Hard Rock Hotel Penang

Rooms and decor

Hard Rock Hotel Penang opened in 2009 on Batu Ferringhi beach on the north coast of Penang island — the flagship Hard Rock Hotel in Southeast Asia and the island's number-one family resort. There are 250 rooms across 6 floors, from the 38-sqm Deluxe up through the 75-sqm Roxity Kids Suite (a kid-themed room) to the 150-sqm Rock Star Suite (a big two-bedroom layout). The look is Rock and Roll themed in black, red and silver, with designer furniture, Rock band posters, a guitar in the suites, and dark, metallic-toned fabrics. Beds are premium King, Wi-Fi is fast, and you get a 55-inch Smart TV with a Bose sound system, a minibar, and Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries; the bathroom pairs a rain shower with a bathtub. The Roxity Kids Suite adds a Wii, bunk beds and toys, which kids love. Real reviews on Trip.com (8.7/10), Agoda (8.6) and Booking (8.7) mostly praise that the kids never want to leave and the water park is genuinely big; the main gripes are the weekend crowds and the distance from Georgetown.

Food and amenities

The headline at Hard Rock is the 26,000-sq-ft water park — the Roxity Kids Pool (ages 1-5), a 1.2 m Main Pool, three 8-12 m water slides and a Jacuzzi — open 09:00-19:00 and free for guests. The free Kids Club (ages 4-12) runs 09:00-17:00 with Wii, Xbox, art and craft and minders, and there is a Roxity Teen Lounge for ages 13-17 with a karaoke room. The Hard Rock Cafe has a live Rock band from 20:45-23:30 every night plus burgers and pizza. Starz Diner does a breakfast buffet 06:30-10:30 for MYR 95 (about $21) spanning Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western dishes, with a kids' breakfast. There is a poolside Pizzeria and a ride-in pool bar, and the spa has 4 treatment rooms using Aromatherapy Associates, with a 60-minute massage at MYR 320 (about $71). Beach activities cover kayaking, SUP, parasailing, jet ski and banana boat, and the concierge runs free shuttles to Penang Hill, the Tropical Spice Garden and Batu Ferringhi Night Market. Parking is free. Overall it scores 8.7/10.

Location and getting there

Hard Rock sits on Batu Ferringhi, the long sandy beach on Penang's north coast. Batu Ferringhi beach is a 0-minute walk. The Tropical Spice Garden is a 5-minute drive — a herb garden with cooking classes — and the Batu Ferringhi Night Market (street food and souvenirs, 18:00-23:00) is also 5 minutes. The Penang Butterfly Farm (Entopia) is a 7-minute drive, Teluk Bahang Dam and Penang National Park are 10 minutes each, and Kek Lok Si temple and Penang Hill are 25 minutes each. Gurney Drive is a 20-minute drive and the Georgetown UNESCO core is 30 minutes. Penang Airport (PEN) is 35 km away — MYR 80-100 by taxi (about $18-22), around 45 minutes.

Things to know before booking

First, weekends and school holidays get very busy — the water park can fill to 200 people — so come on a weekday for far more space, or arrive at the 09:00 opening when it is quietest. Second, it is a 30-40 minute drive from Georgetown, so if you are here mainly for the UNESCO sights and street art you will need to plan Grab rides or the shuttle both ways; the concierge can arrange a private car for MYR 150-200 (about $33-44). Third, over Chinese New Year, Christmas and school holidays rates climb past $229-314, which means booking 8-10 weeks ahead. Fourth, request the Roxity Kids Suite when you book if you have kids 5-12 — the bunk beds, Wii and toys are a big hit.

Our take

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the best-fit choice for families with kids 5-15 who want a resort built around the water and all-day activities in Penang. It packs a 5-star beachfront on Batu Ferringhi, a 26,000-sq-ft water park with 3 slides, a free Kids Club for ages 4-12, a live Rock band at the Hard Rock Cafe every night, a kid-themed Roxity Kids Suite, and a swim-straight-off location, from about $91. If the trip in your head is a family with kids who love a water park and live music, this is the answer. If you want a quieter resort, a couples' stay, or to walk the UNESCO core instead, Rasa Sayang or E&O suit better. Overall we give it 8.7/10, best for families with kids 5-15.