Eastern Oriental; I was treated like a princess”

We stayed for 6 days in Penang in the eastern oriental hotel. I will recommend everyone to choose for this hotel. It is worth more than the money that you pay for it. It is the only 6 star hotel in Penang and you notice it with everything. We arrived early in the morning and our room was already available for us. Check in is handled by the staf of the hotel all you have to do is sit relax and enjoy your drink. We booked the george town suite. It was very spacious especially the bathroom. Everything was with a colonial touch. Very good way to start your holliday in Penang as it is famous for its colonial heritage. If you stay at this hotel you really get the full experience. The service of the hotel is excellent. Rooms are cleaned twice a day. Fresh fruit is brought to your room every afternoon. There is a butler service availble 24/7. So whenever you need something just push the button. Staff speaks english very well. Always very polite and friendly. Our rate included breakfast, which was a joy every morning. There was so much choice in food. pancakes and waffles are freshly made according to your choice. Staying at the eastern oriental was a real value added to my vacation in Penang. It made the experience complete!

Eastern And Oriental Hotel”

Georgetown is a lovely place that reminds me of what Singapore used to look like when I was a child, when Fullerton Hotel was still a functioning general post office. And E&O, built by the Sarkies Brothers, reminds me of a Raffles Hotel without any pretentiousness. I think I appreciated E&O very much because of the way I travelled to Penang - by rickety train ride from Singapore to KL, from KL to Butterworth via coach and Butterworth via Georgetown via its antiquated ferry. As I approached the Ferry Terminal at Georgetown I was just thrilled. It felt like a trip back to a time when there were hardly any skycrapers to speak of. It just felt like a sense of Singapore in the early 70s; when Singapore River was still teeming with bumboats and large lorries plieds its narrow banks. But Georgetown is never as busy and bustling as Singapore. A five-minute taxi ride brought me to the hotel and I was just grateful to be able to talk to a hotel receptionist who was able to speak good English - and intuitive for a change. The staff were happy to change the room I had reserved as I preferred a room with twin beds rather than a room with a double bed. I loved the generous space the suite had. The bath room was great, as expected, but I was really taken by the generous view of the sea. I kept the windows open to get a sound of the sea in the evening. At night, my son said he saw bats. What a wicked and mysterious touch to the charm. The pool was small but I like the fact it is shaded nicely with palm trees around it. The sunset was beautiful and the pillows were firm and many. We even had beautifully made sarongs to wear to the pool. Breakfast comes with waffles - how grand. My son and I went around taking lots of photos. We just regret not checking out the wing where Herman Hesse stayed at.

Affordable luxury in a heritage hotel”

My husband and I stayed at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in April 2013. We booked a Deluxe suite in the Heritage Wing which overlooks the sea. The rooms are huge with separate living area, bedroom and bathroom, all beautifully furnished in grand style befitting the history of the Hotel. For the last two days of our seven night stay we moved across to the new Victory annexe wing which has only recently opened, as we wanted to experience both options with future stays in mind. These rooms, although new, are decorated in the same style and all have views of the sea (although you should request an ocean facing room rather than a side view room). Although not quite as large as the rooms in the original part of the Hotel, they do offer a balcony. There is a wet edge pool on the 6th floor, as well as a dining area for breakfast. Guests have the choice of having breakfast here or in the beautiful breakfast area on the ground floor. Staff are wonderful and we would highly recommend the Hotel to anyone travelling to Penang.

Amazing heritage hotel and fantastic staff!”

The staff made our stay at Eastern and Oriental an absolutely enjoyable one. The building has been beautifully restored and the rooms were well equipped, large and very comfortable. Eastern and Oriental Penang is located in Georgetown and is a short distance to many of the local attractions.

A taste of luxury”

Our stay at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel was relaxing and recreating! My husband and I enjoyed our stay at the Eastern and Oriental hotel very much. Our room was comfortable with a beautiful view. All the staff, but especially Ming Y, were welcoming, helpful and efficient. The choice of food was amazing and it was all delicious. The "little extra" that I continue to treasure, was the "Thought for Tomorrow" that was put by our bed each evening. Many thanks to all the staff. We look forward to being able to stay in your hotel again one day!

Grace and the human touch.”

