Experiencing The Light Hotel Penang

Experiencing The Light Hotel (15 September 2017)


My wife and I had the wonderful privilege of experiencing the hospitality of The Light Hotel Penang on 15-17 September, 2017. Our day of arrival at the hotel was quite an eventful day, because it was the day that Penang was hit by the tail end of Typhoon Doksuri, which lashed Penang Island with a deluge following continuous rain since the early morning. Fortunately, by the time we drove across the Penang Bridge to the hotel, the rain has stopped. Traffic along the Penang Bridge was heavy, but not a standstill which we had feared. This is probably because other parts of Penang Island was completely flooded, and traffic was thus cut off from reaching the bridge.

Predicting a late arrival, I messaged Miss Siti Fatimah, the Director of Marketing & Communications, to tell her that we might be late. As it turned out, we arrive right on time.

The Light Hotel has an impressive porch with steps leading up to the lobby area. The Lobby was a sight to behold. It is graced by three majestic chandeliers that hang in a five-tier cascade from the ceiling. To the right side of the Lobby is a Grand Staircase spiralling up to the Mezzanine and then the First Floor. It curls around another set of chandelier that hangs over the atrium.

To the left side of the lobby is the cavernous Spice Brasserie, the main restaurant of the hotel. This is where the majority of guests partake of their breakfast. The restaurant is supported by stout columns finished in black marble, with its own set of chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

The impressive Lobby of The Light Hotel. (15 September 2017)


I was smoothly checked in to the hotel by Mr Suhaimi, while my car was valet parked at the porch. Then Mr Suhaimi ushered us to our room and have our luggage simultaneously brought up. We were provided the Deluxe Room, on the 15th floor of the hotel. It is on one of the executive levels, which allows us the privilege to use the Executive Lounge on the 18th floor.

We occupied the Deluxe Room. (15 September 2017)


After putting away our luggage, we returned to the lobby and were greeted by Miss Siti Fatimah, who accompanied us to Flavours@3, the elegant fine-dining restaurant on the third floor of the hotel. There, we were greeted by the service staff, Mr Prabakaran, who gave us very attentive service throughout the evening. Miss Siti took me to see the kitchen. They have a Tandoor, which is a cylindrical clay oven used for baking, roasting and cooking, hence they could bake their own breads in the oven, and also make items such as Tandoori chicken.

Dinner at Flavours@3. (15 September 2017)


We opted for the set dinner which includes an appetizer, a soup, a main course and dessert. The appetizer was Smoked Chicken and Scallops salad. This was followed by an Italian Seafood Soup. Then came the main course, which was Slipper Lobster Au Gratin & Grilled Lamb Chop. We finished out meal by having a dessert of Vanilla Panna Cotta. The Slipper Lobster Au Gratin was very nicely done. We also enjoyed the Vanilla Panna Cotta, which went very well with the ice cream. After dinner, Mr Prabakaran showed us around the restaurant, and I had the pleasure of meeting and giving my compliments to the chef, Chef SK Faruk.

With Chef SK Faruk and Serving Staff Prabakaran. (15 September 2017)


The next morning, we had our breakfast at Spice Brasserie. This was the second time we dine here - the first was a few months ago when I was invited to The Light's 2017 Ramadhan Buffet.

The hotel offers an exquisite spread for breakfast. These are congregated into a few food islands. There was row upon row of stainless steel food warmers. Salads, cheeses and cold cuts are lined up on one food island, while beautiful brass pots filled with food lined another food island. Over at a corner is the beverage station where you can order items such as teh tarik, and next to it was the pastry station, with croissants, danishes, and sliced breads.

Breakfast at Spice Brasserie. (15 September 2017)


After the very heavy breakfast, we met up with Mr Sivaji Selvan, the Rooms Division Manager. We learned that Mr Sivaji is very seasoned in the hospitality industry, having served over ten different hotels, locally and abroad. Mr Sivaji took us on a room tour, so that I have the chance to review and photograph the various rooms at The Light Hotel. We visited - in no particular sequence - the Deluxe Room, followed by the Superior Room, the Family Room, the Light Deluxe Room, the 2-Bedroom Suite, the Presidential Suite and the Executive Suite. We also visited the Executive Lounge on the 18th floor.

