I am glad to be back here for another stay. It has been about 5 years since my last stay over here. Despite the subpar location, it is still the only option for Hilton members in Penang. There should be some additional SLH options now. I stayed here before my last trip to Penang too. It is quite a nice property. The only concern is the extra 20 mins or so journey to travel out to the city centre or George Town. It is still worth the effort if you are a Hilton member seeing that Grab prices are not ridiculous over here. They are known for being a very generous hotel to elite members. I wish that Hilton could expand their footprint over here in Penang.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I book directly with Hilton using my Citi Prestige card. I got the base-level Guest room. I paid a total of 1640 RM for my stay. This was brought down to 386 SGD after utilizing the Citi Prestige 4th-night free benefit. I have often found value using the 4NF. This is one of the best travel cards in my opinion. A couple of days out, I was extended an upgrade to one of the Sea View Suites ahead of the stay. Late check-out was also extended till 3pm. This is always a very generous hotel for elite members. On my previous stay, I also got a suite despite it being just a gold member. The King Suite with Seaview would have cost 833 RM a night. They even had some evening cocktails hours for Diamond members. DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Penang features 316 guest rooms and suites spread across 13 categories. Bathtubs are only available in the suites. You can check out the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest | No | 30 Sqm | 5 |
| Guest with Sofa Bed | No | 32 Sqm | 26 |
| Deluxe with Balcony | No | 34 Sqm | 76 |
| Deluxe High Floor with Sofa Bed | No | 32 Sqm | 26 |
| Deluxe High Floor with Balcony | No | 34 Sqm | 50 |
| Premier Sea View with Balcony | No | 34 Sqm | 29 |
| Family | No | 64 Sqm | 20 |
| Suite | Yes | 50 Sqm | 20 |
| Suite with Seaview | Yes | 52 Sqm | 13 |
| Terrace Suite | Yes | 58 Sqm | 8 |
| Presidential Suite | Yes | 179 Sqm | 1 |
Checking In
I landed at around 2.10pm after coming from China and Singapore earlier. It was quite smooth and I managed to get a ride easily at the airport. I coincidentally arrived on a public holiday and it was super crowded. The traffic was really bad which caused the drive to the hotel to take almost an hour. This hotel will not be worth the effort if you just have one night or so in Penang. Upon arrival, the bellboy came over to help me with my bags. They did not have an elite line here and I had to wait for a slight bit before I was helped to. The open-air lobby was airy and tied in nicely to the resort vibes.
The friendly associate welcomed me and thanked me for being a Diamond member. I was also provided with all sorts of information for the stay. They also extended a late checkout till 4pm. I was reconfirmed to be in the Seaview Suite. Excellent elite recognition here. While they do not have an executive lounge here, they have also extended an evening cocktail hour from 6 to 7pm for diamond members at Axis Lounge.
Seaview Suite
I was assigned a Seaview suite on the highest floor over here. My suite is a short walk away after exiting the elevators on the 10th floor. This is a mid-tier suite over here. It measures a lovely 52 Sqm and comes with a balcony. The entrance lets you out into the middle of the living room. This is a standard one-bedroom suite although it doesn’t come with a half bath. The living room is kind of in a triangular layout. The living area is equipped with a sofa and two armchairs. This would fit 4 pax nicely. It surrounds a coffee table. The spot is handy for spending time or catching up with a group of friends and family.
You can find the television mounted on the wall. The size is slightly smaller for a suite of this size. The TV does come with a good number of both local and international cable TV channels.
Right in the corner you can find the minibar area. It is equipped with a Nespresso coffee machine and bottles of water. Below, the fridge is left empty for your use. There are also some packaged teas. These are replenished during daily housekeeping as well as during turndown service.
The main aspect of this suite is the spectacular seaview which you can get over in this part of the island. The boundless sea view makes for quite a welcoming sight. Curtains and blinds here are manually controlled.
The bedroom and living room area are separated by an actual door. In the bedroom, you can find the balcony over here in the bedroom area. The Seaview is lovely. This would be great if you want to enjoy some fresh air. The balcony comes with two deck chairs and a table.
