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The Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is ideally located in one of the city’s favorite destinations for night owls and shopaholics. This five-star hotel is the perfect place to stay to bask in luxury, a stone’s throw from Bintang Walk, a half-kilometer strip that boasts more than 3,500 shopping outlets, clubs and cafes.

The Grand Millennium offers luxurious accommodations, along with executive facilities for business travelers. At the main entrance glass-paneled doors are framed by illuminated golden beams that exude grandeur and luxury. A giant crystal chandelier cascades over the center of the lobby, a vast reception area with black marble floors and glass-paneled ceilings that allow natural light to shower the chamber during the daytime.

Major renovations were completed in September, hotel marketing executive Amanda Teng said.

“We wanted it to have a very grand and luxurious feel, while retaining its warmth,” Teng said.

To the left of the lobby, a stellar marble staircase leads to The Mill, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, and Pulse, a new nightclub.

A grand piano sits in the lobby’s right corner waiting for a pianist to arrive in the evening to serenade the guests with a lady singer who will sing soft, romantic tunes.

Weary travelers may choose to sink for a while in the plush sofas to rest and enjoy the music, or proceed directly to the reception desk. Seats at the reception desk allow guests to check in comfortably.

After registering, guest may want to enjoy a snack with gourmet teas and coffees on offer at the adjacent Bistro 160, a cozy cafe and lobby lounge.

There are five elevators to carry visitors from the ground level to rooms upstairs. Four are the usual glass- and wooden-paneled lifts. But, the fifth elevator, a glass capsule located behind a pillar, will give you a sneak peak of the Kuala Lumpur’s skyline. Not a commendable experience for the acrophobic.

The rooms offer sizable living quarters. Soft, cream-colored furnishings adorn the elegant interiors. Its contemporary feel is enhanced with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a sweeping view of the bustling metropolis from above. Among the amenities offered in each room are a spacious marble bath with separate shower, in-room electronic safe, coffee/tea making machine and a 32-inch LCD flat-screen TV. All travelers, whether on business or pleasure, will appreciate the free Internet access available in every room.

“It’s so convenient,” said Harun Mukhtar, a hotel guest from Indonesia. “I can do all my work in my room.”

Buffet breakfast is served at on the first floor at The Mill. The restaurant offers a dynamic vibe with simple, yet classy furnishings, low lighting and avant-garde design. An assortment of items from the Asian to the Mediterranean regions is offered for breakfast, including the Japanese Gohan rice, dim sum selections, a variety of curries, as well as cakes and pastries.

A bustling open kitchen also gives The Mill its homey ambience. Chef Faisal has years of experience working at five-star hotels in and outside the country, as well as seven years in the Royal Court of Brunei.

“I personally think the open kitchen concept is fantastic. It’s still a new concept in the Malaysian restaurant scene and I’m glad that we’re adopting it here. It allows interaction between diners and the chefs and makes the surrounding even more pleasant,” Faisal said.

For dinner, you can go to the Zing restaurant that offers traditional pork-free Cantonese cuisine. “It’s actually my favorite spot in the entire hotel,” Teng said. “The food is so delicious and I like its cozy, intimate feel. In fact, Chinese restaurants are not a favorite place for romantic dinners. But, you can definitely have a romantic dinner at Zing.”

The interiors are faintly reminiscent of Shanghai in the 1930s, without the oppressive veneer of traditional Chinese decorations. The restaurant is furnished with contemporary cream-colored armchairs and long curved settees with comfortable cushions.

Also breaking away from Chinese tradition is the presence of two cooking stations. Traditionally, kitchens at Chinese eateries are usually located at the back of the dining area. But at Zing, entering guests will immediately see the dim sum station located near the entrance. The enthusiastic chefs at work and the aroma of hot steamed dumplings are enough to stir your appetite and quicken your step.

Another live cooking station is the noodle bar where you can watch how the chefs deftly stretch and pull at the dough to make la-mien (hand-pulled noodle).

After dinner, the night is still young. So, why don’t you step outside and have a stroll the famous Bintang Walk? Who knows you might even catch sight of some KL celebrities coming down the road.