Special thanks to Sunway Hotel Georgetown for extending this hotel review invitation.
Sunway Hotel Georgetown is a 4-star city hotel at New Lane (Lorong Baru). The property is literally a stone’s throw away from New Lane hawker center. Sunway Hotel Georgetown is one of two Penang properties under Sunway Hotels & Resorts; the other is Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya.
Entering through the main entrance, Sunway Hotel welcomes new arrivals with a spacious lobby with natural lighting and marble finish. Comfortable seats allow guests to rest their legs while waiting to be checked in. Complimentary drinks are provided.
Newspapers and travel brochures are available for guests’ reading pleasure. Meanwhile, children can keep themselves entertained with board games and coloring supplies. This is part of Sunway Hotel’s efforts to offer family-friendly hospitality.
Sunway Hotel Georgetown has 250 guestrooms in total. Room categories are Deluxe, Premier, Deluxe Super King, Family, Club Room and Suite. Smoking is strictly prohibited in all guestrooms. My room, the Club Room, is reasonably spacious for two people. Located at Level 15, the room has a nice view of the surrounding cityscape.
Standard room amenities include ensuite bathroom, flat-panel television, broadband access, electronic safe, clothes iron, coffee-making utensils and more. As for Club-level rooms and above, food and drinks at the coffee area are complimentary. Besides cookies and nuts, there are also canned drinks in the minibar.
The Suite provides the highest level of luxury within the hotel. There are only two such units in Sunway Hotel; both are located on the top floor of the building. With twice the standard floor space, each Suite has the bedroom and living area in separate rooms.
The Suite’s bathroom, already more spacious than those in other guestrooms, is fitted with a bathtub. In the living area, I am surprised to see a sophisticated capsule coffee machine!
Most common-area amenities, including the 24-hour fitness center, are located at Level 3. The gym has around a dozen pieces of exercise equipment including stationary bicycles, treadmills and weight machines. Changing rooms, water cooler and clean towels are placed conveniently nearby.
Guests can also take advantage of the swimming pool at Level 3. Surrounded by palm trees, the outdoor area also has a Jacuzzi hot tub. As for refreshments, swimmers can easily purchase beverages and ice cream from the poolside bar. Since there are no lifeguards on duty, it is vital to keep children supervised at all times.
The business center is where guests can surf the web and request printing services. As for seminars and events, Sunway Hotel Georgetown has several function rooms at the Lower Ground floor. Each function room is equipped with a cutting edge smart TV. Three function rooms can be combined into one that accommodates up to 300 people in theatre-style seating.
Sun Cafe is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. Besides à la carte dishes, the restaurant also serves buffet from time to time. Sun Cafe operates from 6:30am to 11:00pm daily. Of course, in-house guests can always take advantage of the hotel’s 24-hour in-room dining.
Sun Cafe is also where most in-house guests have breakfast in the morning. Food is served from 6:30am to 10:30am. Guests can expect comfort foods like sliced bread, French toasts, croissants, baked beans, sausages and breakfast cereals.
As for local flavors, there are nasi lemak, rice porridge, dim sum and roti canai. Roti canai is best enjoyed with vegetable dalcha, which is stewed with potatoes, carrots and luffa.
The egg counter allows guests to order egg dishes like omelette and half boiled eggs. The queue may be longer during peak hours, so I recommend having breakfast before 7:00am if you wish to avoid the crowd.
The dietary needs of vegetarian guests are also taken into consideration in the breakfast menu. Meatless dishes include mixed vegetables, vegetarian meat, vegetarian noodle, bean curd and salad.
Club-level guests enjoy privileges that are not afforded to others. Most importantly, Club-level guests are given exclusive access to the Club Lounge on Level 14. This quiet place provides a relaxing venue to catch the latest movies or news on television. Cookies and fruit juices are available at all times.
Club-level guests can also opt to have breakfast at the Club Lounge. One is quite justified to expect better ambience and more personalized service. To maintain the prestige here, small children must be supervised at all times.
Given the premium status of Club-level rooms, guests are treated to better breakfast choices than the standard buffet spread. For instance, one can indulge in gourmet cheese and yogurt too.
Evening cocktail is served at the Club Lounge from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. The fridge is stocked with fruit juice, soft drinks and beer. Should you need a shot of caffeine, espresso-based drinks are available at the push of a button.
Hors d’oeuvres like sandwiches and canapés are served during the evening cocktail. If you prefer something heavier, there are also carbs like fried bee hoon or fried koay teow.
Desserts include chocolate moist cake, carrot cake, apricot cake, meringue tartlets and coconut jelly. Fresh fruits are provided too.
Another perk that Club-level guests enjoy is special access to the boardroom. With a capacity of 10 people, the boardroom serves as the ideal venue for sensitive business meetings. There is a projector in the boardroom.
Several tenants operate within the hotel’s premises. For instance, Nagoya (名古屋) provides food reflexology and other massage services on appointment basis. And if you enjoyed the Ceylon tea in your room, you can purchase more from Basilur Tea’s counter next to Sun Cafe.
Sunway Hotel Georgetown is strategically located near the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guests may request for complimentary rides to popular attractions like Fort Cornwallis and Gurney Drive. And if you are keen to explore George Town on foot, the hotel provides a useful street map that covers many points of interest.
To enjoy the best room rates, would-be guests are advised to book through Sunway Hotel’s website. Be sure to sign up for Sunway Pals membership if you have not already done so. This loyalty program rewards points and special perks in most Sunway properties.
Name: Sunway Hotel Georgetown
Address: 33, Lorong Baru, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-229-9988
Business hours: 24 hours
Website: https://georgetown.sunwayhotels.com
Coordinates: 5.41434 N, 100.32588 E
Directions: Sunway Hotel Georgetown is located at New Lane (Lorong Baru) in George Town. The hotel is accessible from either Macalister Road (Jalan Macalister) or Jalan Dato Keramat. Sunway Hotel provides complimentary parking for in-house guests.
