Camera Museum, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

After having had a rest at Wheeler’s (Please see review.) we were ready to explore Love Lane in the heart of George Town, Penang, Malaysia and the surrounding area. We saw signs for the Camera Museum and decided spontaneously to visit it.

It was shortly after Ramadan, so there were discounts and special offers everywhere, including at the Camera Museum. We received two tickets for the price of one at 20 MYR (ca. 4.20 Euro or 4.75 USD).

The museum is small, but has some rare cameras like Leica, Russian and Belarussian cameras to be viewed here.

There was also a section showing some of the most impressive press photographs over the years.

Other parts dealt with how cameras work and another one had spy cameras. It wasn’t boring at all and didn’t take too long to explore. There was also a darkroom to be discovered by visitors.

Staff is very passionate, knowledgeable and willing to answer questions or show visitors how things work.

There is also a café and a gift shop, where we bought a t-shirt and got even a bit more off due to the vouchers that we received when buying our tickets. It's all good and memorable here for the right reasons.

We would visit again, when in George Town and would recommend it to photographers.

©2015  

Wheeler's, Love Lane, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

While exploring George Town we were also in Love Lane and stopped for a break at Wheeler’s Coffee. Penang is famous for excellent cuisine and good coffee.

The shop is quaint and easily identifiable because the entrance is decorated with bikes and there is a mural of a gentleman and his unicycle from a long bygone area, when bicycles were still in their infancy, plus a rabbit on a bicycle sporting a blue and red stripped balloons.

The bicycle theme continues throughout the café.

There were a lot of fresh cakes and sandwiches on display and a large board showed the drink menu.

The orders were taken at the counter, but brought to the table by the staff.

The different flavored teas, coffees and chocolates were mind boggling and fabulous.

For him it was easier, but I had difficulties deciding which drink to take.

He took the Nutella Hot Chocolate, while I had the Rose Latte. We chose two orange juices and two tiramisu cakes as well. All was delicious and fresh.

We paid 63.60 MYR (ca. 13 Euro or 14.50 USD).

Other customers were locals and Wheeler’s was very full, but quiet.

We would return next time if we are in Love Lane again.


©2015 

Farquhar's Bar @ The Eastern & Oriental George Town, Penang, Malaysia

One evening during our stay in George Town, Penang, Malaysia we had dinner and drinks at Farquhar’s Bar at the Eastern & Oriental.

Please see also the reviews for the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, The Ferringhi Grill at Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, the Blue Mansion – A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy and Sarkies Corner at the E&O.

The bar is small, intimate and has a cozy atmosphere.

We arrived just in time for Happy Hour – there’s a list of liquors and a daily changing cocktail, in our case the Blue Lagoon -, but there was nothing we really fancied, so we had a look at the a la carte menu instead.

We chose a cocktail, Acqua Panna, hot chocolate and a Kahlua. We also had tapas, some of them were a chicken quesadilla and bangers and mash. The food was tasty and kept up with overall Colonial style of the Bar and the famous E&O Hotel.

Our bar tender had to check if the still water was available due to the large wedding party I mentioned in the Sarkies Corner review. We were lucky.

The meal was delicious and the service and value was good, while the setting is memorable.

We would return for a drink and snack should we return to George Town.

©2015

Sarkies Corner @ The Eastern & Oriental George Town, Penang, Malaysia

The Eastern & Oriental had been on our list of hotels we considered to book, but we decided the Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy, was better suitable for this occasion, wanting to stay at a boutique hotel. Please see also our review.

The only disadvantage for us was the Cheong Fatt Tze Restaurant at our hotel. It served Cantonese/Chinese cuisine, which we don't like particularly, so we had to find another place to eat our meals beside breakfast.

The E&O was just a few minutes walking distance away, so it was ideal for our purposes.

Besides exploring the first hotel of the Sarkies brothers of the Raffles Singapore fame, we had one lunch and one dinner at Sarkies Corner. We also visited the Farquhar Bar at the property. A review of this will follow.

Sarkies Corner is the all-day dining restaurant.

The dining room was very large and kept in colonial style with tiles and dark wooden furniture. It was understated, but airy thanks to panorama windows along the whole side facing the seafront.

The menu included local and international dishes.

The staff was friendly and attentive, but working on island time. It added to the charm and transported us back, when life was slower.

Unfortunately ordering juice wasn't that easy. Once it wasn't available - it might had to do with a large wedding group, which was staying at the hotel - the other time we could order our carrot and orange juices without problems.

