IHG Signs Luxury Hotel in Penang, Malaysia

(22 June 2022, 11:13 +07)  IHG has signed an InterContinental resort in Penang, Malaysia.

The partnership with THR Hotel (Penang), a subsidiary of Tradewinds, will see the former Penang Mutiara Beach Resort at Teluk Bahang transformed into the InterContinental Penang Resort.

Scheduled to open in 2025, InterContinental Penang Resort will feature 355 rooms and suites with up to three bedrooms as well as a private enclave of six villas.

Facilities will include a holistic wellness village with 10 treatment villas, a yoga studio, and a relaxation pavilion; three swimming pools (including a kids pool); five restaurants and bars; 1