On Sunday, Utusan Malaysia reported that then-deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin were seen meeting at the hotel where SDs backing a proposed new government were reportedly being collected.

However, things have been far more subdued in the days since, with just a handful of people passing through the lobby.

A number of hotel staffers who declined to be identified told FMT that while meetings were common at the hotel, even those involving politicians, Sunday night’s flurry of activity was likely a one-off.

One hotel staff member said they were skeptical the hotel could soon become another hub for political meetings. The meetings held at the hotel since Sunday have involved just the typical line up of “Datuks and Tan Sris.”

“Maybe they used to be in politics, but I don’t think any of the current ones (are meeting here),” the valet said.

He said it was common for such people to hold meetings there, and that the expensive cars parked out front were not an indication that politicians were in the building.

Another staff member who was present on Sunday night said the appearances of Ismail and Hamzah had brought a flurry of media attention but nothing had happened since then,

Gesturing to the nearly empty lobby, an employee said the scene was a far cry from the one seen when the MPs met.

Another worker at the hotel similarly laughed off the idea that the hotel could become “another Sheraton”.

However, none of them ruled out that meetings could have taken place that they weren’t aware of, or that meetings could be in the offing.

“Sometimes we aren’t told who comes here. I suspect it’s P&C (private and confidential), so even if we ask we won’t be told,” said one hotel worker.