Courtyard by Marriott Setia Alam, Malaysia Hotel Review

**In partnership with Courtyard by Marriott Setia Alam. I was invited to experience their property, but all opinions, photos, and reviews remain strictly my own.**

I’ve visited Malaysia a dozen times. But I’ve stayed mostly in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. So when I was offered the opportunity to visit Setia Alam and stay at the 4 star rated Courtyard by Marriott there, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse!

Especially after learning about Malaysia’s largest night market, held every Saturday right in Setia Alam! The opportunity to explore a different area in this wonderful country is the cherry on top.

Where is Courtyard by Marriott in Setia Alam

How to Get There

This Courtyard Marriott property is located in Setia Alam, a burgeoning township nestled in Shah Alam, a central state in Malaysia.

It’s about 40km from central Kuala Lumpur, or about a forty minute taxi ride. I used Grab taxi in the morning, and the fare was around $13 USD. Or take advantage of Central Malaysia’s vast and efficient train network to travel most of the way there.

As of now, Pasar Klang Station on the Shah Alam Line (SAL) is the nearest station. Then you’ll need to take a Grab Taxi to the hotel, roughly a six to ten minute ride.

What to See and Do

For those who enjoy being one with nature, there are a few eco parks near this hotel.

• Swan Lake 1.6km
• Butterfly Creek 1.8km

And if you truly want to be in the thick of the jungle, Shah Alam Community Forest Trail is 3km east of Courtyard by Marriott Setia Alam.

For those who love to eat, check out Setia Alam’s Night Market. It’s about 5km from the hotel. I used Grab Taxi, and the fare was around $2.50 USD.

Then there’s the Setia Alam City Mall, an anchor point for the town, for shopping, dining, and family entertainment. It’s a big mall too, and you can pretty much hang out inside all day.

I bought some clothes for my daughter and some new eyeglasses. There are movie theaters, an indoor playground, and arcades. There are plenty of activities for families.

While I was there on a weekend, there were many locals. As I mentioned, the Setia Alam City Mall is where most locals will gravitate to on weekends.

For hotel guests, there’s a convenient walkway bridge linking the hotel straight to the mall.

My Two Night Stay at Courtyard Marriott Setia Alam

From the outside, this is a massive hotel. Built in 2022, so it’s a baby in hotel property terms. My first thought when I stepped inside was of a business hotel atmosphere.

It makes sense as there’s a convention center right outside. The lobby is bright and airy with tall ceilings and a massive spiral chandelier in the center.

I came across a traveler many moons ago who said that if the hotel lobby is big. Then the guest rooms are big too. Not sure why that memory just randomly popped into my head.

But so far, it rings true.

Again, I was provided with a few nights’ stay to make this review. To get an idea of room rates, I keyed in a random date for two guests staying one night on their website.

To get the best rates, you have to sign up for Marriott’s membership; it’s free. And the room cost is $75 USD (298 MYR) per night, with taxes and fees. Buffet breakfast for two is an additional $20 USD.

Bear in mind rates fluctuate seasonally, so I recommend checking their website for your own specific travel dates.

I was expected, so checking in at the reception desk was a breeze. I was given a room on the 19th floor, specifically room 1918.

First Impressions

Because this is the tallest building in the vicinity, you’ll have an unobstructed view of Setia Alam and beyond. With the tall windows, there’s a bright, cheerful feeling. There are no weird musty smells.

The room vibes are just what I like.

The mattress is a full king size. A bit firm for my personal taste. Though I know many may prefer that for back support. I still slept like a baby. The pillows were super comfortable.

Room space is generous at 30 square meters. That’s plenty enough for two adults and a child. Plenty of power outlets by the bedside, updated with USB charging ports, along with a master light switch.

The toilet is spacious too, with soft, clean towels, a rain shower with strong pressure, and consistent hot water. There are toothbrushes, soaps, and shampoos.

Bottled water is no longer provided for environmental reasons. Instead, there’s a built in filtered water tap next to the sink.

The air con kept my room nice and chilly, and the mini fridge kept my Coke Zeros I bought at Lawson’s convenience store even chillier.

In the closet, there’s a small electronic safe for small valuables, a pair of disposable slippers, and bathrobes.

There’s a large television with movie and news channels. The room is modern and, most importantly, clean and comfortable.

There’s a nifty work table. Plus plenty of charging ports. The Wi-Fi is fast, though you need to register with the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program to access it. Bonus points for the wheeled desk chair.

Overall, the room fits the needs of business travelers. And it’ll easily satisfy leisure travelers too.

The Breakfast

If you booked a room with breakfast, get ready for some good eats. Breakfast is served from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.

When I ate there, it was the weekend. The dining area was filled with many guests. And the food stations were consistently replenished.

The variety of foods at this hotel pretty much runs the gamut of Malaysian cuisine. So if you like Chinese, Indian, and especially Malay foods, it’s all covered here.

Courtyard Marriott Setia Alam is halal-friendly.

Which means no pork sausage or crispy bacon. What they do have is chicken sausage and streaky beef. Both were really good and tasty.

Especially the streaky beef. It’s not something I find often, so I went back for a bunch of helpings. I even made a sandwich with their house-made sourdough bread. I devoured it too fast and forgot to take photos.

It’s terrific for putting a Western breakfast plate below! I don’t often eat Western breakfast at restaurants. I typically cook my own at home. But the ingredients and quality of food here are good.

There are also heavier selections of food, like fish head curries to chicken rendang. Plus nasi lemak, a fragrant coconut infused rice to eat with it.

And of course, a bread, pastry, and sweets section to make guests happy.

Even chee cheong fun, a Chinese rice roll breakfast staple I don’t really see in hotels, they’ve got it.

If you want to go for a light meal in the morning instead, they’ve got that covered with house-grown salads, a wide selection of salad dressings, cold cuts, oatmeal, cereals and a cheese platter.

There are three automated coffee machines, so no long wait to get your caffeine fix. And they use Starbucks coffee beans.

Afterwards, you can burn off those calories by swimming or hitting the gym.

My routine is to crawl back into bed after a big, tasty, filling breakfast.

Conclusion

I can see the Courtyard by Marriott Setia Alam playing a big role in the community. Locals can hold wedding receptions in large ballrooms. Shakers and movers can make business deals and presentations inside meeting rooms.