Explore the city from the centrally-located Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North - the first Hilton Garden Inn in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR – 30 January 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, the largest city in Malaysia is celebrated as a melting pot of cultures, with distinctive flavours, colours and sounds. Flash back 30 years ago in the old heart of Kuala Lumpur we now know as Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, you see and experience the city bursting with commerce and life. And it is no surprise that this neighbourhood was known as one of the most legendary neighbourhoods in Kuala Lumpur.

The day was 14^th April, the year was 1986, and Malaysia’s most popular performer of all time Datuk Sudirman Arshad held a record-breaking street concert, performing to a crowd of 100,000 Malaysians, introducing the all-time famous song aptly named after Chow Kit dedicated to Chow Kit in Chow Kit Road. This is Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman’s legacy and it will forever be ingrained as part of Malaysia’s history.

Did you know, as a traveller wanting a place to discover the essence of living in Kuala Lumpur, the Chow Kit area – named after wealthy Penang businessman Loke Chow Kit who made his mark in the 1880s, is a great place to start[1]? Like any traveller, the first thing you need to do is find a suitable base for exploration. If you want a world-class hotel in a great location, look no further than the Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North. The first Hilton Garden Inn in Malaysia is also the first international hotel brand to open in the Chow Kit neighbourhood. Centrally located just a 5-minute walk from the Chow Kit Monorail station and well-served by buses, taxis and ride-shares, this makes exploring the city a breeze for travellers.

Speaking about the ideal location of the new Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur, Jamie Mead, regional general manager for Hilton Malaysia says the hotel offers guests high quality yet affordable accommodation ideal for leisure travellers looking for a difference, or if you’re a business traveller looking for world-class hospitality in an accessible location, this is the place to be too!

Mead further added, “Guided by Hilton’s mission to be the most hospitable company in the world, by creating heartfelt experiences for guests and delivering exceptional experiences – at every hotel, to every guest, at every time, we are committed to expanding the offerings of the Hilton brand portfolio in Malaysia and throughout the region.” He also noted that Kuala Lumpur is known as one of the top visitor destinations in the world[2].

Food, glorious food

With a comfortable home base, it’s time to fill our bellies. Home to a great deal of food vendors that have been in business for decades, the Chow Kit Market is only a stone’s throw from the hotel. Also known as the largest wet market in Kuala Lumpur, it is frequented by locals and visitors who can also find cooked meals here. In the vicinity, you are spoilt for food choices from the Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman Hawker Centre, Pasar Raja Bot, Bazaar Baru Chow Kit and Medan Selera Chow Kit, all places where you can find local delights like nasi lemak, curry laksa and wantan mee, or even Indonesian food like bakso and ayam penyet. Wander a little further to Jalan Masjid India for Indian cuisine and snacks or head over to Kampung Baru for Malay food. If you are in the city for the weekend, make sure to visit the Kampung Baru Night Market on Saturday evening for Malay favourites such as nasi lemak, rojak, grilled fish, satay, kuih and nasi campur.

Shop till you drop

Having eaten our fill, why not slot in some time for sight-seeing as well as a bit of retail therapy into the itinerary? Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman has been known as shopping central in Kuala Lumpur way before the development of any shopping malls. Check out the latest offerings on textile and clothes and visit stores like Gulati’s, Euro Moda and Kamdar or perhaps venture beyond the main road for some traditional clothing.

Other options include the Kampung Baru Night Market for traditional Malay apparel, along with jewellery and handicrafts, and Central Market for art pieces, bespoke collectables, clothes, and souvenirs, not to mention more food! Make sure to look for Malaysian ware like batik, songket, carvings, pottery, woven goods and beaded ware from East Malaysia. At Jalan Masjid India, find sarees out of Bollywood fashion magazines, jewellery inspired by celebrities with one-of-a-kind creations, and also spices. Or go to Chinatown in Petaling Street filled with hundreds of stalls offering all kinds of goods at affordable prices – remember to bargain!

Exploring Chow Kit

One of the things you need to do when on a trip is to explore. Take advantage of everything that Chow Kit has to offer. Malaysia as we know is a country known for its multi-religious background. Chow Kit is a reflection of Malaysia’s multiculturalism; here you can discover the largest Sikh temple in Southeast Asia the Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa Sikh Temple on Jalan Raja Alang, serving more than 75,000 worshippers in Kuala Lumpur and the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple on Jalan Tun HS Lee, which was founded by Tamil immigrants who arrived in Malaya as contract labourers to build the railways and roads or work in the rubber plantations.

Check out the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple in Lebuh Pudu. The oldest Taoist temple in Kuala Lumpur features a memorial plaque honouring notable figures from Kuala Lumpur’s past such as Chan Sow Lin, Yap Ah Shak, Yap Ah Loy, and Yap Kwan Seng. Another must-visit is the St Mary’s Cathedral, built in 1894 by the British colonial administration and one of the oldest Anglican churches in Malaysia. Make sure to include the Masjid Jamek Mosque, recognised as the oldest Islamic place of worship in Kuala Lumpur on your itinerary. Overlooking the Klang River, the 1907 building was designed by British architect Arthur Benison Hubback and features Mughal architectural styles[3].