We tried the chicken wrap with fries, the Malaysian chicken satay with traditional condiments and the Chicken Kapitan Curry, which was the highlight of all the dishes we had and enjoyed.

Our dinner for example came in at 179.60 MYR (ca. 37.55 Euro or ca. 41.75 USD) including two juices, a bottle of Acqua Panna, a Drumbuie, a Kahlua, a hot chocolate and two main courses.

Should we find us again in George Town we will stop again at Sarkies Corner and at some stage even stay at the Eastern & Oriental, which is overall very charming, authentic and beautiful place to be when visiting the island of Penang.

©2015

The Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy, George Town, Penang Malasya

When researching our stay in Penang we decided we wanted to stay at a boutique hotel in the Heritage Zone of George Town for two nights.

We were immediately attracted to the Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy By Samadhi and UNESCO World Heritage Site with its indigo blue facade
and lavish decoration.

An added bonus was that the hotel belongs to Samadhi Retreats. We have already stayed at the Villa Samadhi in Kuala Lumpur - please see also review - and loved it, so we thought we would enjoy staying at the Blue Mansion too.

There are four different room types bookable. Some categories have more rooms, like the Liang (entrance category) and Han (highest), while the 50's room and the Tan Room are especially unique, because there is only one each available.

After much debate we decided to book the Tan Room. It is located in the former kitchen of the mansion and is also known as the Old Kitchen Room.

The original stove is used as minibar.

Since we like to cook and eat, we thought it was just the room type for us.

Besides being a hotel with a Cantonese and modern Chinese Restaurant, named after the original owner, it is also a museum.

Guests can join tours for free daily at 11.00 hours, 14.00 hours and 15.30 hours. Otherwise it costs 16 MYR or ca. 3.30 Euro / ca. 3.75 USD per person.

The Blue Mansion houses a library and lounge, where films made at the Blue Mansion (Indochine) or Penang (Anna and the King), are regularly shown.

Guests can have drinks and aperitifs on the balcony of Cheong Fatt Tze's bedroom daily from 18.00 hours.

We took a taxi from the Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Batu Ferringhi to the Blue Mansion. The journey took ca. forty minutes and was as picturesque as the journey to the Rasa Sayang. Please see also this and the Feringgi Grill review.

There were a gate and security guard. The guard asked if we were guests. When we confirmed we were staying guests heinvited us to go inside. Another couple, not staying at the Blue Mansion, was a bit surprised we could enter the hotel, even so there wasn't a guided tour available at the time. It seems many people aren't aware the Blue Mansion is more than just a museum.

We were welcomed warmly by the Resident Manager James Lim and other staff.  We received refreshing towels, welcome drinks and bookmarks with the password for the free Wifi access attached. Checking in felt more like signing a rent agreement. The Blue Mansion was used as a lodging establishment for a while, so this harks back to those times. Our arrival was around an hour before check in and our room wasn't ready as expected since there are only eighteen rooms. Our luggage was stored until our return later in the afternoon. To our surprise we didn't receive the room we booked, but the equivalent to it - the 50's room. At first we were a bit disappointed, but it turned into a delight.

The room was very large with extremely high ceilings and large windows.

The bed was king sized and comfortable.

There was also a large writing desk, a credenza containing the minibar, a TV, a seating area, vanity table and a wardrobe.

All the furniture was from the 50's and accordingly smaller than contemporary ones would be. It was ideal for me, because I normally have issues hanging or reaching things.

The furniture was mint green, but it was suitable and in mint vintage condition. The floor was tiled with honeycomb shaped terracotta tiles. The air condition and fan made sure the room was always cool.

The TV channels were limited, but we were happy with the Asian Food Channel and BBC World.

The mini bar was stocked with Belvoir lemonades and ginger beer, Samadhi water and Carlsberg beer; snacks included vegetable chips, cashew and pistachio nuts, Kit Kat, Snickers and other knickknacks. The water cost 8 MYR (ca. 1.65 Euro or ca. 1.90 USD), the lemonades were 15 MYR (ca. 3.10 Euro / ca. 3.50 USD) and the beer 13 MYR (ca. 2.70 Euro or ca. 3 USD). The snacks started from 7 MYR (ca. 1.45 Euro or 1.65 USD).

Artwork was a collage of Malaysian stars from the 50's.

