Hotel The Federal Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

From the hotel you can stroll to cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. The choice is yours. You certainly aren't limited to what is on offer at the hotel itself.

Rooms are clean, attractive and contain all the additional features that are now expected. There are choices to be made and if the budget allows, rooms in the Merdaka Wing are noticeably cool, spacious and quiet.

In the main, members of staff are very friendly and helpful. Reception, security and night staff score particularly highly.  There's a happy willingness to help you transport luggage to your room. Breakfast is good - no point trying to better it elsewhere - and the spa facilities, too, are excellent value.

It would be wrong to tar all members of staff with the same brush, but there can be a tendency to be dismissive of guest queries and complaints. They should, perhaps, remember who is paying their wages.

Some rooms - not all - are dated and long overdue for an overhaul. There seems to be two paces of work for staff: slow and stop. There's no urgency here.

Food here is very expensive. If on a budget, it's worth exploring the area for alternatives. Try: Wong Ah Wah, Village Roast Duck or the Outback Steakhouse. If going by taxi … watch it! Many drivers have little, if any, knowledge of the meter that is sitting in their cab. ‘Rip-off' time!