I’m in KL, very near KLCC – KL City Centre for the uninitiated – yet all I can hear is the gentle splash of fountains and bird song. Well, almost (truck rumbles past as I type).

We are here because H is working and I am skiving – a Dr. Hauschka project at Isetan yesterday helps to slightly justify it – and this time have eschewed the cold, corporate corridors of the big guns to stay in a surprisingly good value boutique gem whose name I still can’t pronounce properly.

It’s called Villa Samadhi and it’s a lovely surprise to stumble upon a reltively unknown oasis of calm in the heart of a densely populated city.

The pool forms the centre of the hotel and daybeds are scattered about its permitier. I do not feel, as a loll about on one of them writing this, that I am under 2kms from the Twin Towers.

We are staying in the cheapest room, (called The Crib…love it) of which there are only two, and it’s enormous; about the size of the ground floor of my house in Singapore.

Apart from a huge bed, some very cool red lacquered wicker and floors made from polished concrete and wood, there’s a beautiful day bed in the window (below) which I have, after taking this picture, rendered unusable by throwing the contents of my suitcase over

…as well as a gloriously spaceous bathroom that’s accessed via double doors and occupies the whole area behind the red pots

Don’t come here hoping to stock up with all sorts of delicious bathroom goodies. Here the freebies are basic and I applaude them for it, for the simple fact that the saving is passed on to you in your low room rate.

Soap is generic and perfectly fine too:

There are 19 other ‘rooms’ which are all villas and substantially larger in both size and price.

Drinks can be quaffed at the really rather charming roof top bar:

Breakfast is included in the room price (as well as wifi – good, I HATE being asked to pay extra to use the internet, I’d rather they made the room more expensive) and – joy – lasts all day.

Move over Mandarin Oriental – where I last stayed when visiting KL – you may be reassuringly marble-clad and around the same price to stay in (our Crib cost RM 500/S$197/£103) but you can’t beat this little gem with its strange name and holiday vibe.

Children under 12 are not allowed in Villa Samadhi.

We drove to KL from Singapore. The drive, door-to-door, took four and a half hours. 

Daybed and hotel pool shot are courtesy of Mr & Mrs Smith