Crowne Plaza PENANG STRAITS CITY by IHG

This is a pretty decent hotel in Beihai. Just a heads-up, both breakfast and the front desk are on the eighth floor. It's not too far from the airport either; a taxi ride takes about 40 minutes if there's no traffic.

The mattress was incredibly comfortable, and the service was warm and welcoming, truly living up to five-star standards. The breakfast was incredibly rich and delicious, so much so that I felt it was even better than some of the street food in Penang – you could just eat here and skip those street stalls altogether. The shuttle bus to the ferry terminal was also very convenient. My English isn't great, so I didn't try to arrange a pick-up, but the hotel dropped me off at the terminal. From there, it was just a two-ringgit ferry ride across, which was really convenient. From the other side, you can walk to most of the main attractions. However, it's essential to visit in the morning and evening, as it gets extremely hot around midday. This seems to be the way to explore Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Penang – enjoy the sights in the morning and evening, then return to the hotel for a nap and a swim during the hottest part of the day. The pool area had a fantastic view, and swimming there was very refreshing. All these positives, combined with the excellent price, make this hotel highly recommendable.

I’ve already left this hotel, but I'm writing this review to warn others from making the same mistake. When my driver picked me up, he asked why I was staying there. I was so embarrassed and admitted it was my first time in Penang and I'd booked the wrong place. He laughed, saying everyone who stays at this hotel is tricked by [social media platform] and [travel booking site]. Since it was my first time in Penang and I was traveling independently, I relied heavily on Ctrip for my itinerary. I saw this hotel on Ctrip explicitly stated 'Chinese preferred' and 'Chinese guides preferred,' which made me overlook its geographical location and choose it. That oversight turned out to be a huge mistake. Penang is roughly comparable to *****. Locals divide Penang into three cities: George Town, Butterworth, and Bukit Mertajam. The latter two are even separated by sea, making them further apart than Hanyang and Wuchang. The Crowne Plaza is in Butterworth, and getting to the old city of George Town by taxi costs over 100 Malaysian Ringgit, which is about 200 RMB. I booked for three days but only stayed two. They wouldn't refund the last day, but I decided to cut my losses anyway, wasting 600 RMB. Looking at the guests at breakfast and the sky pool, 90% were Chinese, about 5% were Caucasian. Yet, from the lobby to the front desk to the restaurant, there wasn't a single Chinese staff member, or anyone who spoke Chinese. Not a single Chinese character was on the menu. The front desk staff appeared to be Indian, and their English was very poor; they couldn't even manage a word of Chinese. The buffet staff were also Indian women, with even worse English. The menus they brought had no Chinese characters, despite the fact that almost all guests here were Chinese. Communication was extremely difficult. I don't understand why Ctrip would classify a hotel this remote and with obvious communication barriers under a 'Chinese preferred' category. It's misleading, and such practices deserve government regulation and will eventually lead to customers abandoning you. I've written all this in hopes that no other Chinese traveler coming to Penang falls into the same trap. Penang is a wonderfully relaxed city, with no downsides except for the daytime heat. The locals are kind and the food is abundant. It’s a truly worthwhile place to unwind. When booking a hotel, definitely stay in George Town, definitely in George Town, otherwise, it will be extremely inconvenient.

The room isn't huge, but it's very clean and tidy. The infinity pool is beautiful and a great experience. Breakfast offers a decent variety and taste. Overall, it's good value for money.