Eastern And Oriental Hotel

“Charming”

We had always wanted to stay at the E&O and enjoyed our stay. Our sea-view premier suite in the heritage wing was great. It was large, very comfortable and charming. Housekeeping staff did an excellent job and were lovely. We preferred taking breakfast in the smaller beautifully calm Palm Cour… more

We had always wanted to stay at the E&O and enjoyed our stay. Our sea-view premier suite in the heritage wing was great. It was large, very comfortable and charming. Housekeeping staff did an excellent job and were lovely. We preferred taking breakfast in the smaller beautifully calm Palm Court which still had everything we could have possibly wanted. Again staff were all excellent there, and Ashraf in particular was lovely with the biggest smile. If you are looking for even more choice then Sarkies is recommended. We had one poor night's sleep with really noisy people in the adjoining room. We know this can happen anywhere and not the hotel's fault, but we did speak to reception (Not sure overly bothered) and were assured the people would be leaving. Had they not, we would have requested changing rooms. Staying in the Heritage Wing comes with the opportunity for canapes and cocktails early evening for around 1 hour. This is a lovely but compared to other places it did feel a little rushed. One evening there was absolutely no room at all which didn't particularly bother us (staff really apologetic) but might disappoint some. For George Town, the E&O is probably at the top end price wise, but we felt it worth every penny. If you are a fan of Raffles in Singapore and although not quite the same level, you will appreciate the amazing value to be had here. Overall, we had a very lovely stay and if this is your style we would definitely recommend this charming, well located, historic hotel.

less

“Luxury from a bygone age.”

We stayed in the annex which despite it's rather negative connotations, I think is probably the better half. The rooms and bathrooms are large, modern and well equipped. (top marks for doing away with little plastic bottles of toiletries) The public areas are wall to wall marble and terrazzo and as… more

We stayed in the annex which despite it's rather negative connotations, I think is probably the better half. The rooms and bathrooms are large, modern and well equipped. (top marks for doing away with little plastic bottles of toiletries) The public areas are wall to wall marble and terrazzo and as elegant as you would expect. Lovely pool and I had an excellent session in the spa. throughout the hotel are little areas with historical objects, lovely books - a welcome respite from the heat. A large and comprehensive shop with interesting local merchandise. Food in the main restaurant is everything anyone could wish for. Planters was a bit hit and miss. Like everywhere, the hotel is still recovering from Covid and there could be more focus on staff training, though front of house very helpful. We had a room on a corner of the hotel and there is more road noise than at the front. Why have I not given it a five given we had such an enjoyable stay? The music. Am I right in thinking that modern jazz has a not universal appeal? In every area of the hotel, the restaurants, bars, public areas there was all day - 24hour? - every day, loud modern jazz. It was oppressive and intrusive

less

“A Charming Heritage Hotel”

Had a three-night stay at the Eastern & Oriental Penang in October 2024 as part of a family reunion and Southeast Asia tour. Stayed in three standard suite rooms in the Victory Wing. The check-in process was a bit of a hassle (taxi dropped us at the Heritage Wing, and we had to walk over to the oth… more

Had a three-night stay at the Eastern & Oriental Penang in October 2024 as part of a family reunion and Southeast Asia tour. Stayed in three standard suite rooms in the Victory Wing. The check-in process was a bit of a hassle (taxi dropped us at the Heritage Wing, and we had to walk over to the other end of the the hotel where Victory Wing is located. While the front desk staff seemed less than cheerful when we checked in, our overall stay experience was pleasant. Rooms were spacious, with balconies offering lovely sea views. The breakfast buffet was excellent, featuring a wide variety of regional and international dishes. The hotel's location is perfect for exploring George Town, and we especially enjoyed the photo wall showcasing the hotel's rich history. Special thanks to Izzul for his kindness and assistance in arranging a Grab taxi for our airport ride. A memorable stay with warm hospitality.

less

“Likely the best hotel in Penang by some way.”

Having read the reviews I was really looking forward to staying at the hotel. We booked the cheapest room, a suite in the victory annexe. The victory annexe is the new part of the hotel, and it is joined to the original part - the ‘heritage wing’ - by a walkway. Having visited both parts, I did… more

Having read the reviews I was really looking forward to staying at the hotel. We booked the cheapest room, a suite in the victory annexe. The victory annexe is the new part of the hotel, and it is joined to the original part - the ‘heritage wing’ - by a walkway. Having visited both parts, I didn’t really feel like we were losing out by staying in the newer part. Both parts of the hotel have their own entrance and lobby, the heritage lobby being more grand in design. Each part of the hotel has a separate pool area, the heritage wing having a pool on the ground floor, the victory annexe having a pool on the 6th. To me, the latter was more appealing. We were told that guests staying in the victory annexe were not allowed to use the pool in the heritage wing. The room itself was very nice; the bed was very large and comfortable, there are chairs to sit in and the 60”+ TV is modern and large. There is also a small balcony with seating that has a sea view (it’s not a particularly pretty view however). There is a complimentary minibar that is restocked daily, however no alcohol is provided. The bathroom is huge, with his and hers own vanity units with sinks on either side of the bedroom. The amenities provided include anything either a male or female could need. In the actual bathroom, there is a large bathtub, and a very large shower. The shower has a rainfall head and regular head and the pressure is amazing. Very nice body wash, shampoo and conditioner provided. What I didn’t like about the room was the lack of soundproofing. The room opposite was very loud, and slammed their front door every time they used it. We could also hear when their TV was on. The corridors are also very wide, with wooden floors. Anyone passing by or walking/talking down the corridor can easily be heard from the room. Given that this is a relatively new building, this appears to be an oversight. Other minor gripes- we found there were things we weren’t ‘allowed’ to do or use in the hotel because of the class of room we’d paid for. Anyone staying in a corner suite in the victory annexe , or any of the heritage wing rooms, is getting a better package. They have a nice touch with the doormen dressed in the safari gear, however half of the time there isn’t any doorman at all. Not sure why for this level of hotel. The included breakfast at Sarkies restaurant, in the victory annexe, was probably the best spread I have ever seen in a 5 star hotel. It was excellent, with dozens and dozens of choices every taste is catered for. You can have all of the regular western foods, but they also have separate stations for cooked to order roti (8 different ways) , char kway teow and chicken noodle soup. There were also several chicken and beef curries available every day. The staff deserve a mention here as they buzz around the place tidying up. I would definitely recommend and visit again, but pay the extra for the better room.

less