Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa opens in Penang, Malaysia
By Paul Johnson on Sep 27, 2006 in Asia, Leisure Travel, Malaysia, Regions, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel
Shangri-La‘s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa opens on the Malaysian island of Penang tomorrow, ahead of the originally planned date. The resort is situated on the edge of a rainforest famous for its tranquil beauty, far removed from the stresses of the modern world. The resort includes a state-of-the-art health club, executive golf course, spa pool and 7 innovative restaurants and bars.
Aaaahh!!! This island brings alot of fond childhood memories for me. As a child every school holidays my parents used to take us up to Penang Island for a couple of weeks. At the time (in the 1970s), at Batu Ferringhi the most popular and best resort area in Penang Island, there were only 2 hotels. One of them was the then newly built Rasa Sayang hotel. It was THE hotel to go to – i.e. top notch. Over the years it started looking tired and with more high end branded hotels cropping up the Rasa Sayang got their act together and got a major re-lift. With an injection of millions of Malaysian Ringgit it is now rejuvenated and once again a ‘heavy weight’ in the hotel industry. My favourite character of the structure of the Rasa Sayang is the low architecture retaining the true Malaysian flavour of island. The lush greenery (as it should be especially as Malaysia is re-known for it’s rainforests) surrounds the whole area giving you privacy as if you are in a rainforest. They have managed to marry culture, nature with modern luxuries capturing the essence of Malaysia especially as there are so many of modern ugly high rise hotels littered through the whole coast line of Batu Ferringhi. The service and hospitaly is simply exquisite. Frankly I really think the Rasa Sayang ought to win an award for truly being true to Malaysia. Touche Rasa Sayang Hotel.