Marathon weekends are always a bit of a juggle when you’re traveling with two young kids, so finding the right hotel matters more than usual. We spent two nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside during the Score Marathon weekend, and it turned out to be one of those stays where the hotel itself became part of the trip, not just a place to sleep.
In this DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside review, we’re sharing exactly what we experienced: the room, the pools, the food at Makan Kitchen, and what there is (and isn’t) to do around the hotel. If you’re considering a family stay here, whether for a race weekend, a staycation, or a stop before a flight, this should give you a clear picture of what to expect.
Table of Contents
A Quick Overview of Our Stay
We booked two nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside to coincide with the Score Marathon, one of Malaysia’s bigger running events held right in Putrajaya. It made sense to stay close by rather than travel in from Kuala Lumpur on race morning.
It was just the four of us: me, my husband, Little Miss R, and Baby S. We arrived on a Friday afternoon and checked out on Sunday, giving us a full weekend to enjoy the hotel alongside the race itself.
Getting There and Checking In
We started our Putrajaya family trip at IOI City Mall, one of Malaysia’s biggest malls, located just ten to fifteen minutes from the hotel. We planned this deliberately for the Friday, since check-in isn’t until 4pm and we knew the weekend would be busy with the marathon crowds along the usual weekend craze. Getting the mall visit done before checking in meant we could spend the rest of the weekend enjoying the hotel without needing to leave again.
If you have time to spare, the mall itself is worth a visit with kids. District 21 is a theme park built for climbing, sliding, and general chaos-approved fun. Icescape is an ice skating rink that works well even for beginners. And if your kids love animals, IOI City Farm has an indoor petting zoo that’s a nice change of pace from the usual mall visit.
After the mall, we headed to the hotel and parked in the basement. As with most car parks in Malaysia, the first level tends to be busy, so we went straight down to B2 and found plenty of space near the elevator.
Check-in was smooth. We showed our passports, the front desk quickly found our reservation, and the staff explained the room and its inclusions before handing over our keys. From there, we were guided straight to our room.
Our Room: A Lake View in Wing 3
We stayed in Wing 3 on the first floor, in a room with a lake view, and it’s the room type we’d recommend if you have the choice. Depending on where you’re placed, you could end up overlooking the Splash Pool, which is fun but can get noisy with families and kids, or looking into the interior of the resort. The lake view was quiet and, as it turned out, came with an unexpected bonus. That same weekend, the Dragon Boat Racing Championships were taking place on the lake, so we had a front-row seat from our room.
The room itself is 41 square meters with a king-sized Sweet Dreams bed, a balcony, and a mini bar. We’d requested a baby cot and an extra bed for the kids, and even with both set up, there was still plenty of space to move around comfortably.
If you’re traveling with older kids, it’s worth considering a connecting room instead. We were in one, which meant that if you book two rooms next to each other, you can open the connecting door and effectively have two separate spaces joined together. That said, everything we needed was already in the room: a mini fridge, a safe, drawers for clothes, and a kettle. The bathroom had a shower, toilet, one sink, and enough space for toiletries.
Pools and Family Facilities
From the outside, the hotel doesn’t feel like your typical city hotel. With its different wings and pools spread throughout the grounds, it felt more like a resort you’d find in Bali, mixed with traditional Malaysian architecture. There are also dedicated MICE facilities for meetings and events, so it caters to business travelers just as well as families. In the middle of it all, between the wings, sits a clock tower that acts as a nice central landmark.
One note before the details: the rooftop pool is for guests aged 16 and above only, so if you have young kids, you won’t be using that one.
Lakeside Pool
Next to Wing 3, where we stayed, is the Lakeside Pool. It’s a ground floor infinity pool with a lake view and a small kids’ pool attached. We spent a little time here, though it ended up being less of a draw than the Splash Pool once the kids discovered it.
Splash Pool
The Splash Pool was the highlight of our stay, at least according to Little Miss R. It’s a good size for a kids’ pool, with a pirate ship, slides, and water features. There’s one big slide in particular that she went down more times than we could count, possibly close to a hundred.
Kids’ Club
Behind the Splash Pool is the Kids’ Club, which is spacious and staffed by two team members for most of the day. There were ice cream, fruit skewer, and popcorn pass-arounds at set times during the day, along with toys, books, mini tents, a PlayStation, building blocks, and a play kitchen. Our girls spent most of their time playing chef, preparing pretend meals and then having us sit down to “eat” them, which turned out to be one of the more entertaining parts of the stay.
Arcade Room and Games Room
Next to the Kids’ Club is an arcade room with token-operated machines. We didn’t get a chance to use it ourselves, but it’s worth knowing about if you’re stuck on a rainy day or have older kids who’d enjoy it. There’s also a separate games room with table football and a few other activities.
