| Nightly rate (incl. taxes/fees) | 9k points (worth US$54) |
| Length of stay | 2 nights |
| Membership level | Titanium Elite (Marriott Bonvoy) |
What benefits to expect when you stay at Courtyard Penang, as a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium or Platinum Elite member?
The hotel opened in 2020, with a total of 199 guest rooms. It was the first Courtyard-branded hotel in Malaysia, at that time.
Location
The hotel is located in bustling George Town, Penang.
It’s worth keeping in mind that there are no subway systems in this city, and traffic can get really bad during peak hours (5 – 8pm).
- 10 mins drive to downtown Penang
- 30 mins walk to downtown Penang
- 20 mins to Penang Hill
- 35 mins drive to Penang International Airport (PEN)
Arrival
Upon arrival, we were assisted with our luggages before being directed to the carpark.
King Room
Room 2259 is 69sqm (742sqft) in size.
At first glance, the room looked fresher than the oddly-shaped one that I stayed in, at the Hilton next door. Furnishing felt more modern here.
Elite member benefits
I was pretty mind-blown by the Elite member benefits here! The hotel adds plenty of value for Platinum members and above, with additional goodies that are not included in Marriott Bonvoy’s T&Cs.
Platinum members and above receive complimentary breakfast for 2, daily.
Plus, MYR 40 F&B credit daily, per guest (total MYR 80, if you have a guest). This can also be used for in-room dining!
As if that’s not enough, I also received 4x drink vouchers daily, for consumption at Gin Library bar during Elite Hours.
Here are a couple of dishes that we ordered on Day 1, as in-room dining.
On the second day, we consumed our F&B credit at Penang Kitchen restaurant.
Breakfast
Breakfast is complimentary for Platinum members and above. It was held as a buffet at Penang Kitchen restaurant.
The buffet was a little limited, but there were a number of made-to-order dishes available. Food quality was very good.
Internet speed
The WiFi speed was only good enough for light web surfing.
Other facilities
My ratings
This is how I am rating my stay, after considering what I paid:
| Breakfast | 9/10 | Club lounge | – |
| Service | 10/10 | Peace & quiet | 10/10 |
| Location | 9/10 | Facilities | 10/10 |
| Room furnishing | 9/10 | Elite member recognition | 10/10 |
| View (from the room) | 10/10 | Value | 10/10 |
Bottom line
Platinum members and above can enjoy stays that are as good as half-board, with Breakfast and 1 meal included, in the form of an F&B credit. Plus, 2 complimentary drinks (incl. some alcoholic) daily at the bar.
Great properties tend to offer extra Elite benefits, however, they tend to be offered on a per-stay basis, not daily.
It’s not easy to find a high-value hotel post-COVID, but Courtyard Penang does a lot to impress its Elite members, especially as Courtyard-branded property. This reminded me of my incredible stay at Courtyard Bali Seminyak, during the pandemic!
