We stayed at the fabulous Eastern & Oriental (E&O) during our stay in Penang. Located in George Town, it's the sort of place that compels you to use the word "grand" to describe it. The Sarkies brothers established this hotel in the late 1880s to cater to the traveling elite of Southeast Asia -- diplomats, businessmen, movie stars, politicians, and writers -- and it still retains its sense of colonial splendor today. (Minus its original segregation policy, of course. Back then, white Europeans were housed in one wing, and everyone else in the other.)The lobby is a sweeping, domed, oval space, filled with antique furniture and gigantic flower arrangements.
Standing at the front entrance are friendly doormen in tropical colonial costume: khaki shorts, white knee socks, and pith helmets. We relied on them for all kinds of information about the city: directions, the times of the English-language tours, best places to eat, and most importantly, taxi fares. Penang taxis don't use meters, so you need to know the "correct" fare when bargaining with the driver in order not to get ripped off.This is the main staircase leading up to the rooms (there are lifts, too). After six months of being surrounded by Hong Kong's glass, steel, marble, and chrome, it was disorienting to see beautifully polished wood and antiques like this.
The extra fancy guest rooms are named after some of the famous people who have stayed at the hotel. Those rooms must be truly magnificent because every room at this hotel is a suite. Our room had a bathroom as big as our living room, along with a sitting room that had a postcard-perfect view of the sea.
The lawn in the back of the hotel is so smooth and manicured, it's worthy of a putting green. 
The pool is rather small, but it looks out over the sea. Once you sit down, a waiter brings you towels, a glass of ice water, and a bowl of snacks, then hurries away to fill your drink order. Quite a change from the vending machine fare that accompanies my normal poolside experience.
The hotel is very well air-conditioned, so much so that my camera lens fogged up the instant I stepped outside. This is what happened when I rushed out to capture the beautiful light at sunset:
After waiting a few minutes... here we go. Much better.
I'm sure there are other nice places to stay in Penang, but there is absolutely nothing as comfortable and luxurious as the E&O. Aside from its famous guests, the hotel has an interesting history. The founding brothers were Armenians, back when Armenian traders and merchants had a substantial presence in the area. I had no idea that Armenians were even there in the first place! It's just one example of the incredible diversity of Penang, which is one of the things I absolutely loved about the place.
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