Fun Car Street
Fun Car Street is located in Wing 2 on the ground floor, near the clock tower, with a bouncing castle along with small ATVs, bicycles, and e-scooters available for rent. We didn’t use it ourselves, but it’s worth knowing there’s an additional cost on top of your stay if your kids want to try it out.
Dining at Makan Kitchen
Makan Kitchen is the hotel’s main restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all in buffet style. Breakfast had a genuinely wide spread: Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, and Western options, an egg station where you could get your eggs cooked exactly how you wanted, a fruit station, ice cream, pancakes, and freshly baked waffles. It was a strong start to the day, especially with kids in tow.
We also had one lunch at the restaurant, and the buffet was more extensive than we expected for a midday meal. There happened to be a meeting group having lunch at the same time, which made sense once we saw how big the restaurant was. We never felt crowded or overlapped with other guests, and it meant we got the benefit of a fuller buffet.
In the evening, there was a themed dinner called Carnivore Madness, with a heavy focus on meat dishes. We ended up eating there twice over the two nights, and each time there was a strong variety across Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Western cuisines, plus a sushi station. That sushi station is where Little Miss R started and ended her dinner both nights; sushi is always her favorite. Desserts ranged from cakes to local kuih to ice cream and fresh fruit. The quality across the board was good, not just the variety.
One practical tip if you’re booking as a family: kids aged 6 to 12 get 50% off buffet meals at Makan Kitchen.
Exploring Around the Hotel
I ran the half marathon at the Score Marathon on Sunday morning, with a 3am start. Race mornings in Malaysia tend to start early to beat the heat, and this one was no exception. Since the hotel isn’t located on the island where the race started, I first had a 3.5 kilometer warm-up run along the lake to reach the start line, which is much better than warming up near the start!
Later that day, we walked part of the same route with the kids, not the full stretch, but about a kilometer out and back along the lake, which was manageable with little ones in tow.
The next day, we headed to the aquatic center to catch some of the Dragon Boat Racing semifinals before heading back to the hotel.
Worth knowing before you book: there isn’t a lot within walking distance of the hotel itself. We were lucky to have the marathon and the Dragon Boat Racing happening that same weekend, but without an event like that, this is very much a hotel-as-destination stay rather than a base for exploring on foot.
That said, Putrajaya itself has plenty to offer if you’re willing to drive a short distance, or take a Grab Car. On this trip, we deliberately kept things low-key and stuck close to the hotel, but on a past daytrip to Putratjaya we enjoyed a cruise on Lake Putrajaya and a visit to the Putrajaya Botanical Gardens. In addition, you could also stop by at the Putra Mosque, all of which are covered in more depth in our guide to things to do in Putrajaya.
Practical Tips for Families Staying Here
A few details worth knowing before your stay:
Parking: In-house guests pay RM3 per entry, while visitors and event attendees pay RM8. The car park accepts credit, debit, and Touch ‘n Go cards, and you’re charged upon exiting. If you get your ticket validated at the Front Desk, you get a 15-minute grace period to leave, so don’t forget to validate before heading back to your car.
Kids’ Club: Open to children aged 3 to 12. Kids under 5 need a guardian on-site, while those aged 5 to 12 can attend without one. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 10am to 6pm, and Friday to Sunday from 9am to 9pm, so it’s worth planning your pool and activity time around these hours if your kids want to spend time there.
Splash Pool closures: The Splash Pool closes for scheduled sanitation on weekdays from 12pm to 1pm, and on weekends and public holidays from 12pm to 1pm and again from 3pm to 4pm. Worth keeping in mind so you’re not caught off guard mid-visit.
Room request: If you have a choice, book a lake view room. It’s quieter than rooms overlooking the Splash Pool, and if you happen to visit during an event on the lake, you get a front-row view without leaving your room.
Is DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside Worth It for Families?
Yes, with the right expectations. This isn’t a hotel you book to explore the surrounding area on foot. It’s a hotel that becomes the destination in itself, and it does that well. Between the Splash Pool, the Kids’ Club, and the spacious rooms, our girls were entertained the entire weekend without us needing to plan much beyond meals.
It works particularly well for a specific-purpose stay, whether that’s a race weekend like ours, a relaxed family staycation in Kuala Lumpur for the pools and Kids’ Club alone. This hotel is also a great option if you’re looking for a hotel near Kuala Lumpur’s airport.
If a family-friendly stay in Putrajaya sounds like what you need, check current rates and availability for DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside before your dates fill up.
Read more family staycation hotel reviews:
Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur Review: Worth It for Kids?
7 Reasons to Stay at Sunway Lagoon Villas: Family Adventure Review
Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown: Where Heritage Meets Comfort
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Review: Our Family’s Stay in Merdeka 118
