Best Green Hotel to Stay in Kuala Lumpur – Element by Westin

Opened merely a year ago in May 2017, Element Kuala Lumpur by Westin is the tallest eco-friendly hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Located on the 39th-53rd floor of Ilham Tower (5th tallest building in Malaysia) on Jalan Binjal, Element Hotels brand made its debut in Southeast Asia through Element Kuala Lumpur with 252 rooms with views of either KL City Centre (think Petronas Twin Towers) or the rolling hills of Ampang in a distance.

We arrived late in the afternoon after we got stuck in the heavy rain at a nearby cafe where we went for brunch. Only the concierge is located on the ground floor, we had to take the lifts to the Hotel’s Lobby (and Trace Restaurant) on the 40th floor.

Element Kuala Lumpur has one of brightest and prettiest lobby that I’d ever been. Overlooking the fantastic KL city skyline including the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, the Hotel’s lobby has a large ceiling to floor window panes that allow maximum natural sunlight during the day, and turn it into stunning city lights portrait when the night falls.

At the lobby too you will notice the magnificent artwork “Life: Resilient” features Malaysia’s rich tropical flora, plants and sea life hanging on the ceiling with changeable lights display over the different times of the day. It was so magical to watch and admire this wonderful piece of art.

The Room

Check in was swift and we quickly got our key to our Skyline Studio at 51st floor. The room is large at 38-40m2, and the first thing that captured our attention was the large window pane with the stunning view of the Petronas Twin Towers and KL City Centre. As the rooms at Element Kuala Lumpur are so high up, the views of the city are therefore more mesmerising. I could watch the view by the window the whole day.

The Skyline Studio room itself is minimalist and functional. Another highlight of the room is the signature Westin’s Heavenly Bed which guarantees a great night of sleep. Basic kitchenette facilities are also available, with microwave, fridge, plates and bowls, standard cutleries, wine glasses etc. I read that in the bigger suites, full kitchen with an induction cooker and dishwasher are included in the room.

In order to minimise plastic wastes, the Hotel provided the NSF Certified water filter in each and every room, so that the guests could safely drink from the tap water whenever they want to, rather than throwing away mineral water bottles after finishing them. Element Kuala Lumpur is 100% smoke-free, hence the room is always fresh without the unwanted odour.

Meanwhile, the bathroom is very large, fitted with rainforest shower and organic toiletries. Perhaps in line with the Hotel’s eco-friendly policy, a bathtub is not available in this room type.

Top Tip: Choose the rooms with KL Skyline view! You won’t regret it.

Here’s another room type, the one bedroom suite with my video room tour.

Swimming Pool & Gym

The swimming pool at Element Kuala Lumpur is probably my most favourite feature of the hotel. This mildly heated indoor swimming pool is filled with saline water instead of chlorinated water, hence better to the eyes and hair. I also loved the mirror design of the swimming pool where one can see the reflections of all the movements in the pool. Furthermore, the edge of the swimming pool opens up to the beautiful skyline of KLCC.

A fitness centre, Motion, is well equipped for a good workout session. I was told that yoga and Zumba classes also available for hotel guests to join. Also, a spa will soon be opened to further enhance the Hotel’s fitness and relaxation offerings.

TRACE Restaurant & Bar

TRACE Restaurant & Bar is the all-day dining option and the only restaurant in the Hotel. We had a lovely afternoon tea and dinner there (detailed review here). Breakfast is also served here with wide spreads of local and western selections. I have a very Asian palate so I enjoyed their local’s dishes the most. I loved that they also have a customisable juice counter where you can mix and match your favourite fruits. Again, large window panes along most parts of the restaurant allow natural sunlight and beautiful views of the city to be our breakfast companies.

Getting Around

We drove to Element Kuala Lumpur and parked overnight in the building’s indoor car park. The hotel charges RM15 per day for hotel guests. Alternatively, the Ampang Park Station for the Rapid Light Railway Transit (LRT) is a just a mere 3-minute walk from the hotel which is also a great option to explore the Kuala Lumpur city centre by train.

The Hotel also lend out bicycles (with helmet) on a complimentary basis to guests on first come first serve basis. Since the KL Car Free Morning was scheduled on the Sunday when we were there, I made good use of the car-free roads around the city centre and took the Hotel’s bicycle for a spin.

Final Thoughts on Element Kuala Lumpur

The vibes at Element Kuala Lumpur were overall fresh and elegant. I love the eco friendly concept and the large window panes design that allow natural lights all over the hotel. The beautiful swimming pool is probably the most stunning feature of the hotel. I was told that a spa and ballroom are coming up next so I can’t wait to see more great features to be added to this lovely hotel.

Going green is one cause that is close to my heart (that explains why I love my Prius C), therefore it is encouraging to see hotels such as Element Kuala Lumpur embracing the green movement. It is definitely a unique niche that set this hotel apart from the already crowded KL downtown hotel selections nearby.

So are you a fan of the green movement? Either way, I’d recommend this sustainable hotel if you are looking to stay around KLCC for a holiday, or even a weekend staycation.

P.S. Big Teddy popped THE question here at the hotel! ;-D

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A big thank you to Element Kuala Lumpur for hosting our staycation. As always, all opinions are my own and I only recommend services that I’d personally use.