Celebrating Creativity in Kuala Lumpur

New boutique hotel KLoé showcases Kuala Lumpur’s best and brightest talents in ‘a home for the creative and curious’ 

In the heart of Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur’s busiest shopping district, boutique hotel KLoé is Ping Ho Ng’s finely crafted ode to creative pursuits and the city he grew up in. An award-winning director, producer and screenwriter, Ng’s first foray into hospitality was BackHome, a modest but stylish backpacker’s hostel he established some 15 years ago. His ambitions grew and in 2010 he had the idea to open a hotel celebrating slow living, community and creativity.

A decade later, the 85-room KLoé opened its doors in March 2020, housed within two towers that were designed from the ground up by local firm Domaine Architects. ‘Having worked with Domaine on BackHome, I like working with them because they take pains to understand what we’re trying to achieve and come up with solutions instead of imposing a style,’ says Ng. The brief was to create a welcoming hotel, so the architects chose to maximise natural light and air flow instead of square footage. To this end, the U-shaped raw concrete building features open corridors that overlook a courtyard and pool, the heart of the hotel.

Domain’s interior design division oversaw the interiors, with Ng’s input. ‘We worked closely with the client and the result is a collaboration with talented artisans and local crafters. It was a challenge to combine various disciplines in one location while ensuring consistency in the design direction, but I think we’ve accomplished it,’ says Masyerin M.Nor, co-founder of Domaine Architects. The selection is based solely on artists or designers the team found exciting or inspiring, including Nala Designs for branding, OUR ArtProjects for art curation and Metisse Maison and LAIN for handcrafted furniture. 

A sense of warmth and ease permeates the interiors through astute choices of furniture, colour and materials. From the soothing blue and green colour scheme to the rattan furniture and low-slung sofas, this is a hotel that welcomes curious minds. Such minds are further tantalised by the option of checking into one of the five Artist Lofts. These lofts were outfitted in collaboration with influencers in the fields of art, music, food, plants and books and allow guests to indulge their creative impulses in the privacy of their own rooms. Room To Taste, for example, was curated by celebrity chef Sarah Benjamin and features a personal kitchen with a collection of cookbooks and a pantry filled with artisanal products so guests can prepare their own snacks and drinks. With meaningful and unique characteristics like these, KLoé is far more than a hotel — it’s a place to discover the city and its finest talents.

Text / Jennifer Choo
Images / Funkydali