DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Penang

I had planned to spend a wonderful birthday here, but the hotel experience was quite disappointing. First, the room was extremely damp. My swimwear, which I washed after swimming the day before, was still not dry by the next day. I recommend hanging it on the balcony chairs to dry. Second, the room was old and rundown, filled with a musty smell. The bathroom was cramped with old facilities, and the bathroom door was noticeably dirty, which was very unpleasant. Third, there are no convenience stores nearby, making it quite inconvenient to get around. The only commendable aspects were the overall above-average breakfast with a wide variety of choices (you can ask the waitstaff to make pulled tea) and the ample parking spaces. However, do note that the parking lot is quite narrow. These were the only two satisfactory points. I do not recommend this hotel.

Breakfast offers a great variety of choices. If you plan to eat lunch or dinner outside the hotel, you'll need to take a taxi. The hotel doesn't have a direct beach (there's a small patch of beach after crossing the road outside the hotel). While not far by taxi, getting to a proper beach can be tricky due to traffic, and it's not really walkable. The sea view from the ocean-facing rooms is very pleasant, and on a clear day, you can enjoy an endless ocean vista and beautiful sunsets. The service was excellent; they noticed we ran out of coffee and left extra coffee and bottled water the next day.