Where to stay

Malaysia is famous for its delectable Asian dishes. The Kuala Lumpur City Centre has some of KL's finest restaurants and cheapest hawker stalls. A popular, central hotel strip in this neighborhood is in the Bukit Bintang area. Those staying here can have lavish dinners in its top-rated Malay restaurants or stroll to the nearby open-air Jalan Alor Night Food Court to try sateh and other barbecued treats. The Pudu neighborhood just to the south has even cheaper hotels and cheaper eats at its humble Wai Sek Kai street market. The noodle restaurants of Petaling Street make Chinatown to the north a dream of a neighborhood to stay for those on a budget. Consider staying in Brickfields to the south, from where you can stroll to Little India with its delectable dahls and curries and upscale bistros. Stay as close as you can to the KL Sentral transportation hub to be able to visit all of Kuala Lumpur's dining areas by metro. Both Bangsar and Bangsar South have a great choice of upscale hotels. Head to the eclectic Jalan Telawi nightlife strip in Bangsar for a range of Asian restaurants, American-style burger joints and typically European bistros.

In Malaysia's hot and humid climate, the option of visiting an air-conditioned mall can be very appealing but the city also has some great open-air markets for discount items, crafts and souvenirs. The accommodations in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre are all close to the luxury shopping malls of Bukit Bintang. Those staying in Bangsar or nearby Bangsar South can walk to the Bangsar Shopping Centre and boutique shops of Bangsar Village, and reach the splendid Mid Valley Megamall by metro. Kuala Lumpur's ultra-modern satellite city of Petaling Jaya, with its huge luxury shopping malls spread out over a large area, is about 30 minutes away by car from the central hotels in Brickfields. Luckily, Petaling Jaya has many comfortable hotels too and, with the range of family-friendly attractions in the area, parents may never want to leave.

Chow Kit in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre has budget accommodations near its large Sikh temple and around its monorail station. Hotels in the central colonial district around Merdeka Square are within walking distance of some of the city's main galleries, museums and stadiums, as well as some of its most eye-catching mosques, temples and shrines. Stay in the nearby Kampung Attap neighborhood to be closer to the Royal Museum. The bordering Brickfields neighborhood has good hotels in Little India and around its KL Sentral station. To mingle with the city's Buddhist community, find a hotel in bustling Chinatown to the north. Those keen to escape the busy pace of KL can find a scenic hotel near the Batu Caves in Selangor, just a 30-minute drive north of Chinatown. These cave temples are sacred to the city's Hindu community and the huge Murugan statue by the steep steps to the entrance is a sight to behold.

All over the Kuala Lumpur City Centre there are trendy rooftop bars and restaurants for cocktails and romantic dinners with a view. However, for the best nighttime panoramas, nothing can beat the uninterrupted vistas from the city's tallest skyscrapers. The piercing Kuala Lumpur Tower (Menara KL) and PETRONAS Twin Towers are the landmarks of the city center's Golden Triangle. This large retail, business and entertainment hub sits between the main thoroughfares of Jalan Imbi, Sultan Ismail and Raja Chulan. While it's easy to get to its LRT station from most KL hotels, staying in the Golden Triangle itself can be fun and convenient. Either stay in lively Bukit Bintang with its popular hotels and nightlife or book a room in a high-rise tower near the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), which has a mega-aquarium and Lake Symphony light show in KLCC Park.