Shangri-La Rasa Sayang, Penang

Shangri-La, as always! The facilities, though a bit dated, were clean and smelled great. I'd mentioned it was a birthday trip, and they arranged a room in the Garden Wing on the 6th floor. To my surprise, when I returned to the room after swimming on my check-in day, there was a birthday cake! Even though I didn't get to thank the staff in person, it was a really thoughtful gesture that I appreciated. The staff by the pool were also super friendly and always greeted us warmly. The hotel breakfast is definitely worth it – the Nonya kueh, the noodle station, the tea stall by the entrance, and the flame-grilled toast are all highly recommended! We also had dinner at the hotel, and it was delicious. Beyond that, the hotel's natural environment was a major reason we chose it – I just love all the trees! We saw lizards, squirrels, and lots of birds. It's a shame we didn't spot the legendary monkeys this time, but I'm looking forward to seeing them on our next visit!

The hotel is well-maintained and very clean. I loved the big trees and caught a charming sunset. The sea was quite dirty though, so swimming wasn't an option.

Hygiene: After checking in, I found forgotten trash on the room's minibar, which is a rare occurrence in my check-in experiences, and I certainly didn't expect it from a hotel priced like the Shangri-La. Environment: The overall environment of the hotel is impeccable, with natural greenery complementing the cascading pools, and sunset glows matching the beach bar, creating a strong resort vibe. Service: The hotel guests are generally a mix of Chinese, European, and Malay, with roughly a 1:1:1 ratio. However, the staff communicated entirely in English, especially at the front desk. Even those who appeared to be of Chinese descent insisted on speaking English. Upon checking in, I saw an option for Chinese service via QR code and WeChat. Yet, when I tried to communicate with them in Chinese about the trash in my room, their replies were still in English. So what kind of 'Chinese service' is that? Facilities: The overall facilities are quite dated.

Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa is an ideal choice for a vacation in Penang. The entire resort is enveloped by lush, tropical gardens and boasts a private beach. From your window, you'll see swaying coconut trees and the Andaman Sea, with the evening sunsets being especially therapeutic. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the bedding is soft and conducive to a good night's sleep. The resort's pools and relaxation areas are well-maintained. Breakfast offers a rich and diverse selection, with plenty of Southeast Asian specialties. The staff are friendly and attentive, and the hotel environment is tranquil and relaxing. There's no need to rush around; simply strolling through the gardens or enjoying the sea breeze by the beach is incredibly destressing. It's perfect for a slow-paced, relaxing getaway. I highly recommend staying here in Penang for a wonderful seaside experience.

Booked the Rasa wing suite for a family trip. The room was great, and the hotel's public areas were also excellent, giving us a complete resort feel. My family loved it.

The sea-view rooms are indeed beautiful, and the entire hotel complex boasts a large lawn with very relaxing recliners facing the sea, which is incredibly comfortable. However, some sea-view rooms can have their views obstructed by trees. It's worth asking the front desk if they have other available rooms for a potential change. The room size was comfortable, but the shower water had a slight chlorine smell. The TV was an older model, unable to play any external media. Privacy on the balcony was quite poor, as there was only a low wall, meaning you could easily chat and exchange fruit with your neighbors. The hotel breakfast looked plentiful, but many of the options were local Malay dishes, which might not suit everyone's palate. Western options were available but relatively few. If you exit the hotel and turn right, it's about a 10-15 minute walk to a few convenience stores where you can stock up on supplies. There's also a Thai restaurant called SOi55 that's quite good, and more convenience stores on the side of that building for restocking.

I spent three days at Rasa Sayang and had a perfect vacation. I booked a Garden Wing seaview room, and the view was fantastic, directly facing the pool and the sea. The nearest elevator from the room went straight down to the pool. Every day after breakfast, I enjoyed the blue sky and white clouds by the pool, shaded by ancient trees. Rasa Sayang has a quiet and pleasant atmosphere with beautiful scenery and a great ecosystem; I even saw cute monkeys and lizards. You can walk along the beach to the neighboring Golden Sands Resort, which has children's play facilities. Although not very large, the kids had a blast. The only minor downside is that the beach shown in the pictures no longer exists, having been eroded by the sea. However, if you walk further down, you can reach Batu Ferringhi Beach, which has a long stretch of fine sand. There are many restaurants along the beach, and in the evening, there's a fire show, and I witnessed a beautiful sunset and twilight. The hotel offers two shuttle services daily to George Town, making it very convenient to explore the town and savor local delicacies. During my stay, I visited Entopia Butterfly Farm, which is not far from Escape Theme Park and the durian orchards. I must particularly mention that all the resort staff were very friendly. One time, after swimming, as I was heading back to my room, a staff member passed by and pressed the elevator button for me even before I reached it, showing great service awareness. I made wonderful memories at Rasa Sayang. After visiting the Pinang Peranakan Mansion and watching a musical, I discovered that the hotel's name, Rasa Sayang, comes from a famous Malaysian folk song, which is very interesting. I would definitely stay here again if I have the chance.

Rating: ⭐ (1 Star) Title: RM10K for 3 Rooms – Dirty Toilet + Discrimination + Rude Staff Stayed at Shangri-La Penang (Rasa Sayang). Booked 3 rooms for nearly RM10,000, and the experience was utterly terrible. Pros: Has a sea view. Cons: 1. **Substandard Room Hygiene** – We were assigned very poor rooms. The toilet was dirty, clearly not cleaned properly. 2. **Discriminatory Service** – When ordering at the pool and restaurant, staff prioritized Caucasian guests who arrived later. Chinese guests were ignored. I spoke English to them, and they pretended not to understand, only to turn around and chat fluently with white guests. 3. **Perfunctory Complaint Process** – I sent a formal complaint email with the room numbers clearly stated. However, their first reply email even got the room numbers wrong, showing the staff's extremely lackadaisical attitude. Update: The hotel has officially apologized and promised to improve management. However, the experience has already been ruined. I will not be staying here again. Recommendation: If you absolutely must stay in this area, I suggest choosing the Golden Sands next door; they treat Chinese guests much better. For Rasa Sayang, I'd advise thinking very carefully.