This new 13-suite luxury hotel consists of 15 restored shophouses in George Town, Penang’s vibrant capital, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Designed by the architect Soo K. Chan — who was born in the shophouses and is now the founding principal and design director of SCDA Architects — there are 13 one-bedroom Clan House suites. Each occupies an entire shophouse — almost 1,200 square feet — and includes an inner courtyard with a reflecting pool. A three-bedroom suite for families and groups is in the works and is expected to open by the end of the year. The suites come with butlers, and all are contemporary and streamlined with wood, granite, travertine and porcelain touches.
Request a tingkat, a stacked tiffin carrier filled with fare from the town’s hawker stalls, like char kway teow (the Malaysian and Singaporean stir-fried flat rice noodle dish), which can be delivered to your suite or to the lounge. Unwind in the spa with either a massage or a reflexology, private yoga or mindfulness session. Get your steps in by exploring Penang, which was included on The Times’ 52 Places to Go list this year.
Activities organized through the hotel (for an additional cost) include a day tour of George Town, a food walk and a trishaw tour to places like the Goddess of Mercy temple. As a guest of Soori Penang, a member of both Leading Hotels of the World and of the boutique hotel collection Small Luxury Hotels of the World, you also have after-hours access to the Khoo Kongsi temple, which is adjacent to the hotel. Prices are from $785 a night and include a daily breakfast for two and a one-way airport transfer.