The bathroom was large with a Jacuzzi, separate shower, sink, toilet and towel rack.

It was black and white tiled and the bathroom amenities were locally produced and came in porcelain dispensers.

Two small side tables could be used for your own beauty products and held also some amenities like mouth wash, cotton wool and a shower cap.

The Jacuzzi is heated in the early evenings, but if you ask nicely it can be done earlier or later like in our case, because we were mostly out and about exploring George Town.

Water pressure and temperature were always good.

The bathroom door and bolts were a bit own minded. If not locking the door with one of the bolts on either side it would fall open. When one of us was locking him or her into the bathroom, the bets were on if the bolt was going to work or not. Somehow we always managed to release it and open the door. It was quirky and didn't disturb us.

Every evening turn down was provided with a "sweet dreams message".

Our red water flask was daily refilled free of charge and there were personal notes on real leaves left by Mr. James. One read for example "Dear Ms.... + Mr. ..., sleep is the best meditation, sleep well! Resident Manager James." There were also white and dark chocolates left for us.

If we had wanted to we could have sat outside in the courtyard. Every room had its own - not private, though - coffee table and two chairs. There were also large day beds in the public areas.

Reading material in the room was the Penang International Magazine, there was a also a guide to the Blue Mansion and our "50's Room".

We loved our room and felt right at home. Spending time there was a glimpse into a more recent history.

We used the laundry service. It was done quicker than expected, same day. The garments were folded perfectly and sealed in a plastic bag, creating a pillow. The cost was reasonable too.

Other services provided are walking tours, Tai Chi classes, Trishaw rides and free bicycle rental.

During our stay we were also advised that there was some renovation work going on in the right wing of the building, but we never heard anything. In the future there will be a spa, swimming pool and a Chinese garden.

In regards to noise a warning for light sleepers: While the room is peaceful during the day, it can be noisy at night due to the nightclubs and bars surrounding the hotel. Music and people talking woke me once each night, but I could settle down within a few minutes again.

We had breakfast every morning at the main courtyard, which is only used for this purpose. Breakfast is available all day a la carte whenever guests wish to partake.

There was a small buffet with a variety of bread, cereals, jams, butter, cold cuts, fruits and much more. All hot items and a wide range of juices and smoothies could be ordered a la carte. We enjoyed the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, pancakes, the Malaysian egg set and Morning Detox juice among other things.  If you have the chance try the Kaya - it's out of this world.

On our full day we took the guided tour of the Blue Mansion after breakfast. The group was large with around thirty people from around the world. We had a chat with an Australian. Our tour started punctual. The guide gave us a biography of Cheong Fatt Tze. Originally he was very poor and came from Guandong Province in China, moving to Indonesia to have better chances in life. Cheong Fatt Tze built his empire with rubber, tea and coffee. Later his investments were far reaching including banking and railways. The Blue Mansion was his favorite house amongst the many he owned throughout Asia. He also had eight wives and number five and seven were his favorites.

Photographs of them can be seen, where breakfast is served in the courtyard.

The mansion was built according to Feng Shui teachings. The highest energy point can be found in the main courtyard. Our guide pointed it out. There was also a Chinese wedding bed. We learned more about Chinese traditions and where the different materials came from, like Scottish cast iron columns, the Szechuan screens and the Staffordshire floor tiles or the porcelain cut and paste shard works, called Teochew "chien nien". It was highly interesting and brought us our "home" nearer.

On another occasion we explored areas not accessible for non-guests. One of the courtyards was especially peaceful with three koi ponds.

One morning we met the true master of the house, a very demanding cat.

She ignored us successfully and headed straight to the back of house. We heard her meowing, but didn't see her.

The location allowed us to walk everywhere we wanted to go, including the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, the Love Lane, Church of the Assumption, St. George's Church, Fort Cornwallis and the Jubilee Clock Tower to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

We loved the Blue Mansion, because of the great heritage, the unique rooms, the atmosphere, the tour, location and the attentive and friendly staff.

Should our travels take us to Penang in the future, we would stay at the Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy by Samadhi for our second time. This was our second Samadhi Retreats property and yes, we would look forward to stay with the Samadhi Retreats Group again in our future.

©2015

Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Batu Ferringhi, Penang, Malaysia

Since it was my birthday during our travels we were looking for special hotels and one, where I would celebrate it.

We looked for something relaxing and luxurious. It was also our wish to visit Penang for years now. We decided to book the Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, named after an Indonesian and Malay folk song for two nights. It means something like being loved / beloved.

