Eastern & Oriental Hotel — Hotel in George Town

Where to start. This is NOT a 5 star hotel. I tried to call for room service, no answer, it rings and rings. I call reception same issue. I call the operator she is quite rude. She doesn't greet me by name, I place a order, she does not repeat it to double check, she just days "OK, sure". Then after a pause says " Anything else?"

At check in, no one to opens the door, no one to help with bags, and no welcome drinks. The receptionist was cold, and rolled her eyes twice at me, she did not want to be there, she didn't even address us by name. I asked if we could have an upgrade, we would pay for it, she said nothing is available. Then she just slapped pen and paper to sign like a motel 6 not a 5 star hotel. She did not smile or look at us once. Online rooms were available.

The annex side has no good amenites, this is not well advertised online, so be warned, you get nothing but a dingy pool and bar access. We booked a sea view but got city, it was EXTREMELY loud, you could hear every car and siren, not relaxing. The beds were hard (not firm), you could literally feel the springs in your back. And only two towels, two at a "5 star" hotel. The mini bar is not a bar, just a coke and sprite. I called down and asked for a different room and offered to pay. They transferred me, it rang and rang (see a pattern) I called back after wait for 3 minutes of ringing. We asked for a room, offered to pay, suddenly one was available that wasn't before. We book it and come down for the key.

Then at a "5 star" hotel we have to walk and take our luggage ourselves a 10 minutes walk across the hotel to the other heritage wing. I have a torn hamstring, and my husband has a bad knee. No help offered to limping guests. Here is the best part, the manager of that wing had no idea we were even coming, and that we were checked in. I don't know what has happened with this hotel. But we have been here 3 hours, at least I can hear the ocean.

The problems do not end here. At breakfast we were seated a a dirty table (it had not been cleaned or set since the last guest. They did not clean the tables between guests- the re-used the place matts and wiped only the corner of the table- that is nasty. I was also served raw scrambled eggs amd raw sausage at breakfast. The pastry at the palm club were left under a heat lamp until the chocolate was dry an burnt. And at the main breakfast place all of the coffee is instant not made a barista.

Then there are all the little things in the room- only one loofah for two people, the sinks that you can't set anything on, no place for women's toiletries or to do your make up, only ONE caffinated coffee on the minibar each day despite refills (and TWO guests who wanted caffinated coffee and weren't able to get that). Only one waste basket in the room, lamp cords draped over the fronts of tables (a tripping hazard and an electrical hazard!), pens that you couldn't put the cap on the top of, doors that had fingerprints covering them (nasty, nasty, nasty).

The pool was not usable, and the amenities close at weird hours (when they should be 24hr available)

And not a single time did anyone open a door for me when arriving or leaving the hotel. But they did stand and play on their phones.

This hotel wouldn't know five stars if it came up and bit them in the butt.

It would take an act of God to get me to come back here.

One final thing, I came here because I love old architecture, especially colonial/edwardian. They ruined this hotels grand staircase. I know I sound ridiculous but they painted a previously stunning, beautiful, centerpiece antique staircase dirt brown. It was...

This is my to go hotel when my family visited my hometown yearly from the States.

Duration of stay : 24 Dec to 4 Jan 2025 Location: corner suite and deluxe room

Breakfast buffet - Sarkies, Mr Ooi Excellent.! I always come back to have uncle - Mr Ooi char Kuey Teow! It's my fav . Ito me, as a local Penang lang , I still prefer his char kuey teow the best. I was hoping to see him when I come back because last year he told me it's depend on whether hotel is extending his contract and I'm so so so happy when I ask one of the chef and they told me he is still here and they extended his contract !!! I managed to have his this time when I visited on the 25th but I was admitted to hospital due to a stroke and stayed until 30th. Uncle saw me today when I order char Kuey Teow, he purposely make a special made char Kuey Teow for me . Special made withoit bean sprouts and chive why h is not good for stroke. It's so heartwarming!!! And check on me while I'm eating with my family. The manager on duty are very kind as well, he checked on us and offer to make for my kids ice chocolate. The waitress and waiters are very attentive, check on us and make sure we have everything we need. I'm on wheelchair right now and Khalil one of the head chef in the roti canai counter offer to help to push me while to my seat when he saw me pushing it myself.

