The Majestic Hotel is one of KL’s historical landmarks. Built in 1932, the hotel has been through many seasons and has withstood the test of time. Currently, the Majestic Hotel is run by YTL, which has given the hotel a facelift but has also strived to maintain much of the colonial heritage this hotel was built on.
One of the historical features that have been handed down through the generations here is, of course, the concept of the gentlemen’s club. Popular in the days before the war, gentlemen’s clubs were watering holes where men gathered in the evenings for drinks, billiards and cigars.
At The Majestic Hotel, this concept has been preserved at The Smoke House. Its design and location are reminiscent of classic pre-war architecture. To get here, you’ll have to exit a pair of wooden doors on the first floor, go through a garden corridor and then find a terrace.
The Majestic Hotel recently hosted a get-together at The Smoke House and we at The City List were fortunate enough to attend. This space is a relaxing lounge that’s sumptuously decorated.to reflect heady prohibition era aesthetics, so you’ll see touches of the 1920s everywhere.
Apart from a comfortable seating area with plenty of soft sofas and armchairs, The Smoke House also boasts a pool table and a full bar, with waiters dressed in classic attire, reminiscent of French waiters from days gone by.
Silk evening robes are hung up around the area, so you can pull of your own Great Gatsby look. To complete the whole setup, there are also cigars available for purchase and you’re allowed to smoke indoors.
The bar serves an eclectic mix of cocktails, many inspired by old British tropes, like the East India cocktail which includes Maraschino, Cognac, Cointreau, raspberry syrup and Angostura Bitters. Interestingly, this cocktail recipe comes from an 1882 book by bartender Harry Johnson.
Other equally interesting cocktails here ( each with their own enthralling Colonial era backstory), include the ‘Code 55 & 2 Bulat’, The Malayan Colada and the Stengah. All cocktails here are priced at RM45 per serving.
Apart from welcoming walk-in guests, The Smoke House is also a space to host events, like the Christmas gathering we attended. Although they don’t serve food on regular days, the hotel will be able to cater for any events that you want to hold here.
The buffet menu whipped up by The Majestic Hotel’s culinary team was nothing short of amazing. Apart from a whole serving of roasted turkey ( complete with Giblet sauce, cranberry relish and roasted vegetables), there was grilled Salmon, pasta with truffle cream, baked cauliflower, salad jars and many more.
The most impressive part, of course, had to be the dessert table, with no less than 20 selection of sweets, cakes, chocolates and dessert that can melt any heart. There were a chocolate log, mini lemon meringue tarts and chocolate truffles.
The Majestic Hotel has several dining and leisure areas apart from The Smoke House. This includes The Contango, the Tea Lounge and the Colonial Cafe. All of them have special promotions, meal sets and buffest throughout the year.
The Smoke House at The Majestic Hotel KL
- 5 Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 11am – 1am (Monday – Sunday)
