A first of its kind in the city, and the country, Kloe Hotel, offers what no other has so far, a five one-of-a-kind artist lofts. Business Today chats with Ping to find out what sets Kloe apart.
By Poovenraj Kanagaraj
“The idea of Kloe came about from a hostel I was running in 2010. At that time, my partner Anne and I were noticing that a lot of people who were checking could actually afford to stay in nicer hotels,” says Ping Ho, managing director of Kindness of Stranger.
Ping and his partner, Anne soon realised travellers, regardless of background wanted the backpackers experience – the idea of walking up to reception and striking a conversation.
And Kloe offers that and much more. It’s not just a place for people to book a room but its for anyone from all walks of life to mingle, to find out more about the city and to be more inspired through meeting others.
The hotel located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is aimed at creative nomads. Whether its someone who loves art or a passersby coming into the city looking to be inspired by good design, Kloe’s founders came up with five different lofts, allowing anyone to explore their creative impulses.
“The idea for the lofts came from Lisette Scheers, who created our brand identity. She suggested that if we’re a creative hotel, that we actually inspire people to be creative,” Ping says.
Ping who himself is part of the creative ecosystem, a graphic designer by training, wanted to celebrate KL’s creative community.
“We do this by working with the city’s independent designers, artisans or designers to produce items for the hotel,
“This can be anything from ceramic lampshades by Thirty eleven, handmade crockery by Studio Bendang, furniture by Lain Design or Fiske, or lamps by Stephanie Design,” Ping shares.
The process of working with a myriad of artists and designers is the highlight of both Ping and Anne’s 10 year journey of developing the hotel, Ping says.
As for his personal space in the hotel, the lobby or the living room of the hotel has always been his go-to. “Our vision for the hotel was to be the ‘Kinfolk’ of hotels, a hotel that celebrates slow living, community, gatherings and craft,” he says.
“When you step into the lobby, you’ll encounter lots of natural light from the glass ceilings, bookshelves full of handpicked books, people chatting with friends or working on their laptops at a communal table,” Ping says, as he points out that the spot to him is calm, peaceful and inspiring.
If you are keen on enjoying music from Ping’s curated playlist along with everything else Kloe hopes to offer, perhaps the idea of a post-MCO staycation won’t be too bad.
