What is the best area to stay in Kuala Lumpur?
By Nur Yasmin Binti. September 21, 2023
Malaysia averages 25 million tourist arrivals every year. Kuala Lumpur (KL), its capital city, earned its place as one of the top destinations in Southeast Asia for travellers. “Kuala Lumpur” is a direct translation of “muddy estuary”, where 166 years ago served as the highest point for Chinese miners to transport tin up the river Klang. Today Kuala Lumpur is culturally diverse. Mosques, colourful Chinese temples, and vibrant Hindu shrines stand side by side with well-preserved colonial architecture and towering skyscrapers like the Merdeka 118, the second-tallest building in the world behind the Burj Khalifa.
Without question, the best area to stay in Kuala Lumpur is the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, also known as KLCC. Many choose to stay here because KLCC boasts a mix of stylish bistros, casual eateries, bars and budget-friendly cafes. While it’s fairly easy to navigate KLCC on foot, public transportation links; the metro systems are fantastic. Cheap city buses and e-hailing apps are available. If you’re looking for a chance to shop, Suria KLCC mall has luxury brands and mass consumer stores to choose from. Other attractions include the Petronas Twins Towers, Petronas Art Gallery and PETROSAINS Discovery Centre.On the map, which shows the most convenient area to stay in Kuala Lumpur, you can see a selection of some of the best located hotels.
If you’re interested in finding out where to stay in Kuala Lumpur, you may also want to know where to stay in Jakarta, where to stay in Hanoi, where to stay in Phnom Penh and where to stay in Mumbai.
Kuala Lumpur City Centre, the best area to stay in Kuala Lumpur
Best For - First Time / Tourist / Families
Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is perfect for foodies, families and first-time solo travellers. The hub of KLCC is the Golden Triangle which exudes the entrepreneurial spirit with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin building in the world being its main attraction.
While its impressive 452-meter tall architectural design of repetitive geometric and arabesque patterns represents modern Kuala Lumpur, the latest Saloma Bridge shaped as a Betel Leaf (Sireh Junjung in Malay) connects to the old Kuala Lumpur (Kampung Baru) from the KLCC Ampang side. Indulge in elegant open-air rooftop dining at Marini’s 57 or discover the secrets of KL through its heritage buildings like the 100-year-old Malay Traditional House (Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman).
The authentic fusion of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines are also within walking distance and are all vying for attention alongside luxury hotels.
Hotels in Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Other Areas to Stay in Kuala Lumpur
Bukit Bintang
Best For -
Nightlife / Street Food / Shopping /
Luxury Travellers
The trendiest area in Kuala Lumpur, known for its upscale nightlife, shopping and mid-range to luxury hotels deserves the number two entry of places to stay in Kuala Lumpur. Bukit Bintang’s BB Park in the 1930s was managed by the Shaw Brothers.
It was well known for its cabarets and dance halls. Today the seedier side of Bukit Bintang is polished with the posh shopping mall of Pavillion, built on a former site of the Bukit Bintang All Girls School. Other notable malls are Lot 10 for street food stalls under one roof, and Berjaya Times Square for budget shopping with an indoor theme park to entertain travellers with children. At night, nip over to Jalan Alor, a 15-minute stroll from Pavillion to sample Chinese street food in true Southeast Asian street style.
4 minutes away is Changkat, a street with pre-war colonial buildings transformed into hip pubs and restaurants.
Chow Kit
Best For - Street Food / History / Culture /
Backpackers
Chow Kit is typically less talked about than Petaling Street or Kasturi Walk by tourists. Named after Loke Chow Kit, a Chinese merchant who owned various businesses, including well-known department stores, gambling joints and opium dens, Chow Kit remains home to a cluster of local ‘Pasars’ or markets intended to serve locals.
With hawkers selling everything from faux branded clothes, jewellery, phone accessories, veggies, fruits, spices and lots of meat and fish, certain parts of Chow Kit is not simply a place to use as a base for trips in Kuala Lumpur for first-timers to Kuala Lumpur. However, in recent years basic hotels and guest houses like Momo’s Kuala Lumpur have been intentionally designed for Gen Z travellers with micro-rooms and community-driven events.
The Chow Kit Bazaar Baru is where you sample Char Kwe Teow, chilli Pan Mee noodles at Kin Kin and traditional Chinese pastries, the Sin Hwa Bee.
Pudu
Best For - Street Food / Taste of Local Life /
Adventurous Traveller
Pudu is shabby, the kind of area where people take busses, not taxis. It’s not the typical tourist trail in Kuala Lumpur and it may not be for someone who stays at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. But it is the sort of place where you get deep insight into Kuala Lumpur city and get a taste of local life.