Reservation team, staff members Rita , which in charge of the reservation team help me a lot with m my reservation, and when I have any problem, she will help me to solve it and make sure everything is good shape, from front to end. She also check on me while I'm in the hospital. I contacted her when I need to extend my stay but couldn't extend it online, she managed to call her team to help extend both room until the 4th . She also make sure I have a wheelchair ready for me when I discharge from the hospital . I forget to mention that when we arrived , we were greeted by Rita, Allison ( GM) and also Patrick- I think that's his name. Everyone being very helpful as well and very sweet to me and my family.

Room and room service We stayed at corner suite and connected to deluxe room this time ( last time was in pinang suite : it was awesome ) Room is very clean and tidy. We have a wonderful view for being on 11 floor . I love the sound of the sea wave. It's felt very calm and serene. The cleaning staff is very good as well. They make sure our room are clean and all the supply are stock. I have been staying here for few years now and their staff remain the same. It's said something about the hotel doing it right . Kakak still here and some of the male workers..min can't recall their name but I remember their faces.

Swimming pool There's two swimming pool that we can access which is one in level 6 at anexxe wing and another at the heritage wing ( quieter side) we love both side. My kids and nieces enjoying the level 6 annex wing cos there's an area for children pool.

Spa Joyce and Sasha are very good massage therapists. My husband and I enjoyed the massage and will make sure we book at least one time during our stay here. Unfortunately I need to cancel one of my appointments due to my stroke and I was still in hospital but now I'm discharged and my DR. Give me a okay for massage I will have it one more time before I check out.

We are coming back again next year but will be in Pinang suite and premium twin suite at the heritage wing cos it would be quieter. The annex's wing corner suite is good as well. It's just that there's a night club next door and it can be noisy at time.

This is my review for the hotel . Now I'm back to enjoying the...

(star ratings are for the Heritage Wing since we stayed there.) second time here in a different suite category and was surprised by how beautiful and spacious our Georgetown suite was. the welcome non-alcoholic white wine was a thoughtful touch since i don't drink alcohol :) also had the best sleep here and that says something because i haven't had such restful sleep in recent weeks – the bed had a nice balance of firmness and softness.

some downsides with our room? not much to offer on TV in terms of channels and streaming – it's not one of those Netflix-equipped hotels – but then again, i don't watch much television in general anyway and i wasn't here to be glued to the screen so i didn't really mind that. also (and maybe this was just our room idk?) our hot taps didn't really run hot – a little warmer than warm at best – so the bath bomb soak wasn't the most satisfying but still good overall.

my four stars for the service part are literally only for the Heritage Wing – from check-in to Palm Court dining to check-out, staff were up to par: mostly polite and attentive with some even being effervescent (shout out to the poolside gentleman i'm sorry i didn't get your name!).

what soured my experience at E&O in terms of service was when i decided to saunter over to the Planters' Lounge at the Victory Annexe wing for complimentary canapés. for starters, what i got was basically a tiny fraction of what was served at the Cornwallis at the Heritage Wing, except at least at the Cornwallis, you can go for a second (or third... or fourth...) round at the buffet. plus if you're into sweet treats, the Cornwallis buffet would be better for you because these weren't part of the plated table service at Planters' Lounge.

this wasn't the worst part though – the service at Planters' Lounge was what had put me off. i didn't even stay for the sunset views there because i felt like i wasn't very welcomed for some reason – yes, i wore a Hawaiian dad shirt and long black trousers but i had proper closed leather shoes on, so it wasn't like i went in with flip-flops looking underdressed.

maybe (and a huge maybe because i couldn't gauge the staff members' thoughts at the time) the experience would've been different if i were white? or at least it didn't seem to me like the white lady who sat at the table next to mine was treated so derisively with the "ready to order yet?" questions i got when i barely had time to look at the menu. i know it's a colonial hotel but this is taking it a little too far haha. i've received better service from establishments with fewer star ratings, honestly. oh, they also got my drink mixed up with someone else's – thankfully, i had the foresight to smell the drink first before finding out it was rosé. it certainly did not look like the fruit punch i had ordered. and at least the waiter who served it apologised profusely.

breathtaking sea view from a height be damned, i left not long after i was done with the canapés and went back to the Heritage Wing for dinner at the Palm Court instead, where i was kindly attended to like an actually wanted guest.

in my experience both times, the real core of the E&O is the Heritage Wing – had i booked my stay at the Victory Annexe, i doubt i'd ever return to the E&O. nothing there lives up to the Heritage Wing experience, from the aesthetics to the hospitality (or a lack thereof). and you often get a better deal anyway at the older wing where you can use both swimming pools instead of just the wing you're staying at. i would love to come back, but certainly only for the...