Flamingo Hotel by The Beach, Penang

The suite was incredibly spacious and comfortable, with all three rooms facing the sea. Falling asleep to the sound of waves at night was a dream. The kids absolutely loved having the pool and beach right downstairs – super convenient. There was also a large bird and fish pond with various small birds and fish, which the children adored. Breakfast exceeded my expectations. If you're used to a Western-style breakfast, this one was perfect. They had freshly made Indian paratha, freshly cooked fish ball noodles, and eggs prepared fried or boiled. The drink selection was also extensive, offering local white coffee and milk tea. For fruit, there was watermelon, pineapple, papaya, and melon. Honestly, this breakfast was much more suitable for Chinese tastes than what I've had at all-inclusive hotels in Dubai and Turkey. Very satisfying! 👍 Across from the hotel, there's a Lebanese restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, and a FamilyMart convenience store. A bit further down, you'll find a market and hawker stalls. 👍 The only downsides were a few small ants in the room and a broken drain in one of the sinks. I hope the hotel can fix these issues.

I only found out upon arrival that there's a 12 RM local tourism tax, and they only accept cash. I didn't have enough on me, so I had to leave my passport as collateral and run about 1 kilometer to the bank to withdraw money. To the right of the hotel, there's a FamilyMart convenience store. To the left, if you walk a bit and cross the pedestrian bridge, you'll find Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, Domino's Pizza, and a bunch of street food stalls where you can try some local dishes, and the prices aren't expensive. However, this hotel has zero soundproofing. I stayed on the fifth floor and couldn't sleep all night because of the motorcycles on the road. But the swimming pool and the sea view are fantastic. It's really worth paying a bit extra for a sea view room. The beach and pool are genuinely beautiful and great for photos.

The room was good; not luxurious, but it met all basic needs, including USB outlets which saved me the hassle of not having an adapter. Cleaning was prompt and thorough. The staff were quite welcoming, and there was a young lady at the front desk who spoke some Chinese. Breakfast didn't have a huge variety, but there was enough to fill up. The pool water was clean, and they vacuumed it daily. There was a performance on Friday night. The beach is nice for a stroll, but I wouldn't recommend swimming in the sea. They have their own mini-mart, and if you turn right out of the hotel, there's a FamilyMart. A 10-minute walk will get you to restaurants, bars, and a small, not-too-busy shopping complex. Turning left, you'll find more restaurants, and a 15-minute walk leads to a food court, supermarket, and various shops. There's a bus stop right outside, and taxis are easy to get. It's about a 40-minute ride to George Town and Penang Hill, and around 50 minutes to the airport.