The king-size bed is found in the middle. I love that the bedding is on the firmer side and the fittings were high quality. The pillows offer great neck support. You can also request for additional pillows. I love how strong the air-conditioning is in the bedroom which makes it rather delightful in this hot season over here.
Over in the corner, you can find a working desk that stretches along. The chair offers decent back support for short periods of work. The Wi-Fi connection is strong and I had access to the premium Wi-Fi which works very well. Power outlets and ports are found within reach. Some of them are way past their age and falling off. They are also not working.
The bedroom features an open concept wardrobe area which comes with a good number of hangers, bathrobes, bath slippers, ironing kit, a safe and laundry bags. The hairdryer is also found here. It also comes with a decent size luggage storage area. I would love it if they could have some additional portable racks for bigger suitcases on the side.
The bathroom is decently sized and comes with everything that you might require for the stay. Crabtree & Evelyn products are provided here as per the usual in Doubletree properties. They are found in large pump-size bottles. The bathroom features both a standing shower and a bathtub. I do not like the design of the set-up in the shower room as there isn’t a proper holder for the toiletries and they just keep falling off the slanted ledge or hole in the wall. There is both a handheld shower head and a rainforest shower head.
Turndown service is automatically offered in the evening. I do feel that the place is slightly dated and nothing much has changed since my stay here 5 years ago. It is definitely in need of a makeover soon.
Spa
The spa and the fitness centre are located on level 1. This is quite a recent addition to the property. It is open from 10am to 10pm. You can find the treatment menu here. Do note that in-house guests get 20% off. I got a massage here and it was just ordinary.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre is located just opposite the spa area. It is open 24 hours a day. The space is lovely and huge. It comes with plenty of equipment, water, towels and lockers. It also comes with a great view of the surrounding area. You get a sea view from this place too.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool is located on the ground level just besides the restaurant area. It is open daily from 7am to 9pm. The location is very nice and vibrant with the lawn and plenty of sun decks by the side. This spot will be good for getting some sun. It is always busy with guests during the day. There is both a main pool and a kids’ pool.
Kids Club
The kids club is similarly located on the ground floor. It is right beside the kid’s pool and playground. The club is open from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm daily.
Axis Lounge
While this property doesn’t come with an executive lounge they have gone above and beyond to offer an evening cocktail hour for diamond members. This is offered at Axis Lounge which is just off the reception area. It is offered daily from 6pm to 7pm. I appreciate them for doing this. This is excellent elite recognition. I only managed to check it out once or twice during my stay since I am out in the city centre most of the time.
Axis Lounge also offers some light performances on Friday and Saturday. Happy hour also runs from 3pm to 6pm. You can choose pineapple juice, orange juice, mango juice, guava juice soft drinks, red wine, white wine or beer. This will go with a tiered stand of refreshments. This changes day to day and is only offered once as compared to the drinks. You can order unlimited drinks during the hour. It is nothing too impressive but worth stopping by if you are around the hotel. The value is unbeatable if you want to get some drinks.
Beach Access
The hotel also offers direct access to the beach opposite the hotel. You can access this via the link bridge by the side of the pool and restaurant area. It is available from 7am to 9pm daily.
Breakfast
Breakfast costs 58 RM if not included in your rate. Complimentary breakfast is extended to Gold and Diamond members. If you want to get breakfast, it is cheaper to get it in the lobby than at the restaurant. Breakfast is served from 6.30am to 10.30am daily at Makan Kitchen. Apologies for having nothing to share about this aspect as I have never made it to breakfast during my stay. There is simply way too much good food in Penang.
Conclusion
Excellent value for money if you are staying here as a Diamond member. The amount of value I get at this rate is impeccable. It is worth the trek out given how affordable transportation is in Penang. Undoubtedly, the property is showing its age and in need of a makeover now. I wish that they could improve their footprint and have other properties nearer to George Town. The service is generally good and I love them going above and beyond by offering the drinks hours. Penang doesn’t make much of luxury properties or even chain hotels.
You must be logged in to post a comment.