I am poolside and alone, graciously receiving the chilled and perfumed hand towels that I have not requested and sipping the likewise unasked for iced water. The Strait of Malacca laps at the sea wall 5 metres away and ships from all over the world sail across the horizon. In half an hour I will raise myself from my Disney enhanced peace and take the girls for high-tea: a grandma-invoking romp of damask and roses, cucumber sandwiches that justify entirely the phenomena, smoked salmon and scones, home-made chocolates and the most beautifully decorated little cakes served on sterling silver and porcelain. It is the last day of our one week trip to Malaysia in order to extend visas and we have traipsed through the cheap digs of Chinatowns’ and Little Indias’, stuffing ourselves with roti channai and dim sum, facing the cold hostility of underpaid workers in the wake of little kids, ‘losing’ clothing and money at each place... and yes, all of those brand new bonds kids undies as well... god, probably worth a fortune in Chinatown... We needed rest and a swimming pool – I craved luxury, calmness, space - and at the Eastern and Oriental we find the sort of place that sees your kids dropping plum pips on Persian carpets and parquetry, overfilling huge baths onto chequered marble floors. What saw me choose to spend more in one night than I had in 6 however, was not the luxury of the surrounds or the quality of the high tea. It is not pomp and ceremony and a cold inhuman face you find here, and it is with extreme gratitude that I accept the real grace of this hotel. In this day and age how often does one find a company that is prepared to waive basic regulations for a complete stranger that presents themselves in some distress? We arrived penniless, having paid online with a credit card not in my name and unable to provide a signature for it.

Delightful Hotel in Georgetown”

We revelled in the delightful, ever so slightly old-fashioned, atmosphere at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel. From the very welcome glass of chilled juice on arrival, to the size of the suite, to the view of the sea, to the pool, to the scrumptious food, we enjoyed our stay immensely and wished we had booked for longer. The hotel is well positioned in the north of Georgetown, within walking distance of some marvellous tourist sites, and not far by taxi from the beach. The staff are very friendly, and were as welcoming to our backpacking daughter who arrived in the middle of the night as they were to her rather more well-dressed parents! We would heartily recommend this hotel.

Fabulous Colonial Luxury hotel in great setting ”

This is my second stay at Eastern and Oriental and I am pleased to say enjoyed this stay as much as the first. Staff are friendly and professional the atmosphere formal but relaxing and you are well looked after staying here. Georgetown attractions walk or taxi away and there are lots of shopping and terrific local eating places nearby.E&O's pool area is great with its water views and the suites are large and tastefully furnished especially love the luxurious bathroom.I recommend you stay here when visiting Georgetown.

Perfect stay”

Thanks Eastern and oriental for making our vacation amazing. We arrived the hotel at 3 pm, the room was ready, check in process done at a glance in such a professional way. Our room was as requested with large bed and in a high floor 12 level with a sea view in the victory annexe, the room was very lovely, large area, a very luxurious bathroom with a huge bathtub, two individual sinks and a shower area, the bed was really comfy with different types of pillows. Complimentary drinks in the minibar with hot drinks in the cupboard not mentioning the original coffee with its coffee machine situated beside the large TV. The room had a large balcony with sea view and a part of the facing hill, the balcony had two chairs and a small table which was nice for enjoying the sea breeze. The hotel offers a complimentary happy hour from 5 pm to 6 pm having free snacks and drinks which was very nice and really satisfactory full of varieties every day. The pool located in the 6th floor.

Wonderfully atmospheric old colonial style hotel ”

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this hotel. We were in transit from the U.K to Australia and were delighted with decision to stay here instead of the usual stop-offs.The pool area is particularly attractive, set in lovely gardens and with views across to the mainland. Georgetown has so much to offer with its diversity of cultures and history. We will definitely return to the Eastern and Oriental as it is now a confirmed favorite with its luxuriously elegant charm and character.

Excellent hospitality”

Really enjoyed our stay in Eastern and Oriental Hotel Penang, would like to express my sincere gratitude to Duty Manager, Ms Rita for helping to handle very very last minute and adhoc request from myself. Didnt expect she manage to arrange the special request from A-Z by herself, can really feel the passion towards the hotel from this lady. Overall the experience was good including the night seafood buffet.

Excellent hotel, excellent people”

Hotel itself is wonderful with spacious room, beautiful decor, exceptional facilities and inclusions. A special mention must be made about the excellent and wonderful customer service. We unfortunately had a death in family, and very suddenly had to change our travel itinerary during our second of four nights to fly to Korea. Despite our booking being during a special promotion and the initial booking conditions being non-refundable, the staff were so wonderfully kind and understanding so as to expeditiously approve a free cancellation and refund of the remainder of the booking. Moreover, they were so thoughtful as to pack us breakfast for our early departure at 4am! We were astounded at how far they exceeded our expectations. We couldn’t praise them highly enough. We absolutely recommend Eastern & Oriental and will definitely be staying here for our future trips to Penang.

Vacation of a life time”

My husband and I enjoyed every minute of our stay of the Eastern & Oriental Hotel. We enjoyed the privacy of the rooms and the fact that all our needs were met. The breakfast was to die for!!! We took so many pictures while we were their that we called it our Eastern & Oriental "high". We would recommend this five star hotel to anyone that was visiting Penang, it made our vacation wonderful!!

