We were fortunate to join Renaissance Kuala Lumpur again this year for another round of local discovery. Interestingly, it fell on Halloween.
Starting at R Bar
The experience began with a gathering at R Bar, where we met the hotel representatives and our fellow media friends. The dress code was all black, everyone looked uniform, and the mood was relaxed. There was music, there were drinks, and not to forget, the ice cream bar.
The ice cream came from Gelatomania, and the flavours were anything but ordinary. There was assam laksa, which tasted exactly as it sounds, only frozen. It was rather strange, but it wasn’t that bad. A unique taste and experience that highlights the Malaysian local flair.
But the crown jewel was the kaya butter toast flavour, and it was so good that we still dream about it to this day. It had a subtle, toasty char, just like a well-browned slice of bread, balanced by the sweet, fragrant richness of kaya and butter.
Meeting Fritilldea
But the highlight was, of course, meeting Fritilldea, the Malaysian illustrator and muralist at the heart of this year’s celebration. It was the hotel’s first collaboration with him.
Also known as Mohd Anuar, the Kuala Lumpur-based artist is recognised for a bold, vibrant style that blends street art with contemporary illustration, drawing on the city’s character, neighbourhoods and natural landscapes. It sits naturally with Renaissance’s “look and look again” spirit.
Discovery, Room Edition
The in-room discovery came next. The room was lovely, as all rooms at the hotel are, and it had been specially decorated for RDOD, in the spirit of discovery. Naturally, there was plenty to find.
The main finds were on the table. At first glance, it looked like a little painting, with splashes of colour across the canvas. It turned out to be cream cheese. Alongside it were some local favourite biscuits to try with it, making for a delicious discovery built on familiar local flavours.
Fun stickers by Fritilldea were also tucked into random spots around the room, waiting to be spotted.
Hands-On at the Masterclass
From there, we headed to the Discovery Artist masterclass at the Inspire Room, where Fritilldea’s bold, colourful style filled the area.
His work set the tone for a two-day, Navigator-led celebration themed “Arts & Culture: Maker in Motion”. Led by Lead Navigator Indran Raaj, the curated itinerary was hands-on from start to finish, and all on an intimate scale. We painted on a canvas illustrated by Fritilldea, then tried silk-screen printing, a more sustainable approach to printmaking on fabric. It was a real joy to be the makers for once, giving a true authentic experience.
Sips with a Story
The drinks were a story of their own. Renaissance Hotels debuted its new Beverage Ritual collection this year, an exclusive global partnership with Demi Dana Paramita, founder of Jakarta’s HATS Bar. The collection of punch bowls and a revitaliser rolls out across every Renaissance hotel worldwide, with each one adding a local ingredient or flavour of its own.
For Kuala Lumpur, that meant four creations, and we got to sample them:
- Tropical Silk: pandan and lemongrass, fragrant and refreshing
- Spice Route: Chinese five-spice, which instantly brings to mind bak kut teh and char siu
- Green Fix: pegaga and kedondong, a very homegrown pairing
- Full of Red: pomegranate and roselle tea
What we liked most was how local it all felt. Familiar flavours we grew up with, all in a sip of a drink.
The collection is available every Thursday to Sunday, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM at R Bar, for those who would like to try it for themselves.
Malam Lagenda at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur
The night’s main event was Malam Lagenda, the Discovery Party at R Studio. The space was styled like a speakeasy, and it was packed with local makers, independent sellers and pop-up creatives, with Fritilldea right there among them.
We wandered from booth to booth: Bloop Soda, Poppy Records Vinyl & CD, White Henna Art by Reen, and Gelatomania again, so yes, we had a second helping of that ice cream from earlier in the day. Pixelbox Photobooth took care of the photos, and everyone was having a good time.
Homegrown singer Bil Musa performed live, while out on the deck, Deepcuts Collective spun Nusantara beats. Between the two, the night felt like a love letter to Kuala Lumpur’s creative scene.
Since it was Halloween, the kitchen played with the theme too. The menu drew on Malaysian folklore and local legends, but the food stayed close to home: dishes we grew up eating, and neighbourhood favourites, plated in ways we didn’t expect. It was comforting and surprising at the same time.
Day 2: Rise and Shine at Paradise Trails
Day two started early. We woke up bright and early for R Activities at the Paradise Trails, a Renaissance signature that offers a curated set of wellness activities to start the morning.
We began with yoga, and it was invigorating. It was a calm, energising way to ease into the day, especially after a night of good food, good music, and mingling.
A Pasar Pagi Breakfast
Breakfast came next, and it was far from the usual hotel spread. Keeping with the local theme, the hotel team had set up a “pasar pagi” (morning market) just for us, with an array of kopitiam-style dishes for a proper kopitiam breakfast.
There was nasi lemak, roti canai, fish ball noodle soup, congee, teh tarik and more. It really leaned into the authentic Malaysian morning experience, the kind where you go from stall to stall and end up with far more food than you planned.
Meet-The-Maker: The Big Reveal
To close out the two days, we gathered for a Meet-The-Maker session, and the canvas from the masterclass was finally unveiled. It was the same artwork Fritilldea had started at the very beginning, and seeing it complete, with our own brushstrokes woven into his illustration, was a proud moment.
Sitting down with him in such an intimate setting was a highlight in itself. He shared his stories and spoke about his creative process, and the session felt more like a conversation among new friends than a presentation.
That sense of friendship gave his artist name a new meaning for us. “Fritilldea” is derived from “Friends Till Death”, and after two days together, it felt fitting.
