Eastern & Oriental Hotel review: luxury and history in Penang
The Eastern & Oriental hotel in Penang’s George Town is one of the more historic places we have stayed. Checking in is like stepping through a time portal to 19th Century colonial Malaysia. At any moment, Rudyard Kipling or Noël Coward might settle into one of the wicker chairs just off the marbled lobby, waiting for inspiration to roll in on a tropical storm.
We were certainly starting our 21 day adventure through Malaysia and Thailand in style. I didn’t like to mention to the receptionist that one of our later stops would be a £58-a-night beach bungalow.
But as we made ourselves at home on the balcony of the Planters Lounge, sipping wine while coconut palms rustled in the breeze, this indulgent first stop felt like an excellent decision.
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What’s the history of the E&O in Penang?
The E&O, as it is widely known, was established by the Armenian Sarkies brothers – also behind the Raffles hotel in Singapore – in response to an 19th Century uptick in travel to Asia. It became a social hub for well-to-dos with wanderlust and continues to attract travellers with a taste for luxury. A copy of Robb Report – a flick book of high end jewellery, watches and cars – in our room hinted at the calibre of guest it usually attracts.
Back in the early 1900s it hosted stars of silent movies Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin, as well as writers like Hermann Hesse and Kipling. In more recent years King Charles III and Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh have stayed. There’s a wall of honour in the Heritage Wing.
The hotel has changed hands several times over the centuries, with extensions and refits happening as recently as 2019. There’s all the mod cons – wifi, a gym and roof top infinity pool – as well as vintage interiors with Asian flare that fit perfectly with the E&O’s long history in Penang.
One of the hotel’s most famous features is the 1920s echo dome in the Heritage Wing lobby. There’s no chance of a discrete gossip here as even the quietest conversations are amplified by the arched ceiling. Obviously, our girls had to test it for themselves with a few squeals and squawks while we waited to find out if we could get an early check in. We were soon shuffled off to the Cornwallis Lounge while our suite was hurried along.
Our stay
We had taken a red eye flight from our then home in Muscat, Oman, to Kuala Lumpur before connecting to Penang. After 12 hours of travel it was a relief to have a pre-booked mini van waiting to deliver us to George Town.
We often choose a stop and flop hotel at the end of our longer family holidays, but this time we had done it in reverse thanks to a tip from our friends and Penang expats, Jenny and Jay Lynn.
When we were planning our three week itinerary starting in Penang, Jenny had mentioned that there were some good New Year deals to be had, which helped justify the splurge on a four night stay in the E&O’s Heritage Wing.
Our room
Our Deluxe Suite came with two queen beds, and an extra child bed at our request, with an adjoining lounge. Yes, sharing a queen bed was a little snug for Mr Tin Box and I – neither of us a small humans.
To make up for that, the bathroom was huge with a large tub, twin sinks and separate shower. Next to that was a walk-in dressing room complete with sarongs, dressing gowns and enough storage for a grand tour’s worth of trunks.
I hadn’t been convinced when looking at the photos on the hotel’s website – there weren’t any rooms pictured quite like ours – but there was plenty of room for the four of us.
We were even able to put the kids to bed, dip the lights and have a quiet drink in our lounge at the end of each day.
Included in our Heritage Wing promo package was access to the sea side swimming pool, entry to the Cornwallis and Planters guest lounges with free hot and soft drinks, breakfast, mini bar, coffee machine and a welcome bottle of wine. In addition there were inclusive pre-dinner drinks and substantial canapés in the guest lounges.
The only thing our room lacked was a balcony. But while gazing out of our window at the Andaman Sea and listening to the wind rustling the coconut palms, I decided I could let that slip.
Dining
We made full use of the free drinks in the Cornwallis Lounge when we arrived and ordered from the lunch menu as we were slightly early for afternoon tea.
Children can only use this space during the day, so we sampled the inclusive evening drinks and canapés in Planters Lounge in the more modern Victory Wing. From the balcony here we watched incredible lightening storms illuminate mainland Penang.
We also ate dinner in Planters one evening – the noodles and rice bowls were delicious.
The Sarkies international buffet was our top choice for breakfast with an array of dishes from cereal to curry and an ice cream bar, much to our girls’ delight. The restaurant was busy but the food stations were constantly refreshed and the staff were very attentive.
We also started one morning on the terrace of the Heritage Wing’s quieter Palm Court restaurant, which felt altogether much more relaxed.
And, if you’re not staying with children, a pre-dinner cocktail in the moody Farquah’s Bar is a must. Children can join you at the outdoor seating.
Facilities
I’ve got to admit that we didn’t make as much use of the hotel facilities as we might have if this had been a stop to flop. The E&O is a destination hotel that is worthy of your full attention for a good few days. But we spent most of ours exploring Penang rather than lazing by the Heritage Wing pool, luxuriating in the spa or even testing out the modern gym equipment. More reason to return!
What we did do was find a spare few hours to devour our books beside the Victory Wing’s sixth floor infinity pool, with views of Straits Quay to the left and the Malaysian mainland to the right.
Palm trees add additional shade to the pool area which, had it not been cloudy, would have gotten the best sun in the morning.
Want a souvenir of your stay? The E&O Emporium has all kinds of branded products. We resisted straining our cases at the start of our 21 day trip and oped for a magnet to add to our collection.
Things to do in Penang
I had done very little activity planning ahead of stay in Penang, having moved house in the days before we flew to Malaysia. Luckily for me I knew I could rely on our friends and their On Penang website to guide us during our first three full days of this adventure.
Our first stop was Penang Hill, where we explored the Habitat and climbed up to the Nest viewing platform for panoramic views across the island. From there we explored the National Park, stopping for drinks at a bar on Monkey Beach and dinner at Frandy Beach Bar on Batu Ferringhi.
The kids’ favourite day – and one I think Noël Coward might have missed – was Escape – Penang’s outdoor activity park with Guinness World record breaking rides.
And our final adventure was exploring the jetties and street art of George Town – a must for any visitor to Penang.
How to find the best E&O deal
I always cross-check accommodation websites and booking.com to find the best deals when planning our holidays. Sometimes booking direct can get you better prices and inclusive benefits. This was the case with the Eastern & Oriental.
Booking a Heritage Wing Promo for four nights including breakfast for three adults and an child (our then 12-year-old was classed as an adult and we added on breakfast for our nine-year-old), free mini bar, welcome wine, evening canapés and drinks (which could have easily been dinner), plus an airport transfer came out at under MYR 5,400 (roughly £965 in 2025). This isn’t a budget hotel – those came later in our trip – but we felt it was great value for what we got.
There are other deals including savings when you book in advance, dinner packages and discounts for stays of three nights or more.
But if you just want a room or would prefer checking into the Victory Wing take a look at booking.com pricing.
Final thoughts
The Eastern & Oriental hotel in Penang offers luxurious surroundings that transport you back to the Penang that attracted visitors from the global West to Malaysia 140 years ago. If you’re here for a history lesson, you won’t be disappointed.
Is the E&O a family-friendly hotel? It was never designed to be but does accommodate families comfortably. Our suite worked well for our family of four with tweens and the Sarkies Restaurant has something for even the fussiest of eaters.
Families with young children should look more towards Batu Ferringhi for beach hotels with splash parks and kids clubs. And, if you are visiting Penang with the number one aim to see the sights and explore, there are much more economical places to stay.
The E&O is a destination in itself!
Find out where we went next in our itinerary island hopping from Malaysia to Thailand.
