Perspectives

Here are some observations from our 3D/2N stay:

Pros:

• We stayed in a suite room and was pleased that it was very spacious
• The King Size bed had a nice mattress that wasn’t too hard with plenty of feather pillows
• The bathroom came equipped with a built-in closet, a working safe, a large bathtub (enough to fit two ppl) with a jacuzzi function and a separate shower booth
• The view from the room was splendid, with the sight of the entire coastline of Gurney Drive and the ocean.
• The walls in the room was thick enough to allow for our privacy
• The hotel benefits from a very good staff line-up. Most of the ones we encountered had very good manners and were always ready with a smile.

Cons:

• The check-in process needs to be improved. While we came early for our check in, it was regrettable that after waiting for 40 minutes-1 hour for the rooms to be ready, it was not fully cleaned for us.
• Upon checking in to the first room, we found a pungent smell coming from the carpet, which we deemed as vomit from the previous occupant.
• We had to check and re-check for our second room, of which after only going to the front desk to enquire, it was learned that the concierge had slipped the keys underneath the door of the second LOCKED room. That was most embarrassing to say the least. We were promptly provided with a third key however, to allow us entry.
• The parking spaces were limited in the basement areas, with very dodgy metal ramps for a parking lot. If the screws did not hold or were too rusty, your car would end up crushed at the bottom of the building.
• The coffee house was often very disorganized, with many of the staff struggling to meet the needs of so many guests (it was a full-house for the hotel).
• The tap water in the bathroom was not entirely clean. We discovered after a long bubble bath, that there was sand residue left over in the tub after draining. Ugh.
• The hotel ran out of blankets and ended up combining two single-bed comforters to place in the suite room king-size bed.

Nit-picking:

• The flowers used in the lobby area were all fake. Not very impressive
• There was no complimentary water bottles for us to drink upon arriving in the room (this came only later)
• Much of the furniture were old and needed an upgrade
• The layout of the rooms were not well done, with the television completely out-of-place between the bed and the sofa
• Not all the safes were working. The safe in the first room was not functioning
• The hotel does not meet the required standards of a 5-star establishment, as it only has 2-3 restaurants. All 5-star hotels need at least 5 restaurants to deserve the title
• The line-up for the breakfast was not great, but sufficient. Then again, you’re in Penang, why bother eating hotel food?

Overall, the cons outweigh the pros and while I really did love the view from the rooms, I doubt I will return again. But for all travelers who are desperate for a room, this is good enough for a good night’s rest, in view that most would be spending their time outdoors rather than inside the hotel.

My ratings: 5/10

For other traveler ratings, please visit Tripadvisor’s entry on this hotel.

View from our hotel suite

The room, with the camera angle from the bedside. We had a connecting bedroom

The small pantry area, with the view of the front door

Our king size bedroom and the glass windows overlooking the ocean