My overnight stopover in Kuala Lumpur was fairly short. I was arriving before 8PM, and departing the following morning at 9:40AM to Tokyo. Kuala Lumpur has a lot of great luxury hotels that are reasonably priced (for example, I love the St. Regis), and some are easily accessible by the KLIA Express. However, I knew…
Continue reading: Review: Sama-Sama Express Hotel Kuala Lumpur Airport
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I’ve stayed at the landside Sama Sama a few times and it’s actually a decent product. Rooms have been recently refurbished and the hotel has a good restaurant and pool. Opened originally as a Pan Pacific so it has good bones. Certainly would recommend that over the airside option. Sticky floors, no thanks.
I always get this kinky idea everytime I see an airport hotel with the view of parked planes. I bet I can get the flight crews turned on before their 10 hour flight.
Oh your camera white balance is way off. Get a Samsung or Pixel, it is much better.
Thanks for reviewing this. As you said, it's a good option and often MAS does have long layovers. Love the view of the airfield! Puts an extra "star" on it for me 🙂
@Expathotelier, I totally agree that the landside SamaSama at KUL is way better, especially with the in-airport buggy/cart ride!
The landside SamaSama is good but expensive. The best option is the Tune hotel at Terminal 2. Short ride on the transit and a day rate if you just want 10 hours or so. Very inexpensive about 40 USD and the best bit is you get a voucher for a free lunch in their restaurant. You won’t find better food in Malaysia. The only problem is finding it, it’s not very well signed.
Isn't KL sentral fairly far? The landside Sama Sama is popular among the posters, but aren't there some good hotels around the airport?
I’ve spent a few nights here before the 630am NRT flight...the pool is actually fantastic, especially after a day in a suit in the humid temps. The bar/ restaurant is surprisingly decent, I’ve always just had the satay and vino but I think they had live entertainment (maybe at least on wknds). Would totally stay here again to avoid the 90min commute early morning into KLIA.
That room looks really dingy. Those bulbs are practically a yellow cast. Awful.
@Lucky, Why would you book the room for so many hours? Why not just book the 6 hour block for your actual sleep and then get up and head over to a business/first class lounge for your shower where you are not 'on the clock' for the time used?
@ SullyofDoha -- Because I had been doing a LOT of flying and wanted to be sure I booked it so that I could get as much sleep as possible. I figured I might not be able to sleep right away, and didn't want to then have to wake up after a few hours. Go figure I couldn't actually sleep for that long. The incremental price difference for a longer block wasn't high at all.
The KLIA2 Sama Sama is better than this (newer though, but definitely cleaner)
Worth mentioning that there are showers there you can use for a few MYR as well - handy as the Plaza Premium showers always have a very long wait in the evening & they are cleaner than the Malaysian lounge ones.
KLIA has a surprisingly lack of very nearby hotels but the train drops right in KL Central with plenty, so you can go there if you have a reasonable length layover
The Tune hotel at KLIA2 isn't bad either for a layover - tricky to find though!
I think the KLIA Express train stops service around midnight so not great for people arriving into KUL anytime after 11pm.
Also, thanks for the response @lucky 🙂
Would you know if I can access the Sama sama express in KLIA 1 after my arrival? I will have to finish my immigration and pick up luggage and then use it for a shower..just want to know if I can access it post collecting my luggage.