Ormond Hotels is slated to open its first property, The Chow Kit, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Both the architecture and interiors of The Chow Kit are being developed by Brooklyn-based design practice Studio Tack, which drew inspiration from Chow Kit’s alleys and bars in the 1970s and 1980s. The Chow Kit is Studio Tacks’ first project in Asia.
When it opens, The Chow Kit - an Ormond Hotel will have 113 rooms and suites. Design-wise, the property will have modern amenities, though the building will honor and reinterprets the past (particularly of the location), with local materials showcased throughout. This will also be apparent in the hotel’s art program, where curated artworks will be feature throughout the public areas and guestrooms, selected from private collections and commissioned from local artists in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Guestrooms will have elements highlighting the history and culture of Kuala Lumpur, with an open wardrobe and desk space, a smart TV, bespoke toiletries and a self-pick-up room service concept.
The lobby will feature rich fabrics and textiles that would have been traded in old Chow Kit. It will have banquets, lounge chairs and layered rugs.
The Chow Kit Kitchen will be the heart and soul of the hotel. Inspired by the local Malaysian kopitiams, traditional cafés, the restaurant will be located in the ground floor.
There will also be a bar open from 11:00 a.m. to midnight. The venue will host restaurant pop-ups, featuring guest chefs and mixologists from around the world.
The ground floor will also be home to The Library, a wallpapered space designed for complete privacy. It will be ideal for private dining parties of up to 10 people, or small meetings. It will have a large wood and marble table.
There will also be a mezzanine space. It will have a glazed wall overlooking the lobby. The mezzanine space may be converted into additional meeting and event rooms.
The Chow Kit’s rooftop will have a dedicated yoga pavilion.
After The Chow Kit, Ormond Hotels will open two other sites in Melbourne and Dublin by 2022.