Following the room tour, we returned to the Lobby, where we were met by Mr T. Veera Prabu, the Executive Assistant Manager. Mr Veera has been with The Light Hotel from the very beginning. So he was the best person to feed us with fascinating insights about the hotel.

With Mr T. Veera Prabu, Executive Assistant Manager of The Light Hotel Penang. (15 September 2017)


The stylized hand sculptures come from Bali. (15 September 2017)


There's a different sculpture at the Lift Landing of every floor. (15 September 2017)


We learned for example that the Lobby was finished with three different types of marble, imported from Turkey, Iran and the Middle East (he didn't tell me which in the Middle East). All the chandeliers in the hotel were purpose-made and custom-built. The three chandeliers at the Lobby have five tiers denoting the five human senses. It offers guest entering the Lobby an experience with lights befitting the name of the hotel.

The two stylized hand sculptures were bought in Bali by Mr Veera himself, who was instrumental in acquiring much of the hotel's art pieces. Every floor has a different sculpture at the Lift Landing, not two of which are alike. All the artwork adorning the walls were originals. It was the work of four artists. Together, they produced a thousand three hundred pieces, of which the hotel selected one thousand or so. And the grand piano outside the Business Centre is a limited edition Yamaha - only two were made per year.

With Mr T. Veera Prabu, the Executive Assistant Manager; Chef Murugan Balakrishnan, the Senior Executive Sous Chef; and Mr Sivaji Selvan, the Rooms Division Manager. (15 September 2017)


After out meeting with Mr Veera, he took us upstair so that we can enjoy a session at Ratu Spa. The spa engages qualified masseuses and masseurs from Indonesia. I opted for the head and shoulder massage while my wife the foot massage. Within the serene atmosphere of the spa, imbued with soft background music, we were ushered to a couple's room. We were introduced to our masseuses, Miss Susilawati and Miss Siti Rahma. The massages were quite vigorous and at times painful too. Miss Susilawati told me that there is "air" in my body, and advised me to avoid taking cold drinks. I intend to give that a try.

One of the treatment rooms at Ratu Spa. (15 September 2017)


My wife and I with our masseuses Siti Rahma and Susilawati. (15 September 2017)


After our massage, we met up with Mr Sivaji again, and this time, he brought us up to the 1st floor of the hotel, to view the Grand Ballroom. The ballroom, which could be partitioned into two, has some of the grandest chandeliers I have ever seen. These chandeliers are shaped as stylized honeycomb or beehive. One one side of the ballroom is the largest LED screen in the Northern Region. We also visited Flavour@3 once again, so that Mr Sivaji could explain to us the type of finishing used there.

The Grand Ballroom fits its name. What I show here is just a section of it. (15 September 2017)


My wife and I at the Swan Sculptures, at the foyer of the Grand Ballroom. (16 September 2017)


Our dinner that evening was a sumptuous buffet at Spice Brasserie. There was such a huge variety of food available. I filled up my plate with scallops and prawns and flower crabs and fish. There were two types of soup - the Spicy Szechuan Soup and the Lobster Bisque. There were also individual food stations with items such as the Chicken Shawarma and the highly recommended Char Koay Teow, which did live up to its reputation. Two items that I liked very much that evening were the Mushroom Masala and Squid Masala. They were both incredibly tasty.

Dinner at Spice Brasserie. (15 September 2017)


After our dinner, we went for a walk outside the hotel. Unlike our first evening here, it was no longer rainy. The air was crisp, and so I was able to get some shots of the hotel at night.

The swimming pool of The Light Hotel at night. (15 September 2017)


On our third day, we once again had our breakfast at Spice Brasserie, and I was able to gather the whole serving team to have a group photograph with them, and also to thank them for serving us with such attentiveness and hospitality.

My wife and I enjoyed our stay at The Light Hotel very much, and I looked forward to writing about our hospitality experience here. We convey our heartfelt thanks to the staff and management of The Light Hotel for this wonderful weekend there.

A group shot with the team at Spice Brasserie, The Light Hotel Penang. (15 September 2017)

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