Next was which room to choose. We could have had many room types in the Garden or Rasa Wing, including a suite.

We were undecided for a while, if we should take the Rasa Deluxe, Premier Room or the suite. The best impression and most suitable room for us was the Premier Room. We liked the size, layout and design of it best, based on photographs online.

We arrived at Penang International Airport from Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines. The flight was pleasant and eventless.

We bought a taxi voucher at the Penang International Airport and paid 74 MYR (ca. 16.60 Euro or 18.50 USD).

The journey took around 50 minutes and was picturesque.

We told our taxi driver to go to the Rasa Wing. It is important to state which wing you have, because there are two entrances.

We were welcomed warmly by the bell captain and door man. They checked if we were on the list of expected guests and invited us inside.

The receptionist brought us to a private area within the Rasa Wing Lounge, where we received a welcome drink and the check in formalities took place.

Interesting to note was the advise leaflet given to us. It informed us that the hotel had taken a pre-authorization of 300 MYR (ca. 63.65 Euro or 71.45 USD) per room per night on our credit card. If we were going to settle the invoice at check out with another credit card or paying in cash the amount would be only released within two to four weeks since it was an international bank transaction.

We arrived just in time for afternoon tea and could have taken part, but we wanted to go to our room, refresh and settle down first.

After all the formalities were taken care of, we were accompanied to our room and given a short tour by the friendly femal staff member. We were advised that the first fill of the minibar (two Coca Colas, two Sprites, two beer and one Kitkat) was free and that the crystal filtered water was complimentary and would be replenished daily. Afterwards we were left alone.

The large room was classic Malay with dark wood and different brown, red and gold shades.

There was an open walk in closet with a vanity table, large wardrobe and storage unit to the left. Staying longer shouldn't be a problem.

The design was intricate. Each closet handle was shaped like a lizard.

A double door led to the bathroom on the right. It was large with double sinks, a huge spa shower and a separate room for the toilet.

The amenities were Shangri-La's own brand and of high quality.

To our surprise we also found an alarm clock in the bathroom.

The spa shower had a huge rainfall shower head, a handheld one and three massage spray jets. The water pressure was always great and there were no complaints of sudden temperature changes.

We loved the Shangri-La amenities. They smelled good, were easy to squeeze out of the little bottles and nourished our skins.

The bathroom was fully marbled and felt very elegant.

Behind the bathroom and walk in closet the room continued with a seating area, including a sofa, chairs and a coffee table, work space and bed.

In the middle, there was a very long writing desk provided as divider. There was also a swiveable flat screen TV with around twenty local and international channels and a DVD player. The hotel has a DVD library.

One of the drawers contained all office supplies imaginable.

Artwork was large locally inspired batik cloth. Very colorful and beautiful alike.

All was very comfortable and we enjoyed spending time on our room.

Another highlight for us was the large balcony with a huge marble bath tub for two, a dining area and a day bed. There were other inhabitants too, like a butterfly and a lizard, living under a lampshade on the balcony.

We overlooked the manicured gardens and had partial sea view. The only thing we could hear were the birds and the waves, which was very romantic.

24 hour in room dining is also available, which we used twice.

The smoothies come highly recommended.

We tried the Penang Laksa, which is a bit messy to eat, but excellent tasting, the spaghetti aglio al olio (very delicious) and the tomato Monte Cristo, fluffy and light.

Once we had the Creme Brulee and each time hot chocolate.

The highest bill came in at 155 MYR, ca. 34 Euro or ca. 37.75 USD.

Besides enjoying in room dinner, we also liked the fruit basket and free snacks, hidden under a typical colorful Malay woven cloche, called a Tudung Saji. On one day we had banana chips and on the following day Beh Teh So, a pastry originating from Penang. It was a crusty biscuit, filled with sweet molasses and glazed with eggwhite and topped with toasted sesame seeds. Both were delicious.

Magazines were available too, including the Malaysia Tattler, Prestige and the TV program.

To keep us up to date about what was going on at the resort, an activities sheet and a map were also provided.

Guests can join Yoga and Tai Chi lessons daily. There are golf competitions and cooking demonstrations as well as Art Attack and many other activities on offer.

Every Friday the hotel employees give a musical performance with traditional Malay gamelan instruments at the Garden Wing.

Antique gamelan instruments are on display at the Garden Wing lobby at all times.

