By Matthew Brady 
This Ramadan and Eid, I took the opportunity to visit my old home Kuala Lumpur once again—and again to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones.
I usually book myself into Komune in Bangsar South, a strategic and convenient place to stay in the city. This time I thought I’d try its sister UOA Hospitality property, Komune Living & Wellness. This one is different in that it offers a co-living hotel, senior living facilities, and a medical wellness centre as an integrated co-living and wellness hub.
Although I wouldn’t consider myself a senior just yet, it felt ideal as I was recovering from minor surgery, and, as the name suggests, its accommodation is designed with a focus on wellness and community. I wanted somewhere a bit more laid-back, at least for the first few days.
While Komune in Bangsar South is surrounded by buildings, this one sits next to the stunning 99-acre Taman Tasik Permaisuri in Cheras, a beautiful public park with forested areas, a stream, and a lake.
The lakeside is home to herons, egrets, and storks strutting around as if they own the place—that’s when they’re not gliding through the air like a feathered Concorde.
The lake itself is teeming with turtles, carp, and catfish, while monitor lizards can be seen scurrying into the stream.
First thing in the morning, the park is serene, reminding me a little of China and Vietnam with Komune guests practising light exercise in the open air, accompanied by a soundtrack sounding like 1980s Cantopop. In the early evening, the lake perimeter is filled with runners young and old.
If you stand in the right spot, you can see what I call the ‘Fab Four Four Fangs of KL’—the city’s tallest landmarks: Merdeka 118 (the second tallest building in the world), Exchange 106 (TRX), the Petronas Towers, and Menara KL. They rise like chess pieces amid a dense cluster of buildings, an ever-growing cityscape that feels increasingly like a crowded board.
Sitting next to the park is Komune’s cafe, Lucky Lucky (so lucky they named it twice), a food court with a good range of Malaysian and Asian classics. It’s also where breakfast is served, featuring local favourites such as nasi lemak, congee, and kaya toast.
The hotel meanwhile has an outdoor pool next to garden-like pockets of tropical vegetation, while there is also a fitness centre, a games room (with arcade classics), and laundry service.
For long-term guests, there are additional services including KTV, a community dining patio, a community living room, theatrette, and jacuzzi.
The main differentiator from my perspective is the medical services themselves, including UHM Medical Clinic, UHM Dental Clinic, Traditional Chinese Medicine by Tong Xin Tang, DBC Physiotherapy, Thai massage, postpartum care, baby and child care, and more.
I’m not sure I’m ready for a long-term senior stay just yet, but I can definitely see the appeal of a concept like this. Compared to some of the slightly contrived hotels I’ve stayed in recently, with their retro rotary phones and motivational quotes on the walls, I’m more aligned in spirit with a place like Komune.
Beyond the healthcare and wellness facilities, it offers a mix of things I enjoy (and lack in my life at present)—Malaysian food right on my doorstep, a park with nature and exercise, and a sense of community.
