Aug 24, 2018, 6:27 am
Last edit by: quinzinho
For those flying, by all means enter your flight details below so we can see if anyone is flying together.
Eating Options and Tips - https://trip101.com/article/penang-food-guide-23-things-that-will-make-your-waistline-grow
Activities and Experiences - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Hill_Railway --- https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g298302-Activities-Penang.html
Hotels - https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-penang.html ---
27-OCT-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH msm2000uk
28-OCT-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN msm2000uk
30-OCT-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH msm2000uk
31-OCT-18 BA7009 DOH-LHR msm2000uk
31-OCT-18 BA1442 LHR-EDI msm2000uk
10-NOV-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH godsavethepoints
11-NOV-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN godsavethepoints
17-NOV-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH godsavethepoints
18-NOV-18 BA7007 DOH-LHR godsavethepoints
18-NOV-18 BA1446 LHR-EDI godsavethepoints
08-DEC-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH msm2000uk
08-DEC-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH scallywag72
09-DEC-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN msm2000uk
09-DEC-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN scallywag72
09-DEC-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH msm2000uk
09-DEC-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH scallywag72
10-DEC-18 BA7009 DOH-LHR msm2000uk
10-DEC-18 BA7009 DOH-LHR scallywag72
10-DEC-18 BA1440 LHR-EDI msm2000uk
10-DEC-18 BA1440 LHR-EDI scallywag72
11-JAN-19 BA1441 EDI-LHR victairinternational
11-JAN-19 BA7008 LHR-DOH victairinternational
12-JAN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN victairinternational
13 -JAN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH victairinternational
14-JAN-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR victairinternational
14-JAN-19 BA1440 LHR-EDI victairinternational
19-JAN-19 BA2880 EDI-DOH Wbeest
20-JAN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN Wbeest
20-JAN-19 BA1459 EDI-LHR KARFA
24-JAN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH Wbeest
25-JAN-19 BA2881 DOH-EDI Wbeest
02-FEB-19 BA2880 EDI-DOH S_W_S
03-FEB-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN S_W_S
16-FEB-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH S_W_S
17-FEB-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR S_W_S
17-FEB-19 BA1442 LHR-EDI S_W_S
24-MAR-19 BA8719 EDI-LCY armouredant
25-MAR-19 BA7008 LHR-DOH armouredant
26-MAR-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN armouredant
20-APR-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH armouredant
21-APR-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR armouredant
03-JUN-19 BA1441 EDI-LHR IAANN
03-JUN-19 BA7004 LHR-DOH IAANN
04-JUN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN IAANN
08-JUN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH IAANN
09-JUN-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR IAANN
09-JUN-19 BA1438 LHR-EDI IAANN
28-JUN-19 BA7004 LHR-DOH KARFA
29-JUN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN KARFA
29-JUN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH KARFA
30-JUN-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR KARFA
06-JUL-19 BA1442 LHR-EDI KARFA
Eating Options and Tips - https://trip101.com/article/penang-food-guide-23-things-that-will-make-your-waistline-grow
Activities and Experiences - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Hill_Railway --- https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g298302-Activities-Penang.html
Hotels - https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-penang.html ---
27-OCT-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH msm2000uk
28-OCT-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN msm2000uk
30-OCT-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH msm2000uk
31-OCT-18 BA7009 DOH-LHR msm2000uk
31-OCT-18 BA1442 LHR-EDI msm2000uk
10-NOV-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH godsavethepoints
11-NOV-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN godsavethepoints
17-NOV-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH godsavethepoints
18-NOV-18 BA7007 DOH-LHR godsavethepoints
18-NOV-18 BA1446 LHR-EDI godsavethepoints
08-DEC-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH msm2000uk
08-DEC-18 BA2880 EDI-DOH scallywag72
09-DEC-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN msm2000uk
09-DEC-18 BA4488 DOH-PEN scallywag72
09-DEC-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH msm2000uk
09-DEC-18 BA4489 PEN-DOH scallywag72
