Part of their marketing tagline is "The World's Neighbourhood Hotel" and they've made a concerted effort to always seamlessly and sustainably assimilate to its surroundings and local customs.
The hotel has 180 rooms that overlook the beautiful greens of Bukit Nanas which the hotel incorporates into the design of its interior.
Lush greenery from the hills spill into the hotel's lobby and common areas complemented by art pieces made by local artists using recycled materials.
In the lobby, guests are greeted by a living vertical garden, a distinctive central staircase constructed from old railway sleepers and reinforcement steel bars from the hotel site during construction, and a large-scale installation by GA Design made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.
There are also feature lights created from old bottles, artwork created utilising old books and reception desks from rescued tree roots sourced within Malaysia.
Hotel Indigos around the world are known for how they seamlessly blend with the local culture and environment and every corner of the property is filled with local character and distinctly Malaysian motifs—from the tiffin carriers and Hap Seng cracker tins as well as the rattan furniture motifs that grace the hotel guestrooms.
This is reflected of course, in its gastronomic offerings as well at their delighfully punny restaurant, Wok Star. At an opening event we spoke to the hotel's F&B manager who assured us that the team is hard at work to serve only the best local food at their restaurant while providing an elevated experience.
The rooftop pool has a beautiful 360-degree view of the city and while it's not the tallest building around, you can still see a decent amount of the city including the KL Tower.
A unique "borrowing" concept
As part of their neighbourly duties as a hotel, they've also recently launched a Borrowed by Hotel Indigo programme where guests cab borrow items unique to the neighbourhoods in which their respective Hotel Indigo properties are located in.
In Singapore, guests can borrow traditional Tiffin carriers to use to take delicious Nyonya treats back to their rooms. Guests at Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach can dress up in a ceremonial outfit made from Balinese fabric (also known as endek) or borrow a surfing rash guard while they explore the hotel’s iconic coastline.
There are other items that can be borrowed as well from other locations like a bicycle, boxing gloves, photography set, and even an explorer set that includes a map.
When we went for our preview we noted that the hotel was well appointed but a little narrow. There's limited parking in-house and you'll need to leave your car with the valet who will park your car using a lift.
This also means that it's not very spacious inside so you won't be spending a lot of time wandering the hotel like you would in a resort by the beach or a traditional 5-star establishment which would have multiple restaurants, Kids Club, and ballrooms.
What it has going for it however, is charm and that charm overflows at every nook and cranny. We'd say consider the hotel if you like to enjoy the finer details in an establishment. It's the kind of place where you check-in and stay in.
To book your stay, head to Hotel Indigo. Give their restaurant a try and let us know if you "borrowed" something from the local concierge.