After 17 years, curtain falls on Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang

KUALA LUMPUR – The iconic Royale Chulan hotel in Bukit Bintang shut its doors for good on February 11.

The Vibes paid a visit to the four-star establishment, which first welcomed guests 17 years ago, on its last day of operations.

“Dear Valued Guest, thank you for your support, and for allowing us to serve you since 2004,” said a notice bearing the Royale Chulan Hotels and Resorts Malaysia logo.

“We hereby announce that Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang is permanently closed from February 11, 2021. All Royale Chulan Hotels and Resorts will remain at your service in the future.”

The hotel is formerly known as Royale Bintang Kuala Lumpur, and located in the heart of the capital’s “Golden Triangle”.

A New Straits Times report said no reason was given for the closure of the hotel, which was founded and owned by Boustead Hotels and Resorts Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB).

While the closure would likely be linked to the economic blow dealt by the Covid-19 pandemic, BHB, in 2019, said it had sold Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang to the Singapore-listed Hotel Royal Ltd for RM197 million in cash.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, BHB said it expected to gain RM92 million from the proposed disposal.

Previously, Boustead Hotels and Resorts inked a deal to sell the 418-room establishment to Every Room A Home Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Hotel Royal.

The handover of Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang to Hotel Royal will take effect at month-end. – The Vibes, February 18, 2021