Penang Hotels

Hello there,

Can someone give me some advice on hotels in Penang.

I am looking to stay 4 nights in an area with nightlife and can%26#39;t decide between Shangri-La Golden Sands Resort and the Eastern %26amp; Oriental Hotel. The hotel should have a good swimming pool as I heard the beaches are mucky.

Thanks!

Penang Hotels

Depends on your taste. Both hotels have nightlife in their vicinity. GS has a more relaxed, jolly atmosphere and has a nice landscaped pool.

E %26amp; O is more of a %26#39;stiff upper lip%26#39; kind of hotel and as expected, service there is impeccable. I think its pool is just mundane. Although it is located by the sea, it has no beach. If you decide against staying there, go for their buffet dinner (excellent spread of food) - it is unbelievable cheap for a first class hotel - RM48 plus taxes for the Sunday evening dinner.

Penang Hotels

Gasman, Thanks for your info. Just love the sound of E%26amp;O...and impressed with the look. Since we have 7 nights in Borneo by the beach...might as well be in Georgetown rather than the 20 mins journey from GS. Can you recommend some good bars in GT?

would not want to disagree with gasman, however i think the E%26amp;o is wonderful in all respects,food,ambiance,staff,everything,including the pool which is quiet,clean,secluded,good bar service,with fresh fruit being served and iced flannels to cool you, think it was great last year and am going again this year

Just across the street from E %26amp; O is Upper Penang Rd with several clubs in the vicinity which I have never been nor want to. I feel I am too old for clubbing. However, City Bayview Hotel (across the road too) has quite a nice lobby lounge, usually with a Filipino band. Up on the rooftop is the only revolving restaurant in town. Further away across the one way street is Leith Street with has a quieter bar, alfresco style, if you want somewhere without live music.

Along Bagan Jermal Road in another part of town is Bagan Restaurant and Bar which has nice ambience for food and/or drink with live music. They serve Nonya style food which I am told is quite good - I%26#39;ve only been there for drinks.

To me, E%26amp;O is something like the Raffles hotel of Singapore, Penang version... of course, they can%26#39;t really be compared them , but I would say, fantastic and I had been there before.. more like you Victorian style living and setting. Swimming pool is not that great though even though it is beside the coast. As mentioned, there is no beach (fence up by concret wall). However,not too bad as your find yourself in a little back in time kind of thing. There are also the cannons that is stadning besides near teh swimming pool. You should try dinning there..

If you are sick of fine dinning, you can just walk within the vicinity, hter are some hawker stalls around, plenty of local food to sample.

Hi all

In reference to the cost of the buffet and E %26amp; O, I just emailed them to enquire and make a reservation and it is now 86++ RM, including beer and wine. Still sounds like a bargain to me, can%26#39;t wait.

Deb

Gasman, RM48++, are you sure? RM86 sounds more like it....still reasonable for a hotel like this... but i do hope it%26#39;s RM48 though...

There are two types of Buffet at the E%26amp;O. A few days a week they have the normal buffet which does not include drinks and I think at weekends they have a more expensive version which includes drinks -

Yes RioJ; unbelievable isn%26#39;t it? I understand it is around RM80 or more at the ShangriLa chain - without the alcohol. For RM48++ it was without alcohol; but I understand on some nights, there is free flow of beer and wine at, I suppose, the RM86++.

The buffet spread was amazing - fresh oysters, onegi (jap eel), smoked salmon, deep fried baby crabs, prawns, steak, lamb, duck, variety of cakes etc; must go back again before they up the price!!