The Singapore Forum

I'm spending a few days in Penang in March to suss it out as a potential second home/retirement option. While there, I'd like to stay in a nice, realxing, child-free hotel. Anyone got any recommendations? Beach front type resort or boutique preferred.

Talk to Dino who is indeed a (young) retiree there.

Lone pine hotel

I second Lone Pine.

EDIT: and talking to Dino!

Never been but Delaney stayed at Eastern & Oriental when he was there. Looks fab! http://www.eohotels.com/

nev wrote:Never been but Delaney stayed at Eastern & Oriental when he was there. Looks fab! http://www.eohotels.com/

I'm sure it's been done up since we went (there was that little issue with a tsunami) but we thought it was a bit shabby.

Kooky wrote:

nev wrote:Never been but Delaney stayed at Eastern & Oriental when he was there. Looks fab! http://www.eohotels.com/

I'm sure it's been done up since we went (there was that little issue with a tsunami) but we thought it was a bit shabby.

The website says they have a newly-built extension, looks really nice. Also it seems that Lone Pine is part of the same hotel group, can't go wrong with suggestions from people on this forum

Lone Pine booked. Thanks all.

I'm a bit late posting on here but as I read the first post I was thinking Lone Pine.... so that's good. I have to admit I've not actually been to Lone Pine but a lot of people rate it, so there ya go.

Presume you have been to Penang before? If you are hankering for some wonderful beaches, you will probably be disappointed. I mean, they are OK, but not a patch on Thailand, Langkawi or I am told East coast of the peninsula.

Assuming that you don't know Penang, please please hire a car and have a good drive around because Batu Ferringhi is not Penang and it is not to everyone's tastes. Most MM2Hers live along the retirement belt up the north of the island from Batu Ferringhi to Tanjung Bungah to Tanjung Tokong to Tanjung Pinang to Gurney Drive and Georgetown.

Not sure what you'd be looking for, but if you're wanting something Singaporesque, do check out Straits Quay in Tanjung Pinang. This is also an E&O development, has a nice little marina, pubs and restaurants and you would hardly believe you were in Malaysia (if you know what I mean).

Are you thinking about doing MM2H visa? You can check out the government website. Then checkout the my2home info site and forum for better interpretation That site is run by a mate of mine - loads of info on there from those who have the visa, and those who are currently doing it.

And yes.... speak to me Any questions, post on here, or send me a PM, or we can meet up for kopi in March

I've never lived in Penang, but been there many times on business and holiday and had friends that lived there.

I just want to emphasize what Dinosaur said - Batu Ferringhi (which is the main tourist / beachy area) is not much of a beach and very different from what I think of as Penang, which is, specifically, Georgetown.

Georgetown is like the shophouse parts of Singapore, mostly, except that whereas in SG shophouses tend to be "conservation" buildings, expensive and all done up, in Georgetown they are not always. Very easy to wander around, find little restaurants, pubs, etc. I would never go to Penang for the beaches, but I've spend nice weekends in Georgetown several times. Worth walking around there.

I am not a Georgetown fan - too busy and chaotic for my liking - but would agree with T2K that such a big difference between Bt Ferringhi and Georgetown, and can also add other areas: Straits Quay, Tg Bungah, Tg Tokong - all nice but all have their own character. The national park down the west side of the island is also interesting.... very green and leafy and quiet... not somewhere to live probably but nice to visit.

For great beaches, Langkawi is about 30 minutes away - several direct flights from Penang Int'l airport.

I've heard Georgetown described as "like Singapore in the 1970's", it's definitely got an old school feel to it and looks like Singapore from the 1979 movie "St Jack."

Still, lots of quiet little lanes and places.

T2K wrote:
Still, lots of quiet little lanes and places.

Quite attractive for bag snatchers on motorbikes too (says Ms Dino speaking from experience).

Georgetown has World Heritage site status and for good reason. There are some really fabulous old buildings, temples, churches, you name it. Just so many, you don't even need to take a tourist trail. You just keep stumbling across them. If you like history and buildings, it's certainly a place to visit.

Just going back to earlier post (Kooky I think), the E&O Hotel in Georgetown has had major refurbishment. No idea what it is like now, though I'm sure tripadvisor would come up with some reviews.

Some people say that Penang is like Singapore used to be. I know what they mean. There are some things that look and feel similar, but the island has got its own character and history.

Just a little bit of background which some folks don't know - and a lot of people think that Penang is just another Malay Muslim enclave (I used to think that too). The Penang State government is now ruled by the opposition party DAP..... and aha.... the DAP used to be the Malaysian sister arm of Singapore's PAP. Not a lot of people know that. State Governor, Lim Guan Eng, is quite a guy with an interesting background/history. He got jailed for a year under the Sedition Act where he supported a Malay rape victim who had been "detained" though the guy that did the business was not........ <pause for big sigh> Great quote from him: "If I fail and have to go to jail, I have no regrets. I have no regrets of going down fighting for the principles of truth and justice. And pursuit of human rights, especially women's rights. There can be no women's rights if women rape victims are considered equally responsible, and even detained, whilst the accused remain free." Great guy. Anyway.... hopelessly off topic now.

All sounds very fascinating and thanks for all the info and advice. Would very much like to meet up with you Dino while in Penang. Drop me a PM with your email and phone number please.

Spike wrote:Drop me a PM with your email and phone number please.

Tis done