10-DEC-18 BA7009 DOH-LHR msm2000uk
10-DEC-18 BA7009 DOH-LHR scallywag72
10-DEC-18 BA1440 LHR-EDI msm2000uk
10-DEC-18 BA1440 LHR-EDI scallywag72
11-JAN-19 BA1441 EDI-LHR victairinternational
11-JAN-19 BA7008 LHR-DOH victairinternational
12-JAN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN victairinternational
13 -JAN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH victairinternational
14-JAN-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR victairinternational
14-JAN-19 BA1440 LHR-EDI victairinternational
19-JAN-19 BA2880 EDI-DOH Wbeest
20-JAN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN Wbeest
20-JAN-19 BA1459 EDI-LHR KARFA
24-JAN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH Wbeest
25-JAN-19 BA2881 DOH-EDI Wbeest
02-FEB-19 BA2880 EDI-DOH S_W_S
03-FEB-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN S_W_S
16-FEB-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH S_W_S
17-FEB-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR S_W_S
17-FEB-19 BA1442 LHR-EDI S_W_S
24-MAR-19 BA8719 EDI-LCY armouredant
25-MAR-19 BA7008 LHR-DOH armouredant
26-MAR-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN armouredant
20-APR-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH armouredant
21-APR-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR armouredant
03-JUN-19 BA1441 EDI-LHR IAANN
03-JUN-19 BA7004 LHR-DOH IAANN
04-JUN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN IAANN
08-JUN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH IAANN
09-JUN-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR IAANN
09-JUN-19 BA1438 LHR-EDI IAANN
28-JUN-19 BA7004 LHR-DOH KARFA
29-JUN-19 BA4488 DOH-PEN KARFA
29-JUN-19 BA4489 PEN-DOH KARFA
30-JUN-19 BA7009 DOH-LHR KARFA
06-JUL-19 BA1442 LHR-EDI KARFA
The Satay Fare EDI-PEN-EDI
Aug 25, 2018, 7:08 am
#76
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Programs: BAEC Gold [>20k Lifetime TPs] | Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond [as is Mrs PtF] | Various Others
Posts: 6,156
For anyone unfamiliar with Penang most of the establishments listed in the website link provided by IAN-UK are located in George Town. As such my own recommendation would be to also stay in George Town (the George Town Heritage + Hotels Group - GTHH has some excellent reasonably-priced ‘authentic’ hotels) - I can personally recommend Muntri Grove.
What I would NOT recommend is staying at the Shangri-La Golden Sands Resort. Nothing against ‘resort’ properties as such, but having visited this property for lunch (an abysmal experience) it made me realise how disconnected this property is from the rest of the island.
Stay in George Town and eat in George Town (Hameediyah for the best beef rendang ever, Kebaya for a more up-market experience) for the best Penang experience.
Last edited by Phil the Flyer; Aug 25, 2018 at 7:45 am
Aug 25, 2018, 7:31 am
#77
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 860
Having spent a few days in George Town previously, I’m probably only going to do a night or two on this trip (after arrival, before departure).
Any recommendations for a good beach/resort destination that’s either nearby or an easy flight? I’ll be there in November which I think from past experience hasn’t been a great time for good (ie sunny) weather around Penang.
Any recommendations for a good beach/resort destination that’s either nearby or an easy flight? I’ll be there in November which I think from past experience hasn’t been a great time for good (ie sunny) weather around Penang.
Aug 25, 2018, 9:18 am
#78
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: York, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,183
What I would NOT recommend is staying at the Shangri-La Golden Sands Resort. Nothing against ‘resort’ properties as such, but having visited this property for lunch (an abysmal experience) it made me realise how disconnected this property is from the rest of the island.
Aug 25, 2018, 9:45 am
#79
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Programs: BAEC Gold [>20k Lifetime TPs] | Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond [as is Mrs PtF] | Various Others
Posts: 6,156
As for the Shangri-La, Mrs PtF and I went there for lunch, as much out of curiosity as anything. The lunch was atrocious (the beef rendang was as tough as old boots). While I realise that different people have different priorities when on holiday the row upon row of people stretched out on sunloungers made me want to scream - ‘get off your sunlounger, ignore the hotel restaurants, see what lies beyond the hotel grounds and the decidedly average beach.’ George Town is a brilliant place to explore on foot; the architecture, the culture, the restaurants, the bars - but to take maximum advantage you need to also base yourself in George Town.
