Hotel review - Ambassador Row Hotel Suites by Lanson Place Part 2 - Hotel Design and Breakfast

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Ambassador Row Hotel Suites by Lanson Place's Superior One Bedroom Duta Suite. The following info is important to you because it tells you on which month we stayed, and the price relative to the amount of time between the date of stay to the date of booking. You may experience higher or lower price at different months/seasons and if you book further or nearer to the date of stay.

We booked on:     August 2015

We stayed on:      October 2015

We paid in total:  RM603.20 (in total, tax included) @ Superior One Bedroom Duta Suite, 2 persons, 2 nights, breakfast inclusive

Spacious it may be, being cooped up in the room can get a little boring, especially for the fact that the room offered no scenic view, only the rooftops of other apartments and a scatter of construction that seemed to be ubiquitous in Kuala Lumpur. Sometimes I would walk out of the suite and take a stroll within the confines of the hotel suite, exploring its grounds for some adventure.

Hotel lobbies are generally spacious, but not like this - Ambassador Row Hotel Suites has their lobby ceiling at the top of their 20 story building! No, not really, the ceiling above the reception area is only 2 story high, it is the area beyond that one could look up into the sky...

The spot where that fellow traveler is preparing his camera is where the open central area is located.

The interesting thing about Ambassador Row Suite's architecture is its open air central area. Unlike conventional hotel design, the center of the whole building is opened from the lobby all the way up to the transparent top, cutting across all 20 floors. Without the close confines of conventional corridors, this design afforded a spacious feel whenever I am walking down the corridors as if I am living in an apartment unit. A foyer acts as a gathering place at every few floors, a space which spans 3 floors in height and opened into the exterior.

There are however downside to having such design in Ambassador Row Suites. The central open area and these foyers, while creating the feeling of open space, also meant that they are not air-conditioned. In the hot and humid environment that is Kuala Lumpur (not to mention polluted), this is not such a good idea. Imagine our dismay when the haze was in full force during our most recent visit in October... And with families being some of the main patrons of Ambassador Row Suites, parents will have to take a closer look at their kids just in case they have the crazy idea of leaning over the railing or if they decided to throw some objects down just for fun.

There is certain vertigo feel when one look down the central area, and we are not even at the highest floor!

A different perspective from the top

Perspective from lobby level

Looks kind of airy

There are 2 foyers (if I remember correctly), each cutting across 3 levels, allowing one to have a gathering place. If only the scenery is nicer and the air less polluted. One could spy a glimpse of these foyers in the previous few shots.

This is how the foyer look like.

Ambassador Row Suites' breakfast buffet is of acceptable quality though their choice could be expanded. Nevertheless there are enough choices for one to choose to have their breakfast in local dishes or in western style. There is even a cook flipping omelettes in the open air section and you could ask to have your eggs done to your preference. While there are coffee and tea and juices to choose from, I do hope that they could have someone who could prepare a cup of mocha or latte.

Breakfast could be consumed at their ground floor cafe. One could choose to have it in the open area or the enclosed air-conditioned indoors.

Breakfast is served! A mixture of local and western food...

Buffet area

Ambassador Row Suites have an exceptional workforce and their overall service is of high quality. However I was let down on more than one occasion by their check in services, especially when I arrived late at night (late being past 11 p.m.). At those few times I was served by inexperienced front desk service, not knowing what to do in order to check me in and had to wait for a more experienced senior to serve me.

The other downside of staying in Ambassador Row Suites is perhaps the surrounding. You would have expected there to be more shops in an area claimed by embassies but alas only a few businesses are around. Fortunately there exists a 7-11 in case you have some late night cravings. The whole stretch of Jalan Ampang is infamous for its traffic, increasing my impression of a lack of scenic spot surrounding the hotel. As usual for tourists, Malaysia's public transport is not friendly at all, with the closest LRT station to be at least 10 minutes drive away from the hotel. Nevertheless if one has his own transport then all these points are no longer valid. And the lobby reception is very helpful in getting a cab, so it really is not a huge problem for tourists as well.

As a conclusion, I felt that the price per floor space is quite worth it for a hotel suite close to the heart of Kuala Lumpur, especially for family tourists and if you are staying for a long period. Although Ambassador Row Suites is not close to public transportation lines, cab drivers are usually familiar with the name and it isn't that far away from the Petronas Twin Towers, where one could then get to anywhere else via their LRT station. Do reserve more time for check in and out though as sometimes the less experience staff is manning the counter.

Environment:          An affordable family friendly accommodation in the city center

Suitable for:             Couples, families

Visit worthiness:        7/10 

Sleep quality:               4.5/5.0 

Surroundings:             2.0/5.0

Service:                         3.0/5.0
Value:                            4.5/5.0
Cleanliness:                  4.5/5.0
Architecture/decor:   3.5/5.0

Room rate:               RM260/night @ Superior One Bedroom Duta Suite (not inclusive of tax)
                                       RM301.60/night @ Superior One Bedroom Duta Suite (inclusive of tax)
                                       check latest room rates and availability here

Check-in time:        after 2.00 p.m.

Check-out time:     before 12.00 p.m.

Website:                    http://ambassadorrow.lansonplace.com/

Contact:                     (60)3 - 4253 2888 (phone)/ (60)3 - 4253 1773 (fax)

E-mail:                       enquiry.arkl@lansonplace.com

Address:                   Ambassador Row Hotel Suites by Lanson Place, 1, Jalan Ampang Hilir 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia