Review: Malaysia Airlines Regional Golden Lounge KUL

I’ve flown out of Kuala Lumpur too many times to count, but rarely in Business Class. That’s because I’m usually headed to Singapore, and it simply doesn’t make sense to pay miles or cash for Business Class (unlike in the opposite direction, where it opens up a oneworld lounge safari at Changi Airport).

But this time I was headed to Singapore…and then Tokyo. My KUL-SIN-HND Business Class ticket gave me oneworld lounge access  in Kuala Lumpur, where Malaysia Airlines operates a total of three Golden Lounges— two international and one domestic.

Of the two international lounges:

• The International Golden Lounge is located in the Satellite Building
• The Regional Golden Lounge is located in the Main Terminal 

As the name suggests, the Regional Golden Lounge is intended to cater to passengers flying on short-haul flights, so this is where I headed to before my departure to Singapore.

Opening Hours & Access

The Malaysia Airlines Regional Golden Lounge is located in the International Main Terminal Building, post-immigration on Level 4. 

Once you’ve cleared the first security checkpoint (remember, KUL airport also has screening at the gates so you can’t bring any water from the lounge onto the plane), turn left and head towards the H gates, looking out for a pair of escalators. 

The Regional Golden Lounge is open from 5 a.m to 11.59 p.m daily. 

Access is available to:

• First or Business Class passengers departing on a Malaysia Airlines or oneworld flight
• Enrich Gold or Platinum and oneworld Emerald or Sapphire members departing on a Malaysia Airlines or oneworld flight in any cabin
• First or Business Class passengers arriving on a Malaysia Airlines or oneworld flight with a duration >5 hours and connecting to a same-day (or following day before 6 a.m) Malaysia Airlines or oneworld flight in any cabin (retain your boarding pass from the inbound flight to gain access)

First Class, Enrich Platinum, Enrich Gold, oneworld Emerald and oneworld Sapphire members may bring one guest. All guests must be travelling on a oneworld-operated flight.

Access can also be purchased through the Malaysia Airlines website or mobile app, or at the door itself:

• Website/mobile app: MYR279 (~S$84) per adult and MYR140 (~S$42) per child
• Walk-in: MYR320 (~S$96) per adult and MYR160 (~S$48) per child

Lounge Overview

The Regional Golden Lounge is bright and airy, filled with natural light thanks to its full-height glass panels that overlook the tarmac.

While the décor isn’t the most modern, it’s not tacky either, and the lounge was perhaps 50% full when I visited on a Monday afternoon.

This isn’t a very private lounge in general, due to its open design and lack of partitions. However, those seeking some solace can head to the rear, where ranks of armchair seating braced against the walls offer some degree of visual isolation. Here’s also the best spot to airplane watch too. 

The “town square” of the lounge is the buffet area, which is a logical layout if you think about it- it means you’re never far from the food and drinks. Clustered around this area are two-top dining tables, as well as some communal tables for solo travellers. 

The lounge’s bar can be found in a semi-private enclave, and is the only spot where you can get an alcoholic drink (it’s a lot more conveniently located than the bar in the larger Golden Lounge in the Satellite Terminal, which is near the entrance and requires a fair bit of doubling back each time).

Travellers with children will appreciate the fenced-off play area at the back of the lounge, with an assortment of wooden toys, a slide, and a TV. 

I was also pleasantly surprised to find a nap area, segregated into male and female sections, with three day beds in each. These aren’t particularly private, and there’s little to block out the light, but if you’re tired enough I imagine any opportunity to go horizontal is welcome.

Food & Beverage

The buffet area features a mix of Western and Malaysian cuisine, though predominantly the latter. 

Cold items include a salad bar, cut fruit, a selection of pastries, and various cakes. 

The hot items included chicken rendang, mixed vegetables, and a passable chicken rice. During the mornings, you can even assemble your own nasi lemak. 

There was also a live cooking station with a choice of three noodle dishes including laksa- a lesser-known (well, to me at least) variant of laksa traditionally associated with Kelantan and Terengganu.

One little secret is that the bar offers a selection of food too, and it’s made-to-order! When I was there, the dish of the day was fish and chips. Was it the best fish and chips I ever had? No. Was I impressed that I was getting a made-to-order item in a regional Business Class lounge? Very much so.

In terms of beverages, there was a fully-stocked fridge with Pepsi, 7-Up, Schweppes, and small bottles of mineral water (again, a reminder that KLIA has further security screening at the gate, so you’ll need to empty out any bottles). 

There was also a barista coffee station, though unfortunately teh tarik isn’t on the menu- or if it is, it’s the instant kind.

If the station is unmanned, you can still get coffee or tea from one of the machines. 

Power & Productivity

Wi-Fi speeds in the Malaysia Airlines Regional Golden Lounge were relatively slow, and clocked in at ~4 Mbps up and down. 

For perspective, Netflix requires 15 Mbps for UHD, 5 Mbps for FHD and 3 Mbps for HD video. This is definitely an area for improvement, when other lounges are offering triple digit speeds these days.

Universal power outlets and USB-A ports could be easily found throughout the lounge (though some of the faceplates showed signs of advanced scuffing). No wireless charging nor USB-C was available.

Bathrooms

The Regional Golden Lounge has its own male and female bathrooms, and they’re surprisingly nice. In addition to the usual urinals and common sinks, the bathroom cubicles even come with their own individual vanity and mirror wall. 

There’s even a single shower in each of the bathrooms, with its own attached toilet and vanity. I really wasn’t expecting to find such an amenity in a regional lounge.

Conclusion

The Malaysia Airlines Regional Golden Lounge packs a surprising number of amenities for a regional lounge, making it a comfortable place to rest, work, or grab a bite before a flight. The buffet spread has good variety, you can get alcohol at the bar, and those fish and chips are certainly worth a try.

My biggest disappointment here was the ploddingly-slow Wi-Fi, so hopefully that can be looked into.