Hotel Review: Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang (Standard King, City View) - Affordable and Modern Property, Great for Mattress Runs
One of the most affordable Marriott Bonvoy properties in Kuala Lumpur is the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang which is located in Chow Kit. While the area used to be notorious for being a red-light district, most of that has been cleaned up now and there are actually plenty of great restaurants now in the vicinity of the hotel. Being based in Singapore, I travel to Kuala Lumpur quite a bit on my own to hit the minimum number of nights required to renew my elite statuses across different hotel loyalty programs - in order to keep Titanium Elite in the Marriott Bonvoy program, I have to consume at least 75 eligible nights each year.
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Bedroom
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Like most hotels in Kuala Lumpur, there is no easy way to get from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to the property - the KLIA Ekspres is great for hotels near Sentral but if you are planning to stay around KLCC or Bukit Bintang and its surrounding areas, you might be better off booking a ride from the airport directly - Grab charges approximately RM 65 (before tolls) each way and you should set aside 60-75 minutes for this journey. Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang is located near Chow Kit Monorail Station (MR10). If you are adamant about taking the KLIA Ekspres, you will have to take Kelana Jaya Line from Sentral to Dang Wangi, but walking to Bukit Nanas to take the monorail down to Chow Kit - just book a Grab ride from the airport, you will not be saving any time or money if you take the train. It is fairly difficult to score an upgrade here at the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang since there are only limited Deluxe rooms available at the property - as a Titanium Elite member, I got the room that I paid for but it is honestly a lot nicer than I had expected.
Open Wardrobe
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
The Standard King room that I have been assigned to was located on Level 10 (one of the highest floors of the property) and it comes with 19 sqm of space. While the size of the room may seem pretty small on paper, it is actually quite well-appointed and it has been designed intelligently to make the best use of the space. For instance, the open wardrobe near the entrance of the room makes it convenient for travellers to access their clothes, and the openness also makes the room feel a lot larger than it actually is.
Safety Box and Coffee/Tea
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Located in the same area as the open wardrobe is a safety deposit box, as well as some basic coffee and tea making amenities - no coffee machine here as you would expect. Complimentary drinking water is provided and replenished each day when housekeeping comes in to freshen up the room but I do find that a single glass bottle is insufficient (even though you can always request for more) and the hotel should probably place two bottles as a default to say the in-room dining or housekeeping team some trouble. You will also find an iron as well as an ironing board in the room which is a nice touch for a hotel of this price point.
Empty Mini Fridge
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Each room also comes with a mini fridge which has been cleared out to make space for your own personal items. Should you require any items from the minibar, you may purchase them from The Market which is located directly opposite the check-in area of the hotel. The Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang is a no-frills hotel but snacks, as well as beverages, can be purchased from The Market downstairs (at a premium) - you may also consider ordering your items via Grab and have them delivered to the hotel if you are planning to buy quite a bit. If you prefer to walk around a supermarket, I believe the largest one nearby is Mercato at Sunway Putra Mall which is probably a short 10-minute walk away. Some friends have advised against walking around the Chow Kit area (especially at night) but I have found it to be relatively safe - you should always exercise caution regardless of where you are anyway.
King-size Bed
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
The king-size bed is pretty comfortable, and the bedding is honestly better than I had expected - my only issue with the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang is the soundproofing and the noise. I am an extremely light sleeper and I know of people who have had no issues with the noise at the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang but the occasional motorcycle speeding by as well as the ambulance siren (there is a hospital nearby) have woken me up multiple times throughout the night. However, with that being said, if you are not easily awaken by noise, this should not really be a problem at all - you should also request for a room that is facing away from the main road to reduce any potential noise issues during your stay.
Bedside Table
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
I really do like the design of the room - the bedside lamp is also quite stylish which makes the room look extremely modern and cozy. Plenty of universal power outlets as well as USB charging ports are found around the room and this is something that I do not take for granted since I have been to hotels (that are priced a whole lot higher) that do not have these readily available. The last thing any international traveller wants to deal with at a foreign property is the hassle of using a universal power adapter - it is already 2023, let's get onboard with technology and modern conveniences.
Disposable Earplugs
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
The Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang is most probably aware of the noise situation since disposable earplugs are provided by the side of the bed - these are also replenished each day. I do appreciate that the hotel has taken a more proactive stance on this, but not everyone can sleep with earplugs on (and the anxiety from potentially not being able to hear my alarm the next morning keeps me up at night). Like I have said, my only issue with this property is the noise so if you are not a light-sleeper (lucky you!), you should have no troubles here at all - it is honestly a fantastic hotel at this price point and it is difficult to fault it for anything else. There is also a small in-room dining menu by the side of the bed (accessible via the QR code) but there is nothing too exciting and you are better off ordering from one of many restaurants around the hotel instead.
Seating Area and TV
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
The seating area along the side of the window is a great spot to lounge about during the day - there is also a small table by the corner which doubles as a dining table (if you were to buy food back to the hotel) and a workdesk. I would probably not recommend the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang if you are here for work (since the rooms are quite small and there is no ‘real’ workdesk) but it is great for those coming to Kuala Lumpur for a weekend, and do not wish to spend too much on accommodation.
