Hutton Suites Hotel managed by The Ascott Limited — Hotel in George Town

When your children attain adulthood, parents spend less time living together. Either they are in university or working. In this space of time before they are married there is hardly any time that's spent in one living area. So on our 28th anniversary my hubby and I decided to spend some time together with our grown up kids in PENANG. After searching for days we found a two bedroom unit at Hutton Central 1. We initially booked for a day stay since were just like 4 to 5 hours away from. We arrived later than the check in time, yet the staff were curtious enough to bring the registration forms and keys to our unit without us having to get to their office. We had to climb a flight of stairs to our unit and what awaited us was an awesomely clean and beautifully laid out unit. The entire works, bedrooms, bathrooms, more than a pantry, flat screen tv sets and a living area simply amazed us. That night, we even had some friends from Penang over for some coffee and late night supper. The next morning we discovered how extremely convenient this location was. We had the famous chinese roti bakar and coffee stall, the famous cendol and even the famous roti canai stall within a radius of about 200 meters away. Then there was the morning market and rows of shops selling clothings and all kind of stuff that makes you want to just shop and shop. The bigger shopping malls too were within walking distance. From there we also were able to drive to a Kerala food restraunt, a bakery that bakes fresh loafs of bread that you have to que to purchase. That when we regretted not booking for two nights. So we requested an extension but sadly they were fully booked. We then looked into the booking service providers to see if we could get another unit. Finally we found a single room that sleeps four at the same entity. However after booking at an extremely reasonable rate we found that the unit was not suitable for 4 adults. The Hutton staff were really amazing. They came in and immediately addressed our predicament and also some other small technical issues at the unit. They the found us a unit that was just completed at the Rope Walk Piaza apparently managed by the Hutton Central group as well. This guys (3 of them) actually helped to move us to this unit and without any additional charge. The staffs quick action and compassion really amazed us. The Rope Walk Piaza had three rooms, a beautiful living and an awesome lay out and tastefully decorated. Our 28th anniversary with my grown children was made even more eventful by the staff of Hutton Central. Holidays are not just about the STAY or the room or the convenience it's also about the people who go beyond their service levels to give us that...

I am a little confused about the various Hutton hotels nomenclature but from the address and photos this is the apartment block we stayed at for three days though we booked it as Hutton Suites.||||These apartments are located in Jalan Hutton, just before it becomes Lebuh Campbell, in the buffer zone around the core UNESCO heritage zone. The core zone is about 8 minutes walk away down Lebuh Campbell. The free CAT bus is just around the corner, in front of the Seven-Eleven, on Jalan Penang. The Seven-Eleven had an ATM we used. It is a really great location.||||I chose Hutton Suites (or Hutton I) over Hutton II because it had two bedrooms and our upstairs apartment was spacious, modern and clean in retrofitted historic shop buildings. The two bedrooms (one with king size bed at the front and one with two single beds at the back) were separated by the living and kitchen which is good when travelling with older children or family. The beds and pillows were firm and comfortable. There were good reading lights in the bedrooms and accessible power charging points. There are two large flat screen TVs - one in the master bedroom and one in the lounge room. There is only one bathroom near the bedroom with the single beds but, again, very modern with a glass-door shower. The shower had fantastic water pressure and temperature range. Toiletries were supplied and there was a washer dryer with laundry detergent. It has a minimal kitchen - only a few utensils - but enough to be able to cook except you’re in George Town and eating out is so easy. Coffee, tea and bottled water supplied. The fridge and freezer was useful. There was a couch and table with four chairs. It has seriously good air conditioning! Wifi is also excellent.||||There is no on-site reception or luggage holding at Hutton Suites but we arranged to leave our main bags at Hutton II (5 minutes away) around 9am then picked them up and checked in there after 3pm. I arranged this beforehand when I booked and got quick responses to my query. Check-in was easy and we were issued with the key code for the building. There is no lift so you must go up stairs with luggage. Daily servicing of the apartment is included. There is an inspection...

PROS Large, spacious, clean and independent unit with two bedrooms; a living room with a large sofa and a dining table; three TVs; a bathroom; an open kitchenette equipped with a large fridge, built-in hot plates, a microwave, and a washing machine. One bedroom has a double bed, the other has one double and a single bed. The sofa can be converted into a larger bed. Thus, beds and sofa can comfortably sleep 6-7 persons.

CONS One small bathroom is definitely not ideal for 6-7 persons. Pushing it for 3 persons is already too much for any accommodation, in particular a 3-star hotel. The dining table is small and has two straight back chairs – meant for a quick meal, not for a cosy dinner – or to be used as a workspace for those who usually work in a hotel room. The limited windows open out to a poor view of the area – the front opens to a noisy road, the rear opens into the back of other buildings, windows, and roofs. Therefore, windows had to be kept shut – not something one would expect of such an accommodation. Definitely not for the claustrophobic. Two flights of steep steps are to be climbed onto those units that are located on the first floor. Therefore, not ideal for a party that includes the elderly, disabled, and small children. In fact, it would be highly unsafe to use these units if travelling with small children – they can easily fall down the stairs as it opens directly into the living room. There was no bell service to help carry luggage up the long staircase. The hotel does not have a parking lot, and the public parking spaces along the road in front of the hotel are usually unavailable when needed. Therefore, not convenient for one travelling with a car. I booked a unit at Hutton Central II, but I was checked in a unit at Hutton Central I with no explanation given; and I had to lug my luggage for about 150-200 metres from Hutton Central II to Hutton Central I.

VERDICT A disappointment despite the initial impression. Definitely not...