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Macalister Mansion is a colonial-era mansion turned eight-room hotel in George Town, Penang. Set back from the busy and historic Jalan Macalister (Macalister Road), Macalister Mansion is an absolutely gorgeous restored Colonial mansion, that shines in its all-white exterior. The elegant U-shaped driveway takes you past the icy-hued pool, with its inviting clear blue water and pool bar, right outside the reception area where the hotel staff eagerly await your arrival.
As a member of the brilliant Design Hotels group, Macalister Mansion is in a league of its own. Based on the theme of an old and immaculate English mansion, every space in the building exudes an unwavering dedication to unique and quirky design decisions. From the Living Room with its mish-mash of terracotta green and white, to the dreamy white Dining Room and the plush, velvet-lined walls of The Cellar, everywhere you look is a feast for the eyes.
There are 8 beautiful spacious guest-rooms, each following a different theme. Bespoke furniture and art pieces around the hotel were carefully designed or selected by the owners who are avid art collectors. The hotel has a choice of five restaurants and bars catering for variety of tastes and pallets. The menu ranges from exquisite French cuisine, to Asian flavours to continental. There is a pool bar and the trendy Bagan Bar, that has live music performances.
Amenities
Stay Macalister Mansion has just 8 rooms, each individually decorated with a different theme. We stayed in room 8 which was large, the palette clean and elegant with tones of ash wood, icy grey and white implemented through soft furnishings. The room features exposed truss beams from the original construction of the building in the early 1900s, which adds some character, while the privately commissioned piece of art of Sir Norman Macalister, is an ingenious extension of the contemporary-meets-colonial theme of the room and hotel overall.
ChildCare Children are welcome to stay at the Macalister Mansion, George Town, Penang, but there are no specialist facilities available. However, babysitting can be arranged, if requested.
Dine There are three dining options at the Macalister Mansion; the fine dining French cuisine of The Dining Room, the breakfast, lunch and high tea options at The Living Room, and the bar menu available at The Cellar and The Den. The Dining Room’s menu is in the degustation style only, with a four-course and an eight-course menu on offer.
One More Thing The founders of Macalister Mansion are Penangites, avid art collectors and well-known in the local restaurant scene. After successful dining ventures such as 32 The Mansion, Beach Blanket Babylon, and the original Bagan Bar, the couple decided to make their first foray into the hotel industry with Macalister Mansion. Their personal involvement is evident in designing and commissioning special art objects that we see at the Macalister Mansion.
Location Macalister Mansion is a lifestyle destination to relax & unwind in the heart of Georgetown, Penang. The hotel is located in a non-touristy area of Georgetown, within walking distance of the popular New Lane evening food market. It is between 15 and 30 minutes by taxi to the main attractions of Kek Lok Si Temple, Batu Ferringhi and the street art of Georgetown.
Getting There Malaysia with its regional and budget airlines like Air Asia connects from KL with major destinations including Langkawi and Penang. From the UK, you can fly Malaysia Airlines from London Heathrow and Air Asia from London Stanstead.
When to go Malaysia has a hot and humid climate year-round, interspersed with tropical rain showers. There is a clear east-west split in the weather. The wet season on the east coast is between November & February, which is when the west coast experiences sunny, dry weather. Conversely, the wettest months on the west coast are April to October, which are the driest months on the east coast. The capital, Kuala Lumpur has less rainfall during June to August.
Destination
Peninsular Malaysia, MalaysiaFeatured
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