Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel in Kuala Lumpur

This was my second time staying at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur. My previous stay was in 2022, during which I experienced poor treatment from the front desk. At that time, I promised myself not to return. However, after three years, I decided to give this hotel another chance and stayed here to celebrate my birthday.

To explain my disappointment in 2022: I had an early morning flight and checked out around 4:00 AM. At that time, I had difficulty booking a Grab because cash payments were not accepted before 6:00 AM, and I was unable to add a credit card to the app. I asked the front desk staff on duty for assistance, but he refused to help. He did not even offer to call a taxi for me. I was left standing there, confused and trying to figure things out on my own. Even the security staff nearby did nothing to assist.

That experience left me extremely frustrated and disappointed with the hotel’s service. However, I did not leave a negative review anywhere, nor did I file a formal complaint at the time — I simply chose to stay silent and move on.

Before my recent stay, I emailed the hotel to inform them that I would be celebrating my birthday during my stay and requested a complimentary birthday amenity — anything, no matter how small — and they confirmed it. Check-in went smoothly. However, when I entered the room, I was surprised to find only a few balloons placed on the bed, with no birthday card at all.

I appreciate the gesture, especially since I clearly mentioned that I would be grateful for anything. However, this does not reflect the standards of a Sheraton, let alone a five-star hotel. I did not ask for a cake or anything excessive, but receiving only balloons without even a greeting card feels underwhelming and below expectations. What was more disappointing was that I later read other guests’ reviews mentioning that they at least received a slice of cake and a greeting card. This made me wonder whether the treatment was inconsistent or even discriminatory.

Regarding the room, I was unable to control the air-conditioning temperature. Even when the AC was turned off, the room remained extremely cold, around 18°C. I eventually contacted the operator at night because it was impossible to sleep in such conditions. A technician came and said there was no issue, suggesting that the cold temperature was due to rainy weather outside. However, when I checked in earlier in the afternoon, it was not raining, and the room was already very cold. This issue persisted until checkout, although it became slightly more tolerable.

The Wi-Fi connection was also very slow, and mobile signal reception inside the hotel was weak. As a result, staying connected to the internet during my stay was quite difficult.

Breakfast was good, with a wide variety of options and good taste. The location is also convenient. The staff were generally okay — not particularly friendly, but not rude either. Still, the service standard should be higher for a Sheraton property.

After two stays, I can say that I am still not satisfied. This may very well be my last time staying here. Paying a high price does not necessarily guarantee good quality.