Malaysia has been on my list for quite some time and I’ve gotten so close to it before (Thailand and Vietnam) but never had the chance to visit. So while living in Bali, I decided to hop on a flight and head over to Kuala Lumpur for 48 hours to see what it’s all about!

Stay: Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur

Located in the center of it all, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur will not disappoint you one bit. The hotel recently finished its renovation and let me tell you- your breath will be taken away as soon as you step through the main door. If endless marble, very high ceilings and intricate stair cases come to mind when you think of the word ‘Imperial’, then you know you’ve made it to the right hotel!

Let’s start with the room. We had the opportunity to experience the One Bedroom Executive King Suite on the 23rd floor and wow, I didn’t want to leave! As you enter the suite, the living room offers plenty of space to relax or catch up on work.

The endless views from the corner bedroom make any skyline fanatic drool (including me)! The bathroom in this suite is very spacious with a soaking tub and double showers. The suite also comes with a dressing room and another half bathroom.

The suite that we stayed at came with Executive Lounge access which came in really handy for catching up on emails while having a snack and drink. Sheraton also hosts afternoon tea in the Pavilion Lounge but fair warning- I would not advise going if you’re watching your figure! I have the biggest sweet tooth in the world and this was essentially my heaven. From the chocolate fondue fountain, to the array of miniature tarts, cakes and macaroons (so cute!), the afternoon tea was a pleasant way to unwind from a day of exploring the city.

Eat: Villa Danieli

With the new chef in town, Villa Danieli is the place to be if you’re craving an Italian fare during your travels in Asia. The restaurant is located on the forth floor right by the pool and garden area. As you walk through the doors, you may question if you just traveled to Italy itself as the decor of Villa Danieli is spot on!

Chef Frederico greeted us at the table and offered to start us off with his own creations off menu. Based on the Italian accent, I knew we were in good hands and had a feast ahead of us. The first  course started was scallops in pumpkin sautéed in pumpkin purée and I will admit- it’s not something I would order myself but this new combo was a big hit in my book. Next up was the beetroot gnocchi to share and same as the previous starter, not something I would order on my own but we were raving about the sauce that the gnocchi came in- so absolutely creamy!

The mains were from the current menu: Pollo Arrosto (roasted chicken with vegetables) and Filetto di Salmone (filet of salmon). Both dishes were very good but were incomparable to Chef Frederico’s starters creations. Can’t wait to see what new creations he adds to the menu. Due to the enormous amount of deliciousness, we decided to pass on desserts for safety measures (you know, the plane may not want to take me on board after all of this!) I’d highly recommend Villa Danieli especially if you’re craving Italian dishes!

See: Batu Caves

Although getting to Batu Caves isn’t the easiest (we missed the train by 2 minutes and had to take a Grab Cab instead), it was a worthy excursion from the city center. Dedicated to Lord Murugan, Batu Caves is considered the most important Hindu Temple outside of India and is a pilgrimage site for Hindus worldwide. There were a few Hindu ceremonies on going while I was there which was interesting to see. But beware  – you will have to climb countless number of stairs to reach the caves and while doing so, fight off the hungry monkeys trying to steal your water and snacks. I’m not a fan of monkey encounters but these were VICIOUS! I ended up booking it up the stairs even faster so at least I got my cardio workout in! I also didn’t realize that I will need to cover up for the visit so upon entering the endless staircase, I had to wear a sarong and shawl on top of my outfit. Needless to stay, the sun and 110% humidity plus the cover ups had me sweating buckets.

Some blogs have said that Batu Caves is a ‘day trip’ from KL but in my opinion I’d give it 2-3 hours max. It’s not life changing but I did enjoy seeing a different, more cultural side of KL.

Visit: KLCC Park

For the best view of the Petronas Twin Towers and a pleasant place to relax, head over the KLCC Park. From the park, you will have the best spot to take those gram photos and have a chance to marvel at this 88-story twin structure. I opted out of going to the Observation Deck and Skybridge but the views from this park were plenty! If you’re tired of the heat, pop into the Suria KLCC for yet another mall (there are so MANY in KL) to cool off.

Although Kuala Lumpur is mainly a transit city for a lot of travelers, I enjoyed my 48 hours in the city. The rain storm did limit my exploring time window but I think I made the best of it anyway!

I was welcomed as a guest by Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur. As always all opinions are my own.