E & O Escape”

My family and I just returned from a long weekend in Penang. We stayed at the beautiful and historic Eastern & Oriental Hotel and it more than lived up to its reputation for excellent hospitallity and eye for detail. I was hesitant to book at the E&O at first, as I was taking two small boys, but the E&O staff was lovely to the boys, the pool was perfect and the boys had a wonderful time running about the veranda and seawall area. The E&O exceeded my expectations. I will most definately return with my family and recommend it to friends with as much gusto as it was recommended to me! Bravo E&O!!!

Wonderful Experience ”

We stayed 4 nights and enjoyed every moment. We were extremely well taken care of, the staff were great, the room was a delight, the pool much appreciated on the hot afternoons after a day sightseeing. The selection and quality of food a Sarkies was impressive, there was a wide variety of cuisines and what we had was very good. We also enjoyed drinks and nibbles in the Planters lounge a couple of times, complimentary. We stayed in the Victory Annex but visited the Heritage Wing which was just beautiful. We hope to return next year. Would highly recommend staying at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel.

Grand Old Lady triumphs”

We were fortunate to gain the services of Mr. Lau and his taxi as he has considerable knowledge about his home town, Georgetown, the capital of Penang. A day spent in his company really familiarizes one with Penang's history and dominant Chinese culture. He joined us for a tasty lunch at the Hawker's Market. Ask reception to arrange for his services. Loved the gravlax at breakfast and the fact that there was not one "pushy incident" in the whole of our week in Penang. After a few days at the "E and O" in Georgetown, their boutique sister hotel, "The Lone Pine" on Batu Ferringhi Beach makes a nice change from the larger neighbouring establishments. While the breakfast is excellent in range and quality, especially the fruit, the same venue is not so good in the evening. Better opt for the up market restaurant elsewhere in the hotel though we did not actually try this. The excessive development between Georgetown and Batu Ferringhi is an eyesore but hopefully Malaysia's rampant vegetation will eventually soften its uglier aspects. This is a confident, laid back, prosperous island.

Perfect location, lovely hotel and excellent staff”

We had a lovely holiday and enjoyed this beautiful historical hotel and surrounding historical areas. The gardens and pool areas were well kept. The views across the ocean were lovely. Staff were extremely helpful, could not fault the staff. Very attentive and only too willing to assist guests. The food was very good and we enjoyed our time in Penang, only it was too short (3 days)! Hope to get back for a visit in the future. Thank you to all the staff at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

Great stay at this hotel. Fantastic location”

We booked the Eastern & Oriental on a 3 nights stay in Penang and stayed in the Deluxe Suite at the Heritage Wing. We were given the 3rd floor room (top floor) overlooking the Straits of Malacca. The hotels British colonial architecture makes it look impressive from the outside as it is from the inside. The staff there were generally friendly and made you feel welcome although we had a bad experience with a rude waiter at breakfast. The hotel location was fantastic as it is in close proximity to various attractions in Georgetown. Do look out for the ferry service at the jetty that takes you to the Straits Quay. Breakfast at the hotel was great and the Sarkies Restaurant had a wonderful spread. We also enjoyed the food at the Sarkies Corner as we spent dinner there one evening. If you decide on staying at the Victory Annexe then it is a newer and taller building located right beside the Heritage Wing. However, it doesn't offer the same colonial charm that the Heritage Wing has to offer. It was a pleasant experience staying at the E&O although there were loud noises coming from the ceiling there one evening which interrupted our sleep. One other grouse we had was that we had asked for a queen size bed but were given two single beds which were joined together.

Amazing stay at the E&O. A historical gem!”

Upon check-in, we were upgraded to the presidential suite from the deluxe suite that we had booked. The suite was twice the size of our home, with 5 bathrooms, an amazing double shower, a great room, a dinning room that seated 20, and a comfortable bed. We had our 20 month old son with us, and it was wonderful to have the extra space for him to run and sleep and play. The staff were amazing, friendly, and provided spectacular service. Regardless of the upgrade, there isn't a bad suite in this hotel (all the rooms are suites), and every suite has butler service - spectacular! The breakfast buffet included was delicious and featured a wide variety of eastern and western breakfast. The hotel is located near many historical buildings and places of worship. It is also located near some of the best street food in all of Malaysia. You must make dinning an adventure in Penang! This hotel was amazing and we would stay again and again, if given the opportunity!

Best place to stay”

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Eastern and Oriental, right from our welcome to the moment we left. The breakfast selection was exceptional. The location right on the heritage trail made this an ideal place to start your exploration of historical Penang. We were pleasantly surprised by the size and luxury of our room and the location, and the fact we could sit at our patio by a lawn right at the seafront.