In the know

Our favourite rooms: Seri Ehsan, one of the Deluxe Suites, is a honeymoon-esque haven with panoramic views of the city and gardens, and a private verandah on which to take afternoon tea. The separate living and dining areas are ideal for receiving friends who are staying in less splendid surroundings, and, when they’ve gone, there’s an inviting Jacuzzi to sink into.
Packing tips: Pressed linens and silk tea dresses for that authentic feeling of colonial majesty.
Also: The lush and extensive lawns are perfect for picnicking, jogging, or a meandering afternoon constitutional.

Current offers

Smith card offer: Afternoon tea for two
Current special offers: Four nights for the price of three

Carcosa Seri Negara

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [view map]

Style: Grand colonial mansion
Setting: The capital’s Lake Gardens

The first official guests of this gorgeous boutique hotel in Kuala Lumpur were Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, and it’s hard not to feel pretty regal yourself when you’re met by a butler as you step off the plane. Once a British colonial seat, Carcosa Seri Negri is now a cultured combination of mansion, museum and indulgent boutique hotel.

Need to know

Rooms: 13 suites in two buildings.
Rates: $217–$715, including breakfast . Excludes five per cent tax and 10 per cent service charge.
Check-out: Midday, but later checkout is possible, subject to availability.
Facilities: Butler service, limousine airport transfer and inner-city drop-offs, outdoor swimming pool, jogging track, tennis court. In-room amenities: cable TV, DVD/CD player, free WiFi, complimentary minibar.

Food & drink

Hotel restaurant: The seductively chandeliered dining room serves three-times Michelin-starred chef Laurent Colin’s divine French cuisine. Less opulent but no less appealing, the Gulai House offers modern Malay meals and attracts a glitzy clientele of big-name locals.
Dress code: Glamorous and bejewelled with a Forties flourish.
Top table: Take an alcove in the dining room for a romantic meal, and make a beeline for the plush drawing room sofas for the traditional afternoon cream tea.
Last orders: Both restaurants are open 12pm–3pm for lunch and 6.30pm – 10.30pm for dinner. The bar stoppers its decanters when the last guest leaves.
Room service: Your butler is on call 24 hours a day to cater to your every whim.
Hotel bar: Lifted straight from the pages of an Agatha Christie novel, the crisp, old-world bar is the place for a discreet tipple rather than table-top tap-dancing.

Other facilities

Children: This hotel is better suited to couples - leave the children at home!

Smith card offer

Afternoon tea for two

If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).

Click here to become a Mr & Mrs Smith member

Smith concierge

If you’d prefer to talk to someone, or you’re having trouble booking online, ring our travel team on 0845 034 0700 (+44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.