Back when we were in George Town in 2010, there wasn’t anywhere to stay like this, a historical building/hotel also conveniently located to the sites in George Town. From a tycoon’s mansion, to administrative offices for Japanese occupying forces during the 2nd world war, to an opium den, to a backpacker’s hotel, The Edison in George Town has had an eccentric history but it seems to have found its true purpose now as a small luxury hotel.
Not only did we enjoy the design, decor, and furnishings at this hotel, but the staff were the best that we have ever encountered at any hotel; the staff were welcoming, helpful, and sincere and took the time to get to know you. Thank you Charles for your warm welcome, Thamil for your assistance and lovely sense of humour, Connie for the overview of the property, Shafiq for recommendations on what to order at Auntie Gaik Lean’s, Michelle for the nice chat about future bookings and the tote bag, and Ummi for sharing the kueh’s a little early with us due to our departure for the airport….other staff were excellent too but we forgot their names.
Small touches like turn down service with orange infused water and nougat, wine exploration hour, and local treats at the lounge (nasi lemak, kaya, and kuehs) enhanced the stay and atmosphere at this hotel. We get this treatment at other hotels due to our elite status, not as regular guests!
We were not expecting much from the pool; it was larger and deeper than we expected so we did enjoy time here every afternoon. While there is no gym, you can definitely get a workout by swimming laps early in the morning.
While we intended to use the bikes provided by the hotel, I was too short and so we used the Penang Bike Share program (Link Bike). Link Bike is very easy to use but difficult if you do not have a mobile phone with cellular access and the location to buy the prepaid cards newly introduced is far away.
The only thing that we think could be improved on is the water pressure and temperature in our shower but we understand it is an old building with limitations and this did not affect our stay negatively.
As for things other people mention in TripAdvisor and Google reviews:
1) Street Noise: Yes, the Red Garden Food Paradise is a little loud (especially on Saturdays) but the ear plugs help and it is quite a fun place to spend time at. If you book a suite, they are at the front of the building facing the Red Garden. The noise only affected my sleep on Saturday and it didn’t bother my husband.
2) Breakfast Selection: We felt the breakfast had more than enough options and think people are being unfair with their comments. We wanted a light breakfast to be able to enjoy all the street food in Penang so nasi lemak, some scrambled eggs, kaya toast and a few pieces of fruit were perfect.
3) Stairs: yes, the stairs are steep but the staff will help you with your bags. Unless you have physical limitations, you will benefit and enjoy walking up about 20 or so stairs to burn off calories.
For more information: http://www.theedisonhotels.com/
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