Period presence
Located in an unlikely part of Kuala Lumpur, rather than gloss over the neighbourhood’s less salubrious history, The Chow Kit chooses to celebrate it with a hotel which has a mysterious speakeasy mood. Designed by Brooklyn-based collective, Studio Tack, who excel at reimagining retro spaces through a contemporary lens, The Chow Kit has a rich historical feel but with enough modern touches to ensure it doesn’t feel like a stuffy museum.
How this was done was balancing vintage features with clean modern touches. For instance, the lobby lounge which feels like the home of a well-heeled culture connoisseur with its mix of object d’art and antiques furniture. This motley mix looks cool and charming when set against the rawness of the unfinished brick floor. Wicker, a material which could easily go down the retro route is carefully chosen with clean lines or to accent sofa backs. The rooms have a undeniable moody vintage feel abetted further by the brocade lovesea