Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur: A taste of the high life with Vincent Xu

Morning brings an ethereal calm. The 99th-floor infinity pool appears to melt into the horizon, its edges dissolving into open sky, turning a simple swim into something close to transcendence: a moment of weightlessness high above the pulse of the city.

For Vincent, every journey begins at a table. At The Park Lounge, executive sous chef Matt Mujtahid Lukman curates an all-day menu inspired by the diverse flavours of Southeast Asia, making the menu a celebration of heritage and terroir.

He introduces us to Botok Ikan, a Javanese dish of steamed fish wrapped in banana leaf, perfumed with coconut milk, galangal and lemongrass. The first bite is delicate, almost floral, before deepening into gentle spice. Another highlight is Umai, a tangy raw fish salad from Borneo’s coastal regions, marinated in lime juice, vinegar and chili. Bright and aromatic, it’s a dish that feels alive — vivid with contrast and memory.

For Vincent, these moments of discovery are what define travel. “Food connects people without needing translation,” he says. “It’s how we understand a place — through taste, through feeling.”

Later that afternoon, indulgence takes a sweeter form at Cacao Mixology & Chocolate, Kuala Lumpur’s first chocolate-themed bar. Here, Executive pastry chef Holger Deh, known for crafting confections for Malaysia’s royal family, orchestrates a performance of flavour and theatre. The centrepiece is a ceremonial carving of a 19-kilogram slab of 70% dark chocolate, made with cacao from indigenous Semai farmers in Pahang and the lush plantations of Kelantan. Each slice is both an artwork and an act of reverence.

As dusk settles, the skyline turns molten — a tapestry of gold and violet stretching into infinity. From this height, Kuala Lumpur feels both vast and intimate, its pulse visible in every shimmer of light below. At Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, luxury is less about grandeur than it is about grace, a sense of stillness amid spectacle. From forgotten regional recipes to the artistry of chocolate, every gesture feels considered, every detail deliberate.

“The best journeys,” Vincent reflects, “aren’t about where you go, but how you feel when you’re there.” And here, suspended between the city and the clouds, that feeling lingers — like the echo of dark chocolate on the tongue or the soft gleam of glass catching the last of the evening sun.