As a 4-star hotel sitting in the heart of Penang’s UNESCO Heritage Site, the Royale Chulan Penang delights its visitors with a mix of historical charm and modern comforts. Housed in a stately all-white colonial building that dates back to 1892, the hotel places guests within easy reach of George Town’s top attractions.
If you prefer to stay in or not stray too far from the hotel’s cushy comforts, there’s plenty to keep you occupied too. Here’s a handy guide to 10 ways you can make every minute of your getaway count when staying at the Royale Chulan Penang.
1. Surrender to traditional healing remedies at the Royale Spa
Guests of the hotel get to enjoy a 20 per cent discount on the spa’s Thai Traditional Massage – an invigorating therapy that’s been trusted for centuries to unknot tired muscles and weary limbs. Located on Level 2, the spa is a welcoming oasis of calm. Other therapies and packages are available too.
2. Explore Penang’s history, and be a part of it in 3D form
Guests of the hotel will receive complimentary tickets* to the Made In Penang Interactive Museum (MIPIM). Just steps away, this museum promises a barrel of fun for all ages! Be enthralled by 3D paintings, murals and larger-than-life replicas and dioramas of Penang past and present. Here, you can also discover the Pearl of the Orient’s colourful culture and heritage, and at every corner, a fantastic photo opportunity awaits. So make sure your cameras are fully loaded and your phone batteries are fully charged before you go.
*Valid till December 2017
3. Get snap-happy at the Camera Museum
Hands up if you love taking photos (selfies included!). But how much do you know about the history and evolution of the wonderful gadget that is the camera? Find out at the Camera Museum – a well-presented gallery that will leave you an even bigger fan of photography. Royale Chulan Penang’s guests get a 20 per cent discount off tickets. Just flash your room key card to redeem this special offer.
4. Have a spot of English afternoon tea
The hotel’s Tea Room is an homage to the building’s colonial past, and located in the beautifully-restored heritage annexe. Be transported back to Victorian times as you indulge in a dainty English afternoon tea for two. Available from 2pm to 5pm daily, you and your companion can tuck into the special luxury TWG Tea Package that’s inclusive of one pot of TWG tea of your choice, finger sandwiches and assorted desserts.
5. Coast into the weekend with a poolside barbecue
It’s smoking hot and sizzling, and just the thing to usher in the weekend! Soak in the idyllic settings and bring a good appetite as a feast will be served from 7pm to 10pm at the hotel’s poolside.
*Price: RM88 nett (adults) and RM44 nett (senior citizens)
6. When East meets West
Can’t get enough of the Royale Chulan Penang’s poolside ambience? The hotel’s The Spice Restaurant is located right by the pool and serves up a blend of Asian and Western flavours for lunch and dinner. So whatever you have a hankering for, you’re sure to find it here, as the restaurant’s menu offers a smorgasbord of unique dishes. The Executive Set Lunch (12pm to 2pm, Mondays through Fridays) is priced at RM42 nett and the Fusion Dinner (7pm to 10pm, Saturdays through Thursdays) is priced at RM120 nett per set.
7. Eat like the locals do
If you didn’t indulge in hawker or street food while on the island, then you haven’t really visited Penang! Fret not, you can make up for it at the hotel’s Saturday Night Hawker’s Fare buffet, held from 7pm to 10pm. Char kuay teow (fried flat rice noodles), rojak (mixed fruit and veggies), popiah (spring roll), laksa (spicy noodle soup)… are you hungry yet?
Price: RM70 nett (adults), RM35 (children)
8. Tap your feet to live music
After all that feasting, give yourself some down time. Head to the hotel’s Heritage Lounge where in-house bands perform nightly from Mondays to Saturdays, 8pm onwards. Kick back, relax and let the good sounds roll.
9. Make it a Sun-yay!
If you’re travelling with family, here’s an idea for some quality bonding time: Book a table at the hotel’s Seri Tanjung Café for their Sunday High Tea. Held from 12.30pm to 4pm every Sunday, there will be a steady flow of delectable treats and drinks to please every palate.
Price: RM62 nett (adults), RM32 nett (senior citizens and children)
10. Check out: Project Occupy Beach Street
A five-minute stroll from the hotel takes you to Beach Street, the venue for one of George Town’s most popular Sunday markets. Project Occupy Beach Street always takes on a carnival-like atmosphere, with countless stalls selling food, drinks, crafts and artisanal goods. Fun games and activities are part of the offering too. Catch the market between 7am and 1pm every Sunday.