Aug 25, 2018, 9:53 am
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
The two Shangri La hotels are next to each other. Golden sands is larger and cheaper, Rasa Sayang is more expensive but prettier with two separate wings (garden wing which is traditional and Rasa wing which is like a club building). The resort ground of the Rasa Sayang is actually very pretty though the beach, whilst much nicer than at the Doubletree is still very narrow and can be quite rough. As with all of that area (not just Penang), there are periods with terrible jellyfish infestation too (including box jellyfish). Both wings have very pretty swimming pool but the Rasa one is a lot more private and for people over 16 only so more quiet and complete with resident monitor lizards one of which is over 2 metres long! It is a pretty resort but it doesn't come cheap and beware that some of the cheaper rooms (including the lowest category in the Rasa wing) have really bad views - overlooking the hotel parking lot and the main road.
I'm a big fan of spending a bit of time in George Town and a bit by the sea (Double Tree when trying to be budget conscious, Rasa Sayang for the wow factor) as the two are very different.
Aug 25, 2018, 10:00 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
As for the Shangri-La, Mrs PtF and I went there for lunch, as much out of curiosity as anything. The lunch was atrocious (the beef rendang was as tough as old boots). While I realise that different people have different priorities when on holiday the row upon row of people stretched out on sunloungers made me want to scream - ‘get off your sunlounger, ignore the hotel restaurants, see what lies beyond the hotel grounds and the decidedly average beach.’
15-20 minutes from George Town to the Double Tree is optimistic. There is only one coastal road and it can get quite busy at times so whilst 15-20 minutes is the lower end, it could easily be 30-40 minutes too depending on where exactly you are going. All the hotels discussed here have free shuttles to George Town a few times a day though they are usually only drop off and you need to make your own arrangements back. I don't think Uber works in Penang (at least I never got anything) though Grab does. Taxis can be cheap but many are notorious for trying to rip tourists off (though not from the airport where you can get very decently priced fixed fare taxis from the counter if you have withdrawn cash).
PS: your beef rendang make me nostalgic - not so much because of the Penang food I love beef rendang, but didn't really eat that in Penang as I was keener on trying their unique local dishes, but because when I was there in April, there was a massive uproar in the media because on the UK MasterChef , one of the judges had criticised a Malaysian candidate because here chicken rendang (her grandma's recipe no less) was "not crispy enough", which led to endless national protests about how cretinous and clueless we are in Britain and how little we understand about foreign food etc etc. It went all the way to formal protests by the Prime Minister!
Last edited by orbitmic; Aug 25, 2018 at 10:06 am
Aug 25, 2018, 10:33 am
#82
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Programs: BAEC Gold [>20k Lifetime TPs] | Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond [as is Mrs PtF] | Various Others
Posts: 6,156
orbitmic - it was the Pinang Restaurant and Bar at Rasa Sayang. Huge disappointment food-wise, screaming kids in abundance, etc.
Yeah, I might have underestimated the travel time from the Hilton to George Town. Mrs PtF and I travelled to and from the Shangri-La either side of lunch, when the traffic was probably quieter, and drove past the Hilton both ways (a quick impression was that the property is quite isolated). I’ve checked my Uber account, and it was definitely Uber that we used (MYR42 to the Shangri-La from George Town, MYR25 for the return journey).
Penang beaches are far from being the island’s main attraction. Some of the GBP50-75 per night hotels in George Town, particularly those that have been converted from old buildings, are well worth staying in - and I say that as someone who usually likes my five star hotel comfort.
Anyway, back on more direct topic, could someone please load some more sub-GBP1k PEN fares? All this discussion about the island makes me want to go back there.
Yeah, I might have underestimated the travel time from the Hilton to George Town. Mrs PtF and I travelled to and from the Shangri-La either side of lunch, when the traffic was probably quieter, and drove past the Hilton both ways (a quick impression was that the property is quite isolated). I’ve checked my Uber account, and it was definitely Uber that we used (MYR42 to the Shangri-La from George Town, MYR25 for the return journey).
