The 1969 D’Kelly Hotel in Ipoh looks considerably more expensive than it actually is. We paid just £84 for two nights, and visually, the hotel punches well above that price. But one problem had a major impact on my stay: the bed.

We stayed from 16 to 18 September 2026 during our Malaysia trip. From the moment we arrived, the design impressed me — dramatic black-and-white floors, unusual furniture, a transparent piano and plenty of details that make the property feel more boutique than budget.

The problem is that a hotel can look exceptional and still fail at the one thing that matters most: giving you a good night’s sleep.

The Jet Lag & Champagne Quick Verdict

The short version: this is a hotel I wanted to love more than I did. The public spaces look fantastic, the price was excellent, the rooftop facilities were a genuine bonus and the overall design has far more personality than I expected for £42 a night.

But the room was tight, storage was limited, there was no proper gym and — most importantly — the mattress was simply too hard for me. I did not sleep well, and that has to count heavily in a hotel review.

Would I stay again? Possibly, especially at this price, but I would want to know whether a softer mattress option was available first.

The hotel’s dramatic lobby immediately gives the property a strong boutique identity.

First Impressions: Far More Expensive-Looking Than £84

The hotel makes a very strong first impression. Rather than the generic marble-and-beige look found in a lot of city hotels, D’Kelly has committed to a much more distinctive style.

Patterned floors, dark furniture, ornate lighting and unusual statement pieces make the public areas memorable. It feels designed rather than simply furnished.

One of several lounge areas, with bold furniture and patterned flooring throughout.

The transparent grand piano is one of the hotel’s most unexpected design features.

DESIGN & ATMOSPHERE: 9 / 10 — Distinctive, photogenic and full of personality

The Room: Nice, But Much Smaller Than It Looks

Our twin room was clean, modern and nicely finished, but it felt much smaller than some of the other hotels on this trip. For two nights, it was manageable. For a longer stay, I think the lack of space would have started to become frustrating.

The biggest practical issue was storage. There really was not much room to unpack and properly put everything away, so for both nights we effectively lived out of our suitcases.

Our twin room was smart and comfortable to look at, but compact in day-to-day use.

ROOM VERDICT: 7 / 10 — Good-looking and clean, but compact with limited storage

Sleep: The Biggest Problem

Unfortunately, the bed was far too hard for me. And I do not mean slightly firmer than I prefer — I genuinely struggled to get comfortable and did not sleep well.

That is a significant negative because sleep is one of the areas I weight most heavily. A hotel can have a beautiful lobby, a rooftop pool and great coffee, but if I wake up feeling worse than when I went to bed, the experience takes a hit.

Someone who actively prefers a very firm mattress may feel completely differently. For me, though, this was the biggest reason the hotel could not score higher.

SLEEP VERDICT: 5.5 / 10 — The mattress was simply too hard for me to sleep well

Bathroom: Compact but Nicely Finished

The bathroom was much more successful. It was compact, but the dark stone finishes, glass shower, black fittings and illuminated mirror made it feel modern and premium.

The rainfall shower was a good size and I had no meaningful complaints about the bathroom during the stay.

The compact bathroom continued the hotel’s darker boutique design.

BATHROOM VERDICT: 8 / 10 — Compact, modern and nicely finished

Breakfast & Food: We Chose to Eat Out

We did not book breakfast here. As with several hotels during this Malaysia trip, we preferred to get out into the city and try local cafés and restaurants rather than eat in the hotel every morning.

Because of that, I am not going to rate the breakfast itself. I photographed the buffet and restaurant, and there appeared to be a substantial selection, but it would be unfair to score food I did not actually eat.

The breakfast buffet looked extensive, although we chose to eat out instead.

The restaurant had plenty of seating and continued the hotel’s strong design theme.

The Coffee: This Part Passed the Test

I did have coffee at the hotel, and it was good. For someone who cares perhaps slightly too much about coffee, that matters more than it probably should.

The setting helped too. Sitting with a coffee in front of a transparent grand piano is not something I expected from an £84 hotel stay.

Coffee with the transparent piano in the background — one of my favourite shots from the stay.

The Rooftop Pool: A Real Bonus at This Price

The rooftop pool is a genuine plus. It is not an enormous resort pool, but for a city hotel at this price point it gives the property another layer that I was not expecting.

There are proper loungers around the rooftop and elevated views across Ipoh. The weather was fairly hazy while we were there, so the view was not at its best, but the space itself was still very pleasant.

The rooftop pool overlooking Ipoh.

POOL & FACILITIES: 8 / 10 — A very welcome rooftop facility for a hotel at this price

No Gym: A Definite Negative for Me

There is no dedicated gym at D’Kelly, which is a negative for me when travelling. There is an outdoor strip of artificial turf with some functional-training equipment, and that is better than nothing, but it is not a replacement for a proper hotel gym.

On a two-night stay this was not a deal-breaker. On a longer trip, it would matter much more.

The rooftop training strip is useful, but it is not a substitute for a proper gym.

GYM VERDICT: 5 / 10 — Some outdoor training space, but no dedicated gym

Public Areas: Where the Hotel Really Shines

Where D’Kelly consistently impressed me was outside the bedroom. There are several lounge areas, a concierge area and enough unusual interior details that the hotel never feels generic.

That matters because it gives the property a sense of identity. It feels as though somebody actually made conscious design decisions rather than ordering the same furniture package used by a hundred other hotels.

Even the concierge area feels intentionally designed rather than purely functional.

Another of the hotel’s lounge spaces, combining dark furniture with local decorative elements.

Value for Money: Very Hard to Argue With

We paid £84 in total for two nights — roughly £42 per night. At that price, the overall presentation of the hotel is extremely impressive.

The rooftop pool, distinctive public areas, attractive bathroom and general level of design all feel more expensive than the room rate suggests.

The problem is that value is not just about what a hotel looks like. The room was small, storage was limited, there was no proper gym and the bed prevented me from getting a good night’s sleep.

VALUE VERDICT: 9 / 10 — A lot of hotel for £84, despite the compromises

Is 1969 D’Kelly Hotel Ipoh Worth It?

For £84 for two nights, the value is difficult to ignore. If you like boutique hotels, unusual interiors and properties that look considerably more expensive than they actually are, D’Kelly delivers.

If you also like an extremely firm mattress, you may enjoy the stay considerably more than I did. Personally, the bed would make me hesitate before booking again, because sleep carries too much weight in how I judge a hotel.

The Jet Lag & Champagne Verdict

7.7 / 10 — GOOD

My final verdict: excellent value and exceptional design, but the room’s limited practicality and, above all, the very hard bed stopped it becoming one of my favourite stays in Malaysia.

Would I stay again? At £42 per night, possibly — but only if I could get a softer mattress.

1969 D’Kelly Hotel, Ipoh.

About this review

I stayed at 1969 D’Kelly Hotel in Ipoh from 16 to 18 September 2026 for two nights. I paid £84 in total for the stay. The hotel did not provide or sponsor the stay, and all opinions in this review are based on my own experience.

Affiliate disclosure: Jet Lag & Champagne may contain affiliate links. If you make a booking or purchase through one of these links, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This does not influence my reviews or verdicts.