Inside the 22-story Hotel Melaka Equatorial there’s a spacious lobby with elegant touches like marble floors, a grand chandelier, and fresh flowers. It's nothing remarkable, but perfectly pleasant, and the hotel is always bustling with guests coming and going through the lobby. Like many of its area competitors, the hotel has several dining options on-site as well as places to kick back with a drink or cool off. The style throughout is generically modern, and even a little tired. Seri Nyonya, the hotel's Pernakan restaurant, is a charming space with decorative wooden ceilings and a colorful palette throughout. There’s an outdoor bistro, K5, with wooden tables and chairs shaded by plaid umbrellas, and a lobby lounge with purple and orange club chairs and live music. Tall palm trees give the pool area a tropical vibe, and wrought iron tables and chairs offer a spot for guests to enjoy the occasional poolside barbecues that are offered. The hotel attracts a mix of guests -- business travelers crowd in during the week, while families and couples are the most frequent guests on weekends. 

The hotel is in a convenient, but busy, location for exploring central Melaka. It’s a six-minute walk to Mahkota Parade shopping mall, and there are plenty of restaurants nearby. Historic sites like A Famosa, a Portuguese fort that's one of the oldest European buildings in Southeast Asia, is five-minutes away on foot, and Christ Church is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Vibrant Jonker Street -- lined with stalls and shops as well as bars and restaurants -- is a bit far for a walk in the Melaka heat (expect a 20-minute stroll), though a cab can make the trip in less than 10 minutes. The Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum is a five-minute drive from the hotel. Melaka International Airport is a 20-minute drive outside of town, and Kuala Lumpur is about an hour and 45 minutes away by road.  

Rooms at Hotel Melaka Equatorial have a traditionally modern look, with light walls, striped carpeting, and a mix of light and dark wood veneer furniture with clean lines. Olive green accent walls add a touch of class, and expressionistic landscape paintings bring a little color to the spaces. There are some dated elements in rooms, like louvered closet doors, that look a little tired, but on the whole rooms are pleasant. Amenities vary and higher-category rooms have additions like small tile balconies and bay windows with day beds. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, electric kettles for coffee or tea, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms have marble sinks and tiled walls with shower/tub combos in Standard Rooms, while upgraded rooms come with walk-in showers and separate tubs. Fresh flowers are a nice touch, but some guests have reported water issues that include temperature and quality problems. Guests staying in Club Class Rooms are entitled to perks in the hotel that are detailed below.

The hotel has several dining options including a buffet restaurant, Resthouse Cafe, as well as a breakfast buffet that earns good reviews and offers several different stations including live-cooking stations. Breakfast is not included with room rates. There's also an outdoor bistro, K5, and a Peranakan restaurant, Seri Nyonya, where guests can try authentic dishes like Hee Peow Soup. The hotel has a lobby lounge and a coffee shop on-site selling pastries. Cooking workshops are also offered for a fee. Club Rooms have access to free breakfast and evening cocktails in the Club Lounge.

The property has an attractive outdoor pool and children’s pool, though the pool at nearby by Hatten Hotel is far nicer and larger. There’s a gym with a variety of exercise machines, and the hotel has an outdoor tennis court. The on-site spa has a sauna and a whirlpool. Several meeting rooms are available for private events, and there's a ballroom with space for up to 1,800 people. The business center has two desktop computers and a printer. The hotel has a dedicated garage with free parking, though valet parking is also available for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.