"Our sanctuary room on the fourth floor was very spacious, with great view on the city. Room is not 100% sound proof though we had no problem sleeping. Air conditioning worked, shower was great (so are the toiletries) and overall the room is nicely design. Few complementary snacks are there should you wake up in middle of the night jet lagged and need to eat. Description of the hotel services is on the TV (laundry prices, room service, etc…) so unless you switch it on, you’ll miss it. There is no paper in the room. Food at the restaurant on the ground floor is really really good! It is where you’ll also have breakfast, for which you have to select from a menu. Cocktails are also very vey nice.. Last service at the restaurant on the ground floor is 9:30pm, however you can head to the fourth floor for some food, and enjoy cocktails in their lounge area. It also has a custom made sound system! Overall the service was very attentive, including the security outside that will ensure you have an umbrella or look for your grab taxi on your behalf while you wait leisurely in the air conditioning entrance area. The hotel also organised airport pickup and drop off, keeping us informed of booking status etc… Hotel is located in the heart of Chinatown, easy and safe to walk to all sites."

"I had a wonderful stay at Else Kuala Lumpur. One of the things I loved most was the location. As soon as you step outside, you're right in the heart of vibrant Chinatown, with plenty of attractions, cafés, restaurants, and cocktail bars all within walking distance. What makes the hotel even more special is the contrast between the lively neighborhood outside and the peaceful atmosphere inside. The interiors are beautifully designed, the rooms are stylish and comfortable, and the pool area is a lovely place to relax while enjoying views over Chinatown. Breakfast was delicious, with a great selection that was both satisfying and high quality. The staff were also incredibly attentive throughout our stay. We had a couple of small issues, but once we mentioned them, the team handled everything professionally and made sure we were comfortable, which we really appreciated. I would happily stay at Else Kuala Lumpur again on my next visit to the city and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a stylish, well-located hotel in KL."

"Else Kuala Lumpur has a beautiful rustic vibe which feels classy and elegant despite its surroundings. The hotel decor feels like a work of art by itself. It is located at Pasar Seni where visitors can experience the vibrancy and culture of Chinatown and continue to have respite after a day of exploration in the building. There are many great amenities nearby the area, shops, restaurants and it is only a less than 5-minutes walk away from the train station. As much as I appreciate the art, decor, location and staff hospitality, the hotel falls short of my expectations. (1) The gym is non-existence and only consists of a few exercise equipment in a tiny room. Fair enough, the equipment is of great condition but it could be because no one uses it as it is only a small gym with limited exercise equipments and weights. (2) You'll need to request body lotion and robes separately. They have an online guest application but the response is slow and it is better to text or call them. (3) Breakfast is limited to a fixed menu of one starter, one main, a plate of fruits and drinks. As much as the food is reasonably delicious, I am appalled by the lack of meat selection. Furthermore, if one were to stay longer, the breakfast menu can be surfeiting. (4) Although the location has its positivities, the noise at night or early morning can be unbearable as we are indeed at the heart of a busy street. If you are a light sleeper, you may wish to reconsider. (5) I had naively expected a welcome drink, or at least free mini-bar condiments as per other 5-star hotels but there isn't. (6) The room size can be small and with no bath tub, it does not seem worth the price when compared to other 5-star hotels. (7) Lastly, there is a tiny drop-off space at the front of the hotel for about two cars but Grab driver would usually stop short before the right turn to the space. The whole street surrounding the hotel is heavily congested almost every hour and there is always a car parked at the drop-off point which further limits the space. As such, if you have heavy and big luggages, be prepared that you will need to do it quickly or you'll hear the endless horns from the cars behind. Else Kuala Lumpur is a work of art and beauty but not a place where I would consider to sleep in."

"Vibe and storytelling of the place pretty nice, amenities on top notch as well. Standard of service should be improve, hotel awarded by a key michelin for the Building and concept yes understand, but in term of Premium standard of Marriott, really low. No usage of guest name, no special genuine care or service, service similar as a Select Marriott Hotel. The place is 5 star, but the service from check in as well, F&B also should be review even if it's not a luxury brand. Really poor experience during check in, TV in the room or bellboy was more talkative than the hostess/receptionist, it's disappointed from the start. But yes, really nice modern hotel with high potential. F&B manager, Luxury Collection brand. Mr. Liam"

"Some hotels impress you the moment you walk through the door. Others reveal themselves over a stay. Else manages both—just in opposite directions. My first impression was overwhelmingly positive. Housed in the beautifully restored Lee Rubber Building in Chinatown, Else is one of the most architecturally compelling hotels I’ve stayed in. The adaptive reuse is thoughtful rather than theatrical. The lobby, restaurant and communal spaces have a confidence that feels increasingly rare in lifestyle hotels. They’re generous, calm and encourage you to linger rather than simply pass through. It is a building with genuine character. The location is equally well judged. Petaling Street, REXKL and many of Chinatown’s best cafés and restaurants are within easy walking distance. For exploring this part of Kuala Lumpur, it’s difficult to imagine a better base. The food and beverage programme is also unusually strong. Too often hotel restaurants exist for convenience. Here they feel like destinations in their own right. The building, the public spaces and the hospitality all suggest a hotel operating at a very high level. Unfortunately, hotels exist for one reason above all others: to provide a good night’s sleep. And this is where Else falls short. The rooms suffer from a surprising amount of external noise. Throughout the night, modified exhausts, sirens and general city traffic filtered into the room. During the day, construction noise and car horns were equally noticeable. Internal sound insulation wasn’t much better. Doors opening in the corridor, conversations outside the room and even ambient music from the lobby found their way inside. The bed compounded the problem. Motion isolation was poor enough that every movement from my sleeping partner was transmitted across the mattress. None of these issues, individually, would have been fatal. Together, they resulted in consistently poor sleep. There is another interesting design trade-off. The bathroom uses translucent fluted glass and large sliding doors, allowing borrowed light from a high fixed window to wash through the room. On balance, I actually liked this decision. During the day it makes the room feel larger, lighter and more architectural. In isolation I would describe it as a success. But in combination with the acoustic shortcomings, it becomes another small compromise in a room that ultimately struggles to prioritise rest. That, perhaps, is Else’s central tension. It is a hotel that has been designed with extraordinary care, but that care seems to have been directed primarily towards creating beautiful spaces rather than optimising the sleeping environment. I admired the architecture every day I was there. I enjoyed spending time in the common areas. I appreciated the atmosphere the designers had created. But I also woke up tired every morning. I came away thinking that Else is a wonderful hotel to be in, but a less successful hotel to sleep in. The distinction sounds subtle, but it matters. Hotels are not museums or members’ clubs. Their fundamental purpose is to send you into the next day well rested. I’d happily recommend Else to travellers who place design, architecture and atmosphere at the top of their priorities. For me, however, sleep carries disproportionate weight. When the core product of a hotel is compromised, everything else—no matter how thoughtfully executed—becomes harder to enjoy. Architecture & Design: 5/5 Public Spaces: 5/5 Food & Beverage: 5/5 Location: 5/5 Sleep Quality: 2/5 Overall: A memorable building and one of Kuala Lumpur’s most interesting hotels—but not one I’d choose to stay in again unless the guestroom acoustics and bedding were significantly improved"