I don’t know why it took me so long to finaaaaally visit Penang! Like Langkawi (which is one of my all time favourite beach vacay locations thanks to cross island jet skis), Penang Island is just barely an hour and a half away via plane and with incredibly cheap budget flights available, we hopped over in March for a long awaited holiday via Scoot.
Everyone I know raves about Penang’s Street food – every morsel of information online also points to Penang’s many, many delish eats. Definitely a worthy opponent for the title of Foodie Paradise alongside Singapore and Bangkok! We couldn’t wait to check out all the yummy noms.
For some reason, the dish that stuck out the most in my pre-trip research was Penang char kway teow. Best described as Singapore char kway teow on duck egg steroids liberally paired with a heavenly wok hei taste, it was the one meal I was craving all the way to Penang.
I was also excited to check out the white sandy beaches Penang is known for. It seemed like the best of both worlds – city getaway and beach vacay rolled into one! This means I get to shop and relax on the same trip (cos’ we all know how exhausting shopping can be). There is so much to do in Penang from water sports to makan places to beautiful murals to rejuvenating massages to beachside bars to hiking trails ~ definitely an Instagrammer’s nirvana.
We were deciding where to stay in Penang when I saw that Doubletree by Hilton had a resort in the island! We have stayed with Doubletree a few times in the past and was always endlessly impressed by the warm service accompanied by their signature chocolate chip cookie.
Furthermore, Doubletree Resort by Hilton Penang is located smack in the middle of the island’s best offerings 🙂 It is located along the road that connects the two main areas in Penang: Batu Ferringhi (where the white sandy beaches are) and UNESCO World Heritage Site – Georgetown (where the cultural hub is located, together with hipster bars, shopping malls, iconic Penang murals and all the amazazing street foooood).
I had only one thought when getting off the plane – it’s so frigging HOT. And that’s saying something, considering we were in sunny Singapore just an hour ago. We unwittingly chose to visit in March, when daily temperatures in Penang are at their peak. It was a welcome relief to be whisked off immediately to the hotel in our Grab car and we rested most of the 45 min ride.
First impressions really do count – I fell in love with Doubletree Penang the moment we pulled up at the lobby. Just look at this classy façade, with Doubletree’s iconic bell-bear welcoming you to a fantastic vacation. Check-in was smooth, breezy and made all the more sweeter with Doubletree’s delicious, warm chocolate chip cookie, baked fresh daily. The cookie represents Doubletree’s constant dedication to their guests and thoughtful touches that ensure they feel special and cared for throughout their stay. I am just grateful for some glucose after the commute.
Our room was bright and summery with a soft, inviting queen bed – we felt right at home. We also enjoyed our little balcony with lounge chairs overlooking the swimming pool, beach and the sea. After a quick shower, we were ready to fill our tummies with all the grub Georgetown has to offer!!
Grab (Southeast Asia’s Uber) and taxis are relatively cheap and abundant in Penang so transport is definitely not an issue. Everyday our Grab ride from Doubletree to either Batu Ferringhi beach or Georgetown costs us anywhere from RM8 to RM15.
Doubletree also offers complimentary shuttles to Batu Ferringhi and Georgetown so if you don’t want to Grab that’s fine as well. By the way, the ‘resort’ label on this particular Doubletree by Hilton property also means that the hotel is a full service lodging facility where everything from lodging to food to entertainment is catered for you – which in laymen speak just means you don’t need to move an inch from your lounge chair and pina colada. Doubletree Resort by Hilton Penang also has a private walkway connecting to a secluded little beach with water sports available.
While waiting for the shuttle we took some time to explore the resort grounds and I really adore that Doubletree took care to assimilate Penang’s famous mural art into the hotel decor.
We also love the resort pool and artificial beach, as well as having our breakfast poolside. Plenty of Insta-worthy spots in this lush palm tree paradise! There were an awful lot of birds we had to chase away from our breakfast table though, but I wouldn’t blame them – the food was delicious with a decent mix of international & local Malaysian cuisine.
There is also a cafe next to the lobby and the cutest little teddy bear museum to celebrate Doubletree by Hilton’s iconic teddy bear!
All in all, a wonderful stay as always with Doubletree by Hilton Resort in Penang, Malaysia! In fact, I loved my stay with Doubletree so much that I will be back in Penang in October this year to satisfy those char kway teow cravings! 🙂
If you are keen to explore Penang, definitely check out Doubletree by Hilton Resort Penang for a relaxing tropical stay!