I have been travelling to Malaysia a lot of times lately but can I just say? Kuala Lumpur will remain to be my favorite Malaysian city of all time. Somehow I can never get bored of it. 

However this time, I decided to venture out a little further away from the capital city. It’s none other than.. Penang! I always have the bestest experience whenever I’m there. I’m not just a hotel reviewer (?) but I’m a foodie as well! And Penang? Woah, it’s a heaven for local malaysian food. I remembered eating char koay teow by the streets, a little chaotic but god, that was the best plate of CKT I have ever had in my life.

So, I’m like.. why not stop by Penang for a hotel review! The hotel we’re going to next is super new, and from one of my most favorite hotel brand, IHG – Crowne Plaza Penang Straits City.

I really loved the hotel lobby. The ambiance, the atmosphere of it all is just so beautiful.

The furnitures and the wall decor were just so modern and minimal, yet so pleasing to the eyes. I have been to some hotels and their interior design was just so confusing? But this, was just perfect. It’s clean and sleek.

Check-in was a breeze! Staff were so polite. She greeted and acknowledged my membership tier then proceeded to explain to me the perks of my Silver Elite membership (I’m a diamond elite now, yay!) with IHG.

The room assigned to me was the King Standard category. And because I was not a Diamond Elite yet, there wasn’t any room upgrade for me during that time. It was perfectly alright because the standard room was already so stunning.

The walls were decorated with pelicans (or flamingoes?) on it which was interesting, are those the national birds of Penang? Unsure! But I love it. And with the rattan lamp? I love everything rattan! 

The room also comes with a long sofa by the window, super perfect if you have company and there isn’t anymore space on the bed? The hotel is also so generous with all the extra cushions.

No coffee machine is included in the room, but you do get all the usual complimentary amenities like the coffee sachets and Dilmah tea bags. In all honesty though, do you consume any of this during your hotel stays? I personally bring my very own coffee sachets from home.

The bathroom is clean and minimalist, which fits the whole aesthetic of the hotel. It has glass walls so whenever you shower, you will feel like you are performing in front of a live audience. But there’s a separate sliding door of course, if you prefer your privacy.

For those who love bathtubs, unfortunately there isn’t any in this room category but the pool is just as amazing even if you just wanna soak. We’ll go there later!

On a brighter (and hygienic?) side, there’s a bidet for the toilet. Which I really super, super appreciate. A high pressured bidet? Even better.

The pool and the gym is located on the highest floor. In terms of the view, I think this is my favorite spot in the hotel, the room being the second.

I really love the view of the mountains and the sea. If Google Maps is telling me the truth, that sea is actually the Straits of Malacca! The weather wasn’t too hot when I came so it actually was really nice and cool for me to just laze by the pool and read a book.

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Now! Would I actually return back to this hotel? 

I definitely will but only if I have time to spare, and all I wanna do is chill in the room and suntan (?) by the pool. Why? Because the journey itself from the airport to the hotel can roughly take you more than an hour.

The hotel is also not on the island where all the main attractions and activities are located. While the islands are connected by an iconic bridge, the journey could take you 40 minutes if the traffic is good. In terms of convenience, I would say this accommodation would be a 3/10.

But the experience, standard of the room and service of the staff? A solid 10/10.