Seven Terraces

Rooms and decor

Seven Terraces opened in 2011 after restoring seven 19th-century shophouses (built 1880-1905) on Stewart Lane in the Georgetown UNESCO core, right beside the Goddess of Mercy temple from 1810. It is part of the Bon Ton Restoration group, the same owner behind the Edison and the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion. There are 18 luxury suites across the seven buildings, starting at a 55-square-metre Straits Suite and running up to a 95-square-metre Master Terrace Suite. The design is Straits Chinese Peranakan in dark green, gold and deep red, with 5-metre ceilings and genuine Peranakan antiques from the 1890s to the 1930s — blackwood furniture, Peranakan floor tiles, Chinese silk and old porcelain. Beds are plush kings, the Wi-Fi is fast, there is a 43-inch Smart TV, and bathrooms come with a clawfoot bathtub, a rain shower and Bvlgari products. Real guest scores sit at 9.0 on Trip.com, 9.1 on Agoda and 9.2 on Booking, with most reviewers saying it feels like sleeping in a Peranakan museum. The only knocks are the missing lifts in some buildings and a bit of street noise.

Food and amenities

The highlight here is Kebaya, the in-house restaurant serving the most talked-about Nyonya food in Penang and Michelin-mentioned. The 7-course set runs MYR 280-380 (about $60-81) and includes Otak-Otak, Chicken Kapitan, Pongteh, Inche Kabin and Pulut Hitam; it opens 6:30pm to 10pm and needs a booking two days ahead. The Baba Bar mixes Peranakan cocktails, including a Penang martini made with cendol, alongside whisky. Breakfast is a la carte Nyonya — Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai, Kaya toast and Penang white coffee. The Living Room sits in the central courtyard with a crystal chandelier, a piano and antique furniture. There is an 18-by-4-metre pool long enough for real laps, and the spa has three treatment rooms using Aromatherapy Associates, with a 90-minute Nyonya body wrap at MYR 450 (about $96). The concierge arranges private heritage walks, Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si, and there is free parking for four cars.

Location and getting there

Seven Terraces sits at 14A Stewart Lane in the Georgetown UNESCO core. The Goddess of Mercy temple, Penang's oldest from 1810, is a 3-minute walk, the Khoo Kongsi clan house is 5 minutes, and the Armenian and Cannon Street art is also 5 minutes. The Blue Mansion is a 6-minute walk, Love Lane 3 minutes, the famous Lorong Selamat Char Kway Teow 7 minutes, and the Lebuh Chulia food street 5 minutes. Further out, Kek Lok Si temple and Penang Hill are each about 20 minutes by car, and Batu Ferringhi is 30 minutes. Penang airport (PEN) is 18 km away, a 25-to-35-minute taxi at MYR 50-65 (about $11-14).

Things to know before booking

First, three of the seven buildings have no lift — they use the original old staircases. Only buildings 1, 2, 5 and 6 have one, so ask for a suite in a lift building if you are travelling with anyone who finds stairs hard. Second, some street noise carries in from Stewart Lane in the evening; request a suite on the courtyard side, which is much quieter. Third, Kebaya is full every night, so book two days ahead and dress smart casual. Fourth, rates jump during Chinese New Year and the George Town Festival, pushing to around $257-314, so reserve six to eight weeks out for those dates.

Our take

Seven Terraces is the most rounded choice in Penang for couples who love Peranakan culture and anyone who wants to actually sleep inside the UNESCO zone. You get a 4-star heritage boutique of 18 luxury suites in seven 19th-century shophouses, genuine Peranakan antiques, the Michelin-mentioned Kebaya Nyonya kitchen, an 18-metre pool and a location a 3-minute walk from the Goddess of Mercy temple, from about $114 a night. If your trip is a romantic couple's escape built around Peranakan style and Nyonya food, this is the strongest answer. If you need a lift in every building or a beach resort, the Edison or Rasa Sayang will suit you better. Overall we give it 9.1/10, best for couples, Peranakan lovers and heritage fans.