Culture Seekers!

If museums, art, music and architecture are more to your taste, then fret not! There’s much to see! Visit the last remaining Malay houses in Kuala Lumpur city in Kampung Baru, an area that still has rows of wooden houses on stilts, with frangipani and coconut trees growing in their compounds.

A must-visit is Rumah Limas, a 1913 home featuring stained glass windows, wood-panelled walls and stone pillars. Also in the vicinity is the Music Museum on Jalan Raja with its various musical instruments, showcasing the music of the Malays, Chinese, Indians and the indigenous communities of Sarawak and Sabah. From heritage buildings, we go to the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery in Jalan Dato’ Onn, housed in an impressively sleek complex of glass and titanium, which showcases the history of money in Malaysia and also features art by celebrated Malaysian artists. For more art and music, head over to the National Art Gallery in Jalan Temerloh or the KLCC Twin Towers, where you can see art at the PETRONAS Gallery and enjoy music at the PETRONAS Philharmonic Hall.

Perfect for first-timers visiting Malaysia, Chow Kit is the ideal sub-district to explore an atmospheric, localised area of the Kuala Lumpur city centre. Make sure to begin your journey by staying at the area’s first internationally branded hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North.

The Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North has 265 contemporary guestrooms, and offers an abundance of amenities including complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, a 24-hour fitness centre, a 24-hour self-service guest laundry, a 24-hour business centre with complimentary printing facilities, and even storybooks, cots and baby bathtubs for infants and children. The Garden Grille restaurant offers a great view of the Chow Kit district during breakfast and lunch and also provides the evening room service from 5.00pm to 10.00pm daily. Guests can also grab a snack at the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry® convenience mart, which offers a selection of snacks, drinks, and instant meals.

The Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North participates in Hilton Honors®, the only hotel loyalty programme that allows members to earn Points & Miles^® on the same stay, without any blackout dates on reward stays. To celebrate the hotel's opening, Honors members will receive 1,000 bonus points per night, with a maximum stay of 5 nights, for stays between 1 January and 30 June 2018.

The Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North is located at 449, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur. For more information or to make reservations, please contact the hotel at +60-3-2172 6888 or visit Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North.

Read more about Hilton Garden Inn at www.hgi.com and www.news.hgi.com.

Photo credits:

Sudirman’s Chow Kit concert from Kosmo:
http://ww1.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2009&dt=0412&pub=Kosmo&sec=Rencana_Utama&pg=ru_07.htm

Chow Kit Market from Heritage Malaysia: http://www.heritagemalaysia.my/Kl-ChowKit.html

Chow Kit Shopping from Asia Web Direct: http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/kl-top10s/5-shopping-chow-kit.htm#

Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa Sikh Temple from Kampong Bharu Development Corporation (Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Bharu): http://www.pkb.gov.my/gurdwara-tatt-khalsa-diwan-temple/?lang=en

Rumah Limas in Kampung Baru from Timeout KL: https://www.timeout.com/kuala-lumpur/things-to-do/best-bits-of-kl-jalan-raja-muda-musa-in-kampung-baru

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About Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North

Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North located in what is known as Kuala Lumpur’s most vibrant sub-district, offering visitors the best of old world charm and modern living to business and leisure guests, upscale yet affordable accommodations and modern amenities for a successful and comfortable stay. With 265 rooms you’ll find an open, inviting atmosphere with warm, sunny service – from the first hello to the next. Each room offers complimentary Wi-Fi (in room and throughout the hotel), 40-inch HDTV with a full selection of local and satellite TV channels and universal plug points. The hotel also features an on-site Garden Grille restaurant, 24/7 fitness center, 24/7 Pavilion Pantry for grab-and-go items and 24/7 self-service laundry facility. The satisfaction promise affirms the hotel’s goal to make each guest’s stay better and brighter. If something isn’t just the way you like it, simply let any hotel Team Member know, and we will make it right. Guaranteed.

Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton’s 14 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi and digital amenities. For more information about the Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North, visit hgi.com or connect on social media at Facebook and Instagram.

About Hilton Garden Inn

The award-winning Hilton Garden Inn hotel brand provides business and leisure guests with upscale yet affordable accommodations and modern amenities they prefer for a successful and comfortable stay. The Hilton Garden Inn Promise is to make guests’ stay better and brighter. Guaranteed. Team Members operating at more than 720 hotels around the world are committed to guaranteeing today’s busy travelers have a bright and satisfying hospitality experience from the first hello when they arrive. Hilton Garden Inn is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton’s 14 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi and digital amenities like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key (select locations), available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. For more information about Hilton Garden Inn, visit www.hgi.com or news.hgi.com or connect on social media at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising nearly 5,000 properties with more than 812,000 rooms in 103 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time. The company's portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton^TM, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton^TM, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.