in late May, we will be taking a train into KL, spending one or two days, then heading (by train or bus) up to Penang.

Any recommendations for interesting KL hotels in the US$100 range? We'd like something in an area with food & sights or easy transportation. Prefer character with comfort.

The good news is that good hotels in KL are still relatively cheap. Most are under $100. The bad news is that they tend to be pretty short on character.

The Equatorial and Concorde are in good locations, between KLCC and Bintang Walk. There are lots of others around there in that price range.

we are staying at the Imperial....sometimes a sheraton, but may be in transition...

I was there a few years ago and stayed at the Mandarin Oriental for less than US$100 per night -- short on character, but good location (short walk to Petronas).

Only hotel I saw with character is the Coliseum, but it was few rungs in quality below what I wanted -- but I did stop by for drinks.

I AGREE with the previous writer. We got a fabulous deal at the MO. KL hotels tend to be of the luxury chain variety, so you may as well go for the pick of the bunch. Fine location and the staff are outstanding. The only other KL hotel we've stayed at was the Istana at Bintang. It was okay, but not a patch on the Mandarin.

Actually, I want to correct what I said about the Mandarin Oriental lacking character -- its certainly different than Raffles in Singapore or the Peninsula in HK, but it doesn't seem like an anonymous chain hotel; it does have a sense of being in Malayis, albeit the 5-star variety.