Concierge.com's insider take:

When the Shangri-La opened in 1985, it immediately became the premier address for business and leisure travelers in Kuala Lumpur, offering a central location, luxurious accommodations, and flawless service—all in a setting of lush tropical gardens. Today, all of that remains true: The Shang now has a lot of competition, but it retains its position as the city's grand hotel. If anything, the location has only gotten better, as the Petronas Towers and other high-rises that have been built around it are a comfortable stroll away—just far enough to give many of the plush 701 rooms a perfect view of the twin skyscrapers. The restaurants and bars are popular with locals, especially the sumptuous Shang Palace, for Chinese cuisine, and the Lafite, which maintains a long-standing reputation as one of the city's best modern fine-dining restaurants. The Lobby Lounge, with its spectacular glass wall offering a panorama of the gardens, is always lively.