The Best Hotels in Penang

Penang Introduction

Penang is more than dazzling white sand beaches and waving palm trees, it is also a glorious celebration of cultures, with diverse influences seen in the stunning architecture, delicious food and wondrous natural beauty. With colourful fishing villages, vibrant city life, thrilling water sports and a rich history in spices and seafaring escapades, Penang is known as the Pearl of the Orient. Families, solo adventurers and business travellers alike will find plenty to delight the soul and entrance the senses.

Hotels in Penang

From laid-back guesthouses and simple hostels to posh hotels and luxurious resorts, Penang hotels are myriad and diverse. For unique exposure to rural village life, you can try a homestay in one of the outlying villages. Lavish resorts will pamper you with fine linens, elegant swimming pools and world class dining options within the grounds. Local hostels offer basic accommodation, with scooter and bicycle rental options to make your exploration of Penang as easy and stress-free as possible. Boutique hotels provide airy, spacious rooms, private pools and beautifully groomed gardens with hammocks for you to truly relax while you enjoy them.

Where to stay

Luxury hotels in Penang can be found in Batu Ferringhi, a beach resort northwest of George Town known for dazzling white sand beaches, bustling night markets and myriad water sports. Here you'll find spacious rooms with stunning ocean views and easy access to beautiful spas and fine dining. George Town is the most popular place for hotels in Penang, especially near the UNESCO World Heritage Zone with its British colonial buildings and elegant mosques. Here you'll find busy hostels, discount hotels with clean, basic rooms, free WiFi and parking, and luxury hotels with bars and restaurants, pools and terraces.

Things to see

George Town boasts an impressive number of historic buildings that have been beautifully preserved and lovingly restored. You can tour the vivid Blue Mansion and learn inspiring stories about previous residents, or the mint green Pinang Peranakan Mansion, filled with intricately carved antiques. For more natural pleasures, visit the Tropical Spice Garden and breathe in the heady aromas as you wander among tranquil ponds and lush plants. Penang National Park is a gorgeous place to spend the day hiking through the jungle, looking for evidence of the Japanese occupation in WWII and traversing the breathtaking suspension bridge. When night falls in Penang, you can hit the streets for more adventures. You can shop for souvenirs at the bustling night market, do a bit of nightclub hopping along Upper Penang Road or experience the exquisite Kek Lok Si Temple in a magical setting of flickering candles and smoking incense.

How to get to Penang

Travelling to Penang is easy, thanks to a wide variety of inexpensive travel options from planes and trains to cars and busses. Most tourists arrive in Penang by air, flying from Kuala Lumpur and major cities outside Malaysia into Penang International Airport. Once you land and collect your luggage, you can get a ride to Penang hotels by bus or taxi. Bus and train travel are the most economical and adventurous, and you can easily catch a train or bus in Kuala Lumpur. If you're visiting Langkawi, you can catch a boat directly to Penang and land in Swettenham Harbour.