St. Giles Wembley Penang Hotel — Hotel in George Town

This was my first visit to Georgetown, Penang since the days when handphones had buttons, and a lot of the city has changed. But one thing is for sure, is that location of the hotel is an important criteria in choosing a hotel, followed by comfort, cleanliness, and value-for-money. The St Giles Wembley Penang ticks all of these boxes, and then some.||The hotel is located conveniently in Jalan Magazine, about half an hour taxi ride from the airport. Right in front of the hotel is the imposing Komtar building, which, as we later found out on our outings around the area, served as a very useful point-of-reference if we ever got lost amongst the plethora of heritage buildings that dominates the city.||The check-in process was quick, but, because we arrived much earlier, our rooms could only be ready later in the afternoon. With that, we were able to start our first exploration of the nearby heritage sites. It is also helpful to note that Komtar is also housing a bus terminal, and the free CAT bus goes there as well (it's stop number 9). A little further afield, you can find Lebuh Kimberly (site for streetfood), Lebuh Keng Kwee (site for the famous Penang chendul), Chulia Street (also streetfood) etc.||We were given rooms on the 27th floor and the views from up there were just amazing. The room itself is tastefully furnished and most important of all, spotless. The beds are large and very comfortable, and bathroom amenities proper. We had a bit of a struggle with the air-conditioning control though. After turning the temperature down to 22 degrees, the reading immediately went back to the original 26 degrees. This happened a few times until we called the front desk, who explained that the air-conditioning will need some time before the room can be cooled to our desired temperature. Sure enough, after about 30 mins, the reading was 22 degrees. And oh yes, in the name of environment sustainability, the hotel practices housekeeping on alternate days. So, future guests, take note of this quirk.||The gym and swimming pool is located on the 11th floor, and we were able to use both facilities throughout our stay there. The gym is well equipped with the basic machines and weights for a decent workout, and, after that, you can cool off at the pool just outside.||Breakfast was available at the cafe located on the 2nd floor, and, you will be spoiled for choice with the spread of items to choose from. The kitchen staff replenished all the items quickly, so you really don't have to wait too long. On one of our days there, the cafe had a roti prata station, and we had a fantastic breakfast that day. Bear in mind that this hotel is very popular, so breakfast is insanely crowded. I would suggest going there before 8am if you want to avoid the noise.||If you fancy a drink after dark as I did, then the skybar on the 30th floor would be a good place to chill with your favourite drink accompanied by views of the Penang Bridge in the background. Just lovely.||Overall, we had a very enjoyable time at the St Giles Wembley. The excellent location and great staff contributed to a memorable experience visiting Penang. Most of all, it doesn't burn a big hole in...

Elegance. Haven. Jewel. Escape.

A hotel determined to exude class in the middle of a bustling and bumper-to-bumper traffic Georgetown. It succeeded!

From extremely courteous staff workers who wore uniforms to a beautiful lobby replete with chandeliers and comfortable chairs, St. Giles Wembley earned its four stars. Excellent customer service from Eric at the front desk in Penang to Mia, supervisor at Central Reservations in Kuala Lumpur.

They bent backwards and forwards to meet the demands and needs of customers. Eric identified the double charges of my reservations and straightened them out immediately. He spoke with his manager and reassured me that they understood the situation and it was under control. Mia manually typed my reservation so that I had a place to sleep in Penang. The patience and willingness to correct issues were impressive and appreciated.

The room was comfortable and clean. The large windows opened to a scene of contrasts. The skyscrapers of Penang against cloudless skies and blue sea dotted with ships. Wow!

A safe was provided. An electric kettle with glasses, mugs, cups, tea, and coffee. A working refrigerator. White slippers to wear around the pristine room.

The bathroom was spacious with a bath tub and shower. Sparkling clean. Generous amounts of soaps, shampoos, vanity kits, and bathroom tissue paper of U.S. standard. Lots of hot water. The absence of mold often prevalent in hotels was absent. What a joy!

Drinking water to refill water bottles was in the hallway. I used it often to replenish bottles before I braved the hot tropical sun.

There was a luxurious swimming pool on the higher level. It tempted and provided a gorgeous view of Georgetown. There were lounge chairs and tables.

St. Giles Wembley is in the heart of town, only a few hundred yards from Penang Road, one of the oldest roads in Penang. It is on Magazine Road where five roads come to an intersection. You can safely walk everywhere from here. Across the hotel is also the vast 1st Avenue shopping mall and Komptar which is a shopping complex and bus terminal which takes you to all parts of the island. An excellent location.

For RM$30, you can buy a weekly bus pass which transports you from busy Georgetown to other remote parts of Penang. It is an effective and inexpensive way to explore the island. There is also a free bus, CATS, which goes all over Georgetown including the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Make use of it since CATS can be caught across from St. Giles. Tourists are welcomed to ride CATS.

Most of all, St. Giles Wembley provided solace and tranquility. After a hectic day, it was comforting to return to a clean room to escape and recharge. A restaurant provided room service if needed.

Many thanks to all the staff at St. Giles for making my Penang stay so very pleasant and enjoyable. ...

This is the 1st time I am staying at a different hotel when I visit beautiful Penang.

I am booked for an Executive Superior King at a very reasonable price through Agoda.

In fact, it's very rare to see this category of rooms. It's perfect for people who don't need a fancy and crazily large room if you are going to be out most of the day, only to be back for a shower and sleep. However, the Executive Club facilities is a nice touch. Some peace and quiet ( with nice soft music in the background) at the Club Lounge to end a hectic day. A nice variety of food paired with alcoholic and non- alcoholic drinks. There is also coffee and tea and an attaching washroom. (Which not many Club Lounges have.)

Other privileges include breakfast either in the Club Lounge or at the Wembley Cafe. Although I would recommend going Wembley Cafe for a insanely huge variety of food for breakfast.

The room is spacious and had a few classy amenities like a coffee making machine and a basic minibar.

As part of their eco efforts, water is provided in glass bottles which you can easily refill at water kiosks conveniently located along the corridor of every floor.

The only thing I didn't like about the room was that the light switches were a little confusing. I had to sleep through half the night with a spotlight right on top of the tv shining right onto my face. Until my husband figured out the "Entrance" switch.

Totally appreciate the hotel's generosity to gift us a cake and fruits upon noting its our anniversary during reservation. ❤️

The other thing I like about the hotel is the gym is pretty nice and had adequate equipment. However, for some strange reasons, there is no lighting or in house phone in the gym, except for natural light. So unless you like a nice cozy workout, you'd probably have to call the front desk to send a techinician to switch on the lights prior to heading to the gym. (That was as per the instructions of a staff of the hotel that happened to passby when I was there.) There is also a small pool for swimming laps.

The location is in the prime location of Georgetown. Walking distance to attractions and yummy street food.

Would definitely be back and would recommend friends and family...