The hotel also supports two charities Penang incl. Shan Children's Home Association and Gift of Life.

The Shangri-La was opened in 1973 and the style is Minangkabau. There is a 40th Anniversary Pavillion in the hotel's grounds. It contains a lot of history and it's fascinating to see how hotel rooms looked in the 1970ies and 1980ies.

You might ask what are the differences between the the Garden Wing and the Rasa Wing. The Garden Wing is better suited for families. It has a large pool and other amenities for children.

The Rasa Wing has a large lounge with lots of inclusions to pamper guests from breakfast at the Feringgi Grill (which is the fine dining restaurant and serves modern grilled cuisine) or the Spice Market Cafe, the international buffet restaurant, to afternoon tea and real cocktails during Happy Hour.

Besides the restaurants there is also the Pinang Bar & Restaurant.

The Rasa Wing pool is adults only.

The wings are connected via the conference centre.

The Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang has a beautiful garden and walkways to CHI, the spa, the pool, the beach, the 9 hole golf course and the sister property Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La. Guests have signing priviliges. Staff can also take customers by golf buggy to the Golden Sands Resort.

A shuttle bus to George Town  is offered too.

We didn't go to the city, because we were splitting our holiday between Batu Ferringhi and George Town. A review of the Blue Mansion - A Cheung Fatt Tze Legacy, by Samadhi is going to follow.

Instead we explored our neighborhood, our hotels and the gardens.

On our first day we joined the Happy Hour.

We were impressed by the large Rasa Wing Lounge, which has different seating areas, a selection of magazines and books, a reception desk and an area set up for serving snacks throughout the day and appetizers during Happy Hour.

The lounge had oriental touches, tradtional artwork and colorful sofas and chairs. Guests could also sit outside on the terrace.

Since all the indoor seating was taken we were brought to the terrace. Originally we thought it would be too hot, but it was a balmy evening and comfortable to sit outside. We liked it so much the next evening we were happy to take a seat on the terrace, enjoying the romantic atmosphere and excellent drinks. The sunsets were magnificent, enhanced by the kitesurfers and the garden. Time couldn't be better spent with a loved one or with family.

We tried a few cocktails (Cuba Libre, Sapphire Summer), Ruggeri Prosecco, a wide choice of salads including Greek Salad, sweets (The profiteroles and the macaroons come highly recommended.), fish and many other things. All was delicious. Staff was attentive and couldn't do enough for us.

The "locals", birds in this case, took part in the Happy Hour too. When guests left, the birds swooped down onto the tables and snatched the chicken wings. They weren't very fond of the fried fish, though.

Most of our fellow guests were from the region - some couples, some families with small children -, intermixed with a few Western couples and a family with teenage kids.

The next morning we went to the Feringgi Grill for breakfast. A more expansive review is going to follow. Let's just say the meal wasn't a disappointment. Our breakfasts here were indeed very memorable for the right reasons.

Later I had an appointment at the CHI Spa. I had chosen the Rasa Asmaradana, a Sense of Place massage. The spa has it's own entrance and eleven treatment bungalows in Peranakan style and a village feel. I was offered tea or flavored water while waiting for my therapist.

My bungalow had two entrances, the one to the right led to the changing room including shower and toilet, to the left was the treatment room. I enjoyed my massage and was relaxed afterwards.

I felt pampered and the location and architecture was romantic.

The treatment lasted 1 hour 15 minute and cost 330 MYR (ca. 70 Euro or 78.60 USD).

The gym was located at the Rasa Wing and well used.

Afterwards we had afternoon tea. He had a cappuccino, while I had the TehTarik. There were plenty of delightful sandwiches, scones, Bonne Maman jams and cakes. The presentation was very beautiful and the treats tasty, plus the service was friendly at all times.

When we returned from the Happy Hour to our room staff had left behind a decadent chocolate birthday cake for me. It was very large, so we could only eat a quarter or so.

Turn down arrived every night and included bookmarks with excerpts from James Hilton's Lost Horizon and a plant print. The chain is named after Shangri-La, an earthly paradise, in the book. I believe the name is well chosen.

Too soon check out arrived. It was done efficient and with a smile. A taxi was organized within minutes and so we could begin our adventure in George Town.

Would we return? Definitely. The hotel is heaven on earth based on our romantic setting, excellent cuisine, comfort and luxury of the whole property and the friendly and attentive staff.

©2015