Pudu is known as a working-class neighbourhood. Less crowded with tourists and hauling suitcases and is well connected to bus lines and rail lines. It sits next to Chinatown and Bukit Bintang and is home to the famous former prison with only the prison gates remaining and standing on the edge of a park that is part of a Japanese shopping mall; Lalaport.
Locals, however, know Pudu as one of the best places to sample street food besides Jalan Alor and is home to Malaysia’s 70-year-old largest wet market.
Mid Valley
Best For -
Extended Stays / Business Networking /
Digital Nomads / Travelling Entrepreneurs
As a digital nomad and a Travelling entrepreneur, being able to work from anywhere and for however long possible is the best life plan anyone could ever ask for, and there’s no better place than to live and work in Mid Valley.
The cost of living is affordable without any compromise to the living standards. Mid Valley offers a spur of rooms and apartments that you can rent. On average, monthly rent can be less than $1000 a month for a furnished one-bedroom apartment. Not forgetting, Malaysia is ranked third in Southeast Asia for Wi-Fi speed according to Speedtest, and Kuala Lumpur is the fastest city.
Perfect for Youtubers, vloggers, online tutors and remote-based CEOs. If you’re looking to network, Mid Valley has an abundance of coworking spaces within walking distance or an LRT ride away.
Golden Triangle
Best For - Luxury Dining / Nightlife / Nature /
Digital Nomads / Business and First-Timers in Kuala Lumpur
The Golden Triangle include areas north of Jalan Pudu, south of Jalan Ampang, and west of Jalan Imbi and Jalan Tun Razak. This includes Bukit Bintang, office buildings and home to some of the oldest financial institutions on Jalan Raja Chulan, 5-star hotels on Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan P. Ramlee where the KL Tower sits.
Just beside the tower’s entrance is the only remaining patch of rainforest reserve in the heart of Kuala Lumpur; KL Forest Eco Park. It’s perfect for short nature breaks within the city.
The Golden Triangle is a place which may not be for every city breaker’s taste, but for the curious with an appreciation of unconventional geometric building blocks, fully automated and driverless MRT systems that connect you to other densely populated neighbourhoods, and access to fine dining and street foods side by side, then the Golden Triangle is perfect for you.
Brickfields
Best for -
Vegan and Vegetarian-friendly Eateries /
Budget Travellers
Que Kuala Lumpur’s ‘Little India’. Brickfields is more than just displays of colourful bangles, DVDs of the latest Tamil movies and Punjabi suits. It’s rich in history and has vegan and vegetarian-friendly eateries.
As you navigate Jalan Tun Sambathan on foot, you’ll notice the fancy Menara Shell; an energy-efficient building with green features. A couple of blocks away is Nu Sentral, a mall that connects to KL Sentral with easy access to KLIA Express. Just across the road from Menara Shell and slightly to the left is Mr Naan and Mrs Idli, a vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurant serving northern and southern Indian dishes.
The paneer butter masala, idli and dosas are the highlights with fresh ingredients, no preservatives and no MSG. Other vegetarian and vegan restaurants to sample are the pocket-friendly Saravanaa Bhavan, Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan a slightly upscale option, or the 100% meat-free Ghandi’s Vegetarian Restaurant.
Ampang
Best For - Outdoor Excursions / Nature / Nightlife /
Travelling Families / Travel Couple
Jalan Ampang conjures up a certain image for many. Formerly known as Ampang Road, it is one of the longest and oldest roads in the Klang Valley, stretching from the west in downtown Kuala Lumpur City Centre through the suburb of Ampang in the East.
Typically, the modern architecture of the Petronas Twin Towers, colonial buildings with international embassies and Ampang Jaya are likely the notable landmarks that come to mind. Although W Hotel and Hotel Maya provide luxury accommodations, there is also budget to mid-range accommodations, making Jalan Ampang ideal for couples and travellers with children. Jalan Ampang’s connectivity to a diverse range of neighbourhoods provides a range of recreational and entertainment for families.
The Great Eastern Mall offers a quiet alternative for indoor activities like bowling and movie nights, while outdoor pursuits can be enjoyed with a worthy thrill-seeking adventure with ATV Rimba Kemensah.
Our recommended hotels in Kuala Lumpur
Use the interactive map to navigate through our recommended hotels in Kuala LumpurNote: Hotel prices can change daily due to promotions, seasons, and demand. Our $ - $$$$ scale shows the overall cost range rather than exact prices.
