[3] Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur was designed by architects Jurubena Bertiga International of Malaysia, and Kanko Kikaku Sekkeisha of Japan[4] as part of the UBN Complex in the center of the city.

[5] The original interior design was created by Graham Solano, and the landscape gardening was completed by Belt Collins.

The area is named after Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, the fourth Yang Di Pertuan Agong, and is part of the Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road.

The hotel began a project titled "Gift of Life" in 1985 and has received media attention and the recognition of the Malaysian government for its support of Nor Fatihah Sewah, a girl born without her lower limbs.

[8] Through the project, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur adopted Nor Fatihah Sewah in 1997[9] and has sponsored the replacement of her limbs with prosthetics every five years, with the most recent fitting in November 2012.