usually have high tea and breakfast.
But that’s not the only extravagant piece of artwork in the hotel. The hotel brand has a reputation for its impeccable taste in art; walk around the hotel and you’ll find other artworks such as Grace Thunders, a specially commissioned diptych of two 4.9m hand-etched leather murals by Mark Evans depicting a powerful polo charge, and my favourite — a three-dimensional Birds and Butterflies artwork by Barnaby Hosking on a wall.
It’s a luxury hotel with a long and rich past that influences its present grandeur and noble attitude. The St. Regis brand is owned by the Astor family, a prominent family from New York. The rituals and traditions carried out today at the hotel are drawn from the traditions of the very first St. Regis in New York.
The hotel, for example, has a diamond theme to celebrate Caroline Astor’s deep love of diamonds. Caroline was the matriarch of the male line of American Astors.
My butler (every guest is entitled to a butler) brings me to my suite. I fall in love with it the minute I walk in. This suite cleverly combines modern day glamour with classic elegance.
He shows me around the living room which contains a study desk, plush rich sofas, a dining table and a well-stocked signature St. Regis Mini Bar Trunk. I walk into the spacious bedroom which has an adjoining walk-in closet. The butler asks me if I would like my clothes to be unpacked and folded. I’ve never had such personal attention!
Oh, and the suite comes with its own massage room. With a touch of a button, guests can request for an in-room spa experience. How convenient!
The bathroom is, of course, the best part about the suite. There’s a bathtub beside a large window, allowing guests to take a bath while soaking in the gorgeous skyline view. Just be sure to roll the blinds down at night to avoid peeping toms.
Before I leave for dinner at The Brasserie, my butler asks if I would like him to run me a bath to wind down before I hit the sack. I am certainly not used to this kind of treatment but I accept his offer.
After my sumptuous French-Mediterranean dinner, I return to my suite to find my warm bath sprinkled with roses. Aah, St. Regis you have stolen my heart!
A PERFECT END
When an opportunity to dine in one of the most sought-after Japanese restaurants in the world presents itself, you take it! If you ever make it to St. Regis, be sure to try out its two famous Japanese restaurants — Taka by Sushi Saito and Ginza Tenkuni. Both share the same space.
I have heard of the hype surrounding the Sushi Saito located in Ropponggi, Japan and how reservations are mandatory and difficult to make even for locals. Word has it that it can take up to a month to make a booking at this Three-Star Michelin restaurant. So when its first branch outside Japan is here at the St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, one must make the effort to try it out.
The restaurant is called Taka by Sushi Saito. For the uninitiated, the man behind Sushi Saito, 43-year-old Chef Takashi Saito is the youngest Three-Star Michelin sushi chef in the world. But of course, reservations here aren’t as difficult as in Japan, just call the restaurant to book your seat.
I expect nothing less of this six-star hotel. Taka by Sushi Saito is manned by three experienced Japanese chefs trained by Chef Saito, while Saito visits Malaysia four times a week. If you are lucky, you may get to feast on fresh sushi made by the magical hands of Takashi Saito.
The ingredients are personally chosen by Chef Saito and flown to KL three times a week. He is known to source the freshest ingredients from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.
I’ve never dined in a Three-Star Michelin restaurant before so I can definitely tick this off my bucket list!
Taka by Sushi Saito’s offerings mirror those served in the restaurant in Tokyo. These include Saito’s trademark dishes such as the abalone (awabi), octopus (tako) tuna (toro), sea eel (anago) and egg (tamago). It’s an omakase menu which means it changes based on seasonal ingredients.
The chef prepares me the flounder, fatty tuna, arc shell, sea eel and tamago. Maybe it’s the Saito factor, but my oh my the sushi is heavenly. The taste of the fatty, fluffy meat that melts in my mouth like butter haunts me. Expect to spend around RM1,000 when you dine here! Despite the hefty price tag, it’s an experience I will never forget.
Taka by Sushi Saito is located around a 300-year-old Hinoki counter surrounded by 16 seats, while Ginza Tenkuni offers 12.
When dining in the private rooms, diners can order dishes from both Taka by Sushi Saito and Ginza Tenkuni.
Ginza Tenkuni is a veteran of tempura. It’s been serving edo-style tempura for over 130 years in Tokyo. Since its inception in 1885, the tempura establishment located at the Ginza main street has evolved from a small street stall to a six-storey building, earning the moniker tenkuni (veterans of tempura).
The Ginza Tenkuni at St. Regis also offers the omakase menu option. The chef prepares me the tiger prawn (kuruma ebi), garfish (kisu), prawn fritter with rice (kakiage don) and the traditional miso soup (miso shiru).
Diners can expect top class cuts of seafood and vegetables which are airily battered with a superior blend of sesame and corn oil. A skilled chef can tell how hot the oil is just by listening to the crackling. The most magical part about this sought after tempura? It does not leave any oil stain on the plate, despite being deep fried. Again, it takes a highly skilled chef to accomplish such results.
Guests have two choices of dips — the popular tentsuyu dipping sauce with grated radish or dunk it in salt with lemon. My favourite is the tentsuyu.
Don’t leave without trying its sweet potato (satsumaimo). It’s caramelised on the outside with a golden yellow, steaming centre on the inside. Apparently it’s a favourite among the regulars but it’s a seasonal ingredient too.
THE ST. REGIS, KUALA LUMPUR
No 6 Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
TEL: 03-2727 1111
FAX: 03-2727 1122
WEBSITE: www.stregiskualalumpur.com
STAY: 156 rooms and 52 suites
EAT: The Brasserie, Ginza Tenkuni and Taka by Sushi Saito, The Astor Bar, The Dining Room Crystal
DO: Swim at the rooftop pool, or go for a massage at the Iridium Spa.
GO: Nu Sentral Mall and KL Sentral are walking distance from the hotel.
HIGHS: Uber premium butler service, comfortable rooms and attentive staff.
LOWS: Not many activities for kids besides swimming.
RATES: Rooms available from RM833 per night.