Jen Hotel George Town
When I was looking at where to stay in George Town, the same friend who recommended the Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur put me on to the Jen. So after a good experience with that one and confidence in my friend, I decided to give it a try.
My friend did tell me that the only downside is that this hotel is a bit dated, but comfortable, and has a near-perfect location right in the middle of George Town, with a bus terminal very close by.
Anyhow, when my fixed price taxi from the airport pulled into the drop-off area, there were staff there to help with my bags, which was not expected, but a good sign of things to come.
The check-in process was quick and about as painless as it gets; even my HSBC card worked for the deposit, unlike when I tried it at the Shangri-La in KL. Another good sign.
My initial thoughts on the lobby were yes, it's dated, looking like something from the 80s or 90s, but it seems well-maintained, and given how good the check-in process was, it's not going to be a problem. More on the dated look later on.
Heading up to my room, with my bags following me. Another good sign, and better than the 5-star Shangri-La in KL.
My first impressions were that it's well laid out, had everything needed, but could have been brighter, but then again, it was later in the day, so tomorrow will see.
About five minutes after I arrived, my bags did, and a good sign of the level of service to come.
Now, as I always do when getting to a new hotel room, it's time to see what's out of the window. Hmm, not too bad, right ahead is another hotel complete with a glass-sided pool, ok, not great, but still better than the car park.
Looking right, it's better with a mixture of the new high-rise and the real George Town architecture with the hills in the distance.
As I talked about briefly before, the room and the rest of the hotel looked dated.
What do I mean by dated?
Just look at the photo of the room, the furniture is of the style I last saw back in the 80s or 90s, then comes the lift, where I noted the door safety is mechanical rather than the optical ones used in every lift I have used in decades.
And no, this mechanical door safety system is not a problem; it works well, and just like everything else I saw and used in the Jen, it is very well maintained.
As for the room furniture, yes, it's dated, but in no way worn out; some people would call it "retro". To me, it's just furniture; everything works, and it's all comfortable.
As for me, would I recommend the Jen to anyone visiting George Town, well that's a no-brainer, I already have, and the friend I put them on to did stay there and will also visit again.
Much later this year, I am planning another trip to Malaysia, which will include George Town, so it's back to the Jen for me.