Else, a boutique hotel located on busy Jalan Tun H S Lee in Kuala Lumpur's city centre will finally open its doors on Sept 10, this year.
The 49-room, restored, and repurposed building spans seven stories and over 56,000 square feet.
Else took over the former Lee Rubber Building, which was once Yap Kwan Seng's previous vacation home, giving the pre-war building new life.
The building's ancient architecture had been meticulously conserved, keeping many of its original elements.
The art deco Lee Rubber Building was built in 1930 with a grey facade. It was developed by Arthur Oakley Coltman of Booty Edwards & Partners.
With only four floors when it was completed, it was the tallest building in Kuala Lumpur at the time.
Between 1942 and 1945, the building was used by the Japanese government as the headquarter of the Japanese secret police during World War II.
In the 1950s, an additional floor was added to the structure, making it a five-story building.
The property has a land area of 10,637 sq ft, a total built-up area of 46,607 sq ft, and a net lettable area of 38,126 sq ft.
The historic building reportedly was put up for sale in 2015 by its owner, Lee Rubber Group.
The then-85-year-old structure, according to news reports, was sold for RM29 million to Singapore-based GF Land Sdn Bhd in January 2016.
Hillington Pte Ltd is the sole owner of the Johor-registered company. Tony Con-Ling Chen, Robert Conway Chen, and Justin Chen are the directors.
Justin Chen, the deputy chief executive officer of Arcc Holdings, and Javier Perez, the owner of Series of Intentions, co-founded Else as a gathering place and retreat for tourists seeking to immerse themselves in the local culture and revitalise.
According to Justin Chen, Else is a four-year effort that was made possible by the difficulties posed by the global pandemic and was motivated by the advent of a new traveller generation.
"The result is an urban haven for the globally minded and curious. Our design and construction team have a sensitively balanced contrast of new and old with a refined juxtaposition of a pre-war building beautifully preserved and innovative design that invites all our guests to explore the property on their own, and discovers intimate pockets to pause and reflect," he said in a statement.
He said that Else respects the architectural tradition of the well-known monument while embracing modern design and a fresh take on hospitality.
The hotel has two restaurants, a board room, a state-of-the-art gym, floating meditation pods, a drawing room, and a library. It also has a 25-meter plunge pool and numerous wellness amenities.
From now until October 31, 2022, hotel nights start at RM398.
Four categories of accommodations have been designed for guests, starting with the Mantra Room (standard), a charming 25 square metre sanctuary, and the Urban Room (deluxe), a 33 square metre tastefully furnished room with a seating area.
The Sanctuary, located on the upper floors, is furnished with a super king-sized bed and a private balcony, while Sutera, a 69 sqm suite, exudes quiet luxury, complete with a private living area for extended family.
The Else Suite, a sprawling 84 sqm sanctuary with a private balcony, is the largest room.
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