FOUR premier hotels in Penang will soon be restored, starting with the 1926 Heritage Hotel with its 78 rooms and suites in the heart of Burmah Road, adding more glitter to the tourism scene here.
1926 Heritage Hotel general manager Angelina Lazuaridi said that the upgrading was done for RM30 million to turn the property into a landmark for Burmah Road.
It is also located near the private hospitals enclave, so the hotel can cater to the medical tourists, especially those coming in from Indonesia.
The hotel is also showcasing paintings from renowned local artist Koay Shao Peng, who is the owner of the Classical Art Centre.
Meanwhile, two other five-star properties are expected to resume operations later this year and mid-next year.
They are the InterContinental Resort, which is a refurbished property in Teluk Bahang, formerly known as the Mutiara Beach Resort.
Then, the Equatorial Hotel in Bukit Jambul is expected to reopen next year.
Last month, one of the oldest hotels in Penang, the 40-year old the Bayview Hotel Georgetown, closed its doors, marking the end of an era as it prepares for a major renovation and rebranding exercise.
Since opening its doors in 1969 as the old Merlin Hotel before the late tycoon Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew purchased it and renamed it City Bayview in 1986, the Bayview Hotel Georgetown has been a familiar landmark in the heart of the touristy area.
It has hosted weddings, celebrations, business events and reunions, while its iconic Three Sixty Revolving Restaurant and Sky Bar, the Carmen Club, became cherished venues for both locals and visitors.
For 40 years, Bayview Hotel Georgetown stood proudly as one of Penang’s most recognisable landmarks, welcoming generations of guests while quietly becoming a second home to hundreds of employees, too.
Bayview is scheduled to reopen in 2028 as another brand under the Ascott Group.
This would push the number of registered hotel rooms to over 30,000, but Penang MAH has reservations about whether all hotels can flourish now.
This is due to the homestay and short-stay rental eating into the market of hospitality rooms, said Penang MAH chapter chairman Datuk Tony Goh.
Goh hopes a proper audit can be conducted to determine the market needs of hotels in Penang. - July 7, 2026.
