Shangri-La Rasa Sayang, Penang

We stayed at the Shangri-la Rasa Sayang resort as part of a journey down memory lane. Having lived in Penang in my childhood I was visiting with my wife after over 40-years and the only place I wanted to stay was this hotel where I had once been as a young boy. I’m glad to say that the hotel not only fulfilled my emotional needs but stands tall for its prime beach location, grand design, lush gardens, amazing buffet, and exotic ocean views. The reception staff recognized my milestone birthday at check in and sent us a bottle of red wine 😊 which was a great start. Our room had one of the best views from the balcony (most rooms have a good view) and a very comfortable bed, fully equipped bathroom and amenities. Outside the buffet in the morning are two hawkers preparing Teh Tarik and Kaya Toast while the buffet itself includes Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Western, and bakery sections. It’s a large dining area inside but also a lot of garden seating with ocean views. We got massages on the beach both days (which I highly recommend) and my wife also got a facial at their spa. Ours was the Garden Wing which is newer with an artistic pool area but the adjacent Rasa Wing which dates back to the original hotel is also equally good. The Batu Ferringhi road is lined with hotels and hawker markets which really come alive at night…we did walk through them once but preferred to relax in the resort itself. It’s a 20-25-min drive from Georgetown and about 30-45-min from the Penang bridge. If you’re looking to get the best in terms of a relaxing holiday and ease of access to other parts of Penang, I would highly recommend this hotel!

Thank you very much for the hospitality and special arrangements with free upgrade. The staff are very thoughtful and helpful. Will come back again.

The hotel had been renovated since we last visited a few years ago. Facilities have been upgraded especially the health club. We used the yoga room for stretching and it was very relaxing. Tennis courts were a bit disappointing, one court did not even have a net. Besides that and the unsettled weather, our stay had been very pleasant. There are lots of eating places outside of hotel and plenty of places nearby that one can visit. We went to the Tropical fruit farm and it was very educational and worth the visit.

The resort hotel was brilliant! Spa, swimming pools, restaurants and bar and so many more places to relax. Me and my friend were spending great times in there! The accommodation was clean and spacious, the service was a 5-star level! Highly recommended.

The facilities live up to the Shangri-La experience and consistent to Shangri-La Singapore where I frequent. The view is great and link to the beach. However the Rasa Sayang don’t meet my expectations on other area. The place is badly maintained and the equipment is old. The Toliet sink is faulty, drawers are broken. TV is old and the channel all have static which makes you feel like watching TV in 1980s. This place needs a revamp! There was a service break down when we check in but I will not mention it because the recovery from day two is excellent. Sorry to give a bad review cause at this price point for a hotel in Penang, I expected more.

I was stayed at Garden Wings’ room. The room got a lot of tiny bugs and ants.