Forte Seasons Scarletz Premium Suites KLCC by BYON

We saw a baby cockroach in the bathroom as soon as we checked into our room on the 42nd floor, in daylight. Later, during a 4 AM bathroom trip, there were four at once, adults and babies, crawling around. I'm usually pretty forgiving about cockroaches in Southeast Asia, but I've never seen so many in a modern high-rise, especially that high up. There's an infestation throughout the building, so avoid this place and pay a bit more to stay elsewhere. This isn't a hotel, it's a high-rise with individually managed units presented as one. My travelling companion booked through Booking.com and was told payment could be made at the property. At check-in, we were told cards weren't accepted and had to withdraw cash from the lobby ATM. It felt like a shakedown, and I wish we'd left. Once we'd paid cash, I realized there'd be no recourse if I wanted a refund. I wanted to cancel right away.

The rooms are nice, but the staff don't seem to like their jobs. The elevators are the worst part. The line stretches into the lobby, and it can take forever to get down. We were on the 35th floor and five full elevators stopped without room before the sixth had space. They come about five minutes apart, so getting to the lobby can take 30 minutes. Most of the time, it takes at least 10 minutes or more.

The check-in left such a bad impression that it affected our time in Kuala Lumpur. Abby at the front desk was cold and dismissive, didn't even greet us, and referred to us only by our booking number. We felt more like a problem than guests. I've never had this kind of treatment in a hotel, and it's shocking for a four-star place. The whole customer service experience was extremely unpleasant. Basic hospitality was lacking, and I wouldn't recommend this hotel.

For 1300 RM for 3 nights, more than twice what I'd have paid if I'd known the room's condition, I wouldn't choose this place again. The room had a garage view labelled as a city view, dirty smelly cutlery, a dirty window with a cloths hanger outside, no soap, and only one small roll of toilet paper that ran out in under 3 days. There was no washing machine or laundry room, and the supposedly soundproof room let me hear neighbors showering and talking. The receptionists seemed pretentious, as if I should be grateful to check in, and made me feel bad for interrupting them. The metro was a 15 to 20 minute walk, and the building's only four elevators were often busy during rush hours.