Originally completed in 1997, Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was recently the subject of a complete overhaul. The original hotel was a typical chain-operated establishment that now felt out of place. Furthermore, with a growth of supply of hotel rooms and stiff competition from the industry, the owners were keen to explore how the existing hotel could be repositioned and differentiated in the industry.
Mr Chan Sau Yan Sonny, in his previous practice was the original architect for Hotel Maya. Now as the principal of his own architectural firm CSYA Studio Pte Ltd, Mr Sonny was retained as the consultant and interior designer for the entire renovation works.
Niche
The first task of the renovation was to clearly identify the revised niche positioning of Hotel Maya and based on the success of the developing trend of independent-owner-operated hotels, it was decided to completely revamp and refurbish the hotel to cater for a well-heeled corporate, business and leisure clientele.
Structure
Hotel Maya, located on Jalan Ampang is part of a megastructure comprising two other components: the Menara Chaan Chim Mooi office tower and the Plaza 138 office suites.
The hotel and office complex are naturally ventilated and lit by a 20-storey-high atrium running the entire length of the building. Cross-ventilation of the atrium is facilitated by the double volume sky lobby on the 13th floor of the office tower at the front and a 10-storey-high ‘window’ at the swimming pool deck on the third floor of the office suites at the back.
The complex is served by a common three-storey pedestrian entrance plaza on the ground level. The hotel also has a drive in the entrance lobby via a ramp on the first floor of the atrium that is shared with the office suites.
Space
After establishing the new niche for Hotel Maya, the rooms of the hotel have been reconfigured, reducing the original 287 rooms to 207 rooms of which 50 percent have been converted into two-bay suites and four-bay executive suites.
The ground floor all-day restaurant, hotel entrance and foyer, reception and lobby bar lounge are all integrated into a spacious triple volume open plan space. The ballroom and meeting room facilities on the first floor across the hotel entrance foyer are now fitted with movable walls that allow the space to open up entirely with a mezzanine.
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