View from Bedroom
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Since I took an evening flight into Kuala Lumpur from Singapore and it was actually pouring when I had arrived, I did not actually realise that I could see famous landmarks like the Petronas Twin Towers as well as the Merdeka 118 from my room until the next morning (after the sky has cleared up). The sheltered area that you see is where the Chow Kit Monorail Station is - it is probably a short 2-3 minute walk away, but do note that the walkway is not covered from the hotel so you will need an umbrella in the event of rain. The Monorail (MRL) will take you to popular places like Bukit Bintang and Hang Tuah (where LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre is) so honestly, the hotel is in a decent spot.
Work Station
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Each guest room at the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang comes with a 43-inch TV with a decent selection of channels. However, do note that you will not be able to stream content from your mobile devices to the TV easily. There is also a piece of paper stating that disposable cutleries are not available at the hotel but a cutlery set can be purchased from the all-day dining restaurants for a nominal fee (I believe it was MYR 10).
Bedroom and Bathroom
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
The design of the guest room at Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang reminds me of the Holiday Inn Express Singapore Katong where I stayed many years ago. In terms of brand positioning, Fairfield is probably operating within the same value space as Holiday Inn Express properties. The bathroom is located near the entrance of the room and while the openness does make the room look and feel larger, it can also be closed and partitioned off using the sliding doors for privacy. Do note however that while the sliding doors can be closed completely, they cannot be locked so you should keep that in mind if you are planning to share this room with a friend.
Bathroom
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
You will not find a bathtub here in a Standard Room at the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang, but I do believe that most of the Deluxe Rooms come with a bathtub. However, as I have mentioned earlier before, there are only a handful of Deluxe Rooms here so getting upgraded to one of them for free is not exactly something that you should expect as an elite member - you may consider paying for them outright since they are only marginally more expensive, and they are almost twice as large. The bathroom of the Standard Rooms are pretty basic but it does come with most of what you require - additional personal amenities like disposable shavers may not be placed in the room by default, but they may be requested via the Marriott Bonvoy app, or directly from the operator via the phone.
Bulk-size Amenities
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Bath amenities at the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang are provided in bulk-size pump bottles by Nirvae Botanicals. Body lotion is not something that is provided here so you might wish to bring your own if that is something that is of importance to you - there is also no bar soap provided by the vanity sink so you will have to use the shower gel located in the shower area should you require liquid soap - a slight inconvenience but not a dealbreaker.
Restaurant
Lesung - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
As far as I know, complimentary breakfast is provided to all hotel guests staying in Fairfield properties on an eligible rate in the US but I do believe that this is not the case in Asia - I did get complimentary breakfast during my stay and I also got 500 bonus points as a Titanium Elite member when I checked in to the hotel but I am not entirely sure whether non-members will receive breakfast for free. In any case, the buffet breakfast is served at Lesung and it is honestly a lot better than I had expected. The restaurant is located on Level 2 of Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang and it offers both indoor as well as outdoor seating areas (where you can actually smoke).
Buffet Breakfast
Lesung - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Apart from the usual continental breakfast spread that you would typically expect from a property of this level, there is also a pretty decent selection of hot and cold dishes with a live noodle station by the side. There is also an egg station where you will be able to order eggs done the way you like, and enjoy fresh fruits, salads, as well as cold cuts if that is something you fancy in the morning. I have stayed a quite a number of hotels in Kuala Lumpur since 2022 and while this is not as impressive as the breakfast spread at a luxury or business hotel like the W Kuala Lumpur or the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, it is honestly way better than anything else in this price range.
It is important to take note that the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang does not have a swimming pool but hotel guests are able to access the fitness centre - it may be quite small, but it does have a decent rack of dumbbells and simple cardio machines like the treadmill and stationary bikes. There is also a small laundry area on the same level where longer-staying hotel guests may launder and dry their clothes for a nominal fee - there are two dryers and two washers available.
Bedroom
Standard King (City View) - Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
Priced usually around MYR 220 per night, the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang is honestly a great Marriott Bonvoy property and it offers plenty of value. As I have mentioned earlier, my only issue with this hotel is the soundproofing and I would genuinely consider staying here again if this was something that the hotel could improve on but sadly, structural limitations such as these are impossible to fix in an economical way and therefore, it is almost impossible for the owners or management to do anything about it. With that being said, if you are based in Singapore and would like to clock more nights in the Marriott Bonvoy program, you may consider the Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang for a mattress run - there are plenty of other hotels to stay at within Kuala Lumpur, and obviously, plenty to eat as well so a weekend trip is never a bad idea. Should you be departing from KLIA, you should also try to drop by the new Plaza Premium Lounge located in the Main Terminal for some food and drinks.
Fairfield Kuala Lumpur Jalan Pahang
No 1 Jalan Datuk Haji Eusoff, Off Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 50400
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