Penang beaches are far from being the island’s main attraction. Some of the GBP50-75 per night hotels in George Town, particularly those that have been converted from old buildings, are well worth staying in - and I say that as someone who usually likes my five star hotel comfort.
Anyway, back on more direct topic, could someone please load some more sub-GBP1k PEN fares? All this discussion about the island makes me want to go back there.
Aug 25, 2018, 11:12 am
#84
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: QR Gold, BAEC, Marriott Rewards Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,142
May I take this opportunity to mention the E&O in Georgetown? Stayed there a couple of years ago & will again in Feb: big heritage property on the waterfront, two pools with excellent views across the strait & within walking distant of the bars, restaurants & attractions of Georgetown. Really enjoyed it when Mrs IM & I stayed there.
Mind you, if you specifically want your hotel to be on the beach you're buggered.
Mind you, if you specifically want your hotel to be on the beach you're buggered.
Aug 25, 2018, 11:43 am
#85
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: York, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,183
Funnily enough Mrs PtF and I had originally booked a reward stay at the Hilton property (at the time it was just 10k points per night), particularly given the fact that we are both Hilton Lifetime Diamond. However further research led me to the belief that the property was too isolated - it’s probably a 15-20 minute Uber cab ride to George Town.
As for the Shangri-La, Mrs PtF and I went there for lunch, as much out of curiosity as anything. The lunch was atrocious (the beef rendang was as tough as old boots). While I realise that different people have different priorities when on holiday the row upon row of people stretched out on sunloungers made me want to scream - ‘get off your sunlounger, ignore the hotel restaurants, see what lies beyond the hotel grounds and the decidedly average beach.’ George Town is a brilliant place to explore on foot; the architecture, the culture, the restaurants, the bars - but to take maximum advantage you need to also base yourself in George Town.
The Double Tree is nice. Nearly new and with very nice rooms at very competitive prices. Beware that the "beach" is really poor though. It is the other side of the major coastal road (cross with a bridge) and when you get there it is tiny, quite dirty, and quite wavy. The swimming pool is nice but there are lots of kids (many large Middle Eastern families seem to love the hotel). It's also a bit "in between" things - far from George Town but not yet in Batu Ferringi which is the main beach town where the Shangri La's are.
The two Shangri La hotels are next to each other. Golden sands is larger and cheaper, Rasa Sayang is more expensive but prettier with two separate wings (garden wing which is traditional and Rasa wing which is like a club building). The resort ground of the Rasa Sayang is actually very pretty though the beach, whilst much nicer than at the Doubletree is still very narrow and can be quite rough. As with all of that area (not just Penang), there are periods with terrible jellyfish infestation too (including box jellyfish). Both wings have very pretty swimming pool but the Rasa one is a lot more private and for people over 16 only so more quiet and complete with resident monitor lizards one of which is over 2 metres long! It is a pretty resort but it doesn't come cheap and beware that some of the cheaper rooms (including the lowest category in the Rasa wing) have really bad views - overlooking the hotel parking lot and the main road.
I'm a big fan of spending a bit of time in George Town and a bit by the sea (Double Tree when trying to be budget conscious, Rasa Sayang for the wow factor) as the two are very different.
The two Shangri La hotels are next to each other. Golden sands is larger and cheaper, Rasa Sayang is more expensive but prettier with two separate wings (garden wing which is traditional and Rasa wing which is like a club building). The resort ground of the Rasa Sayang is actually very pretty though the beach, whilst much nicer than at the Doubletree is still very narrow and can be quite rough. As with all of that area (not just Penang), there are periods with terrible jellyfish infestation too (including box jellyfish). Both wings have very pretty swimming pool but the Rasa one is a lot more private and for people over 16 only so more quiet and complete with resident monitor lizards one of which is over 2 metres long! It is a pretty resort but it doesn't come cheap and beware that some of the cheaper rooms (including the lowest category in the Rasa wing) have really bad views - overlooking the hotel parking lot and the main road.
I'm a big fan of spending a bit of time in George Town and a bit by the sea (Double Tree when trying to be budget conscious, Rasa Sayang for the wow factor) as the two are very different.
I never had any plans to visit Malaysia, so I'm now reading up about what there is to do after booking! (I know most people do this beforehand)!
As a solo traveler that can get quite anxious I prefer to plan my trips and do guided tours etc, so I wouldn't be quite so concerned about being out of it, spending some time relaxing and some time on tours. Though children running around perhaps may inhibit relaxation a little!
Thanks for the info about the Rasa resort, the cheaper rooms are pretty much over my budget, so whilst I'd love to stay there, I'll probably end up elsewhere.
Aug 25, 2018, 11:46 am
#86
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: York, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,183
May I take this opportunity to mention the E&O in Georgetown? Stayed there a couple of years ago & will again in Feb: big heritage property on the waterfront, two pools with excellent views across the strait & within walking distant of the bars, restaurants & attractions of Georgetown. Really enjoyed it when Mrs IM & I stayed there.
Mind you, if you specifically want your hotel to be on the beach you're buggered.
Mind you, if you specifically want your hotel to be on the beach you're buggered.
Aug 25, 2018, 4:20 pm
#87
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 380
Didn't partake in the fare, but the above posters are correct.
The main highlight of Penang are George Town, the incredible food and interesting history on the island. For me, the beaches are very much 'so-so' and can be affected badly by jellyfish.
It's quite easy to get around and with Grab (Uber is no more in this region) it's quite cheap. There's also a bus network for those who like to count each penny - but it's not too frequent.
If you're looking for things to do, TripAdvisor is still a reasonable site to use. Remember to take reviews with a pinch of salt, but I can't disagree with most of the top ten.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...es-Penang.html
And did I mention the food?! It's simply divine. Penang is the only ethnic Chinese majority part of Malaysia and the mix of cuisines is something else. English is also fairly widely understood.
The main highlight of Penang are George Town, the incredible food and interesting history on the island. For me, the beaches are very much 'so-so' and can be affected badly by jellyfish.
It's quite easy to get around and with Grab (Uber is no more in this region) it's quite cheap. There's also a bus network for those who like to count each penny - but it's not too frequent.
If you're looking for things to do, TripAdvisor is still a reasonable site to use. Remember to take reviews with a pinch of salt, but I can't disagree with most of the top ten.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...es-Penang.html
And did I mention the food?! It's simply divine. Penang is the only ethnic Chinese majority part of Malaysia and the mix of cuisines is something else. English is also fairly widely understood.
Aug 25, 2018, 6:27 pm
#88
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Thailand
Programs: QRPC-Silver & Star-Alliance
Posts: 212
May I add the funicular from Air Itam up to Penang Hill as an interesting attraction ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Hill_Railway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Hill_Railway
Aug 25, 2018, 11:07 pm
#89
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,074
May I chime in and suggest the ParkRoyal in Batu Ferringhi (https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels...pr-penang.html)? Reasonable prices, nice grounds directly on the sea shore, good pool and a lot of restaurants right out of the door. We went there early this year and we want to go back the next, one of the reason I'm so "angry' that I missed this deal. You all have my envy 
Aug 26, 2018, 2:54 am
#90
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,573
Agree with the others who are recommending against the Shangri-La - it is rather old and average and Batu Ferringhi is a pretty long slog from the airport - the roads can be slow getting back to George Town where most of the good stuff happens (though v reasonable in a Grab). Weirdly the room service menu actually had the best selection of food if you do end up there.
If you had a good amount of days you could perhaps do a split stay but I'd personally look to get to a better beach - we stayed at The Andaman on Langkawi last year (BA has good rates here - it's usually an easy Best Rate Guarantee hotel) and the beach is really something - little out of the way but easy driving around the island if you hire a cheap car. Air Asia and Firefly ply the hop between the two for a few quid
If you had a good amount of days you could perhaps do a split stay but I'd personally look to get to a better beach - we stayed at The Andaman on Langkawi last year (BA has good rates here - it's usually an easy Best Rate Guarantee hotel) and the beach is really something - little out of the way but easy driving around the island if you hire a cheap car. Air Asia and Firefly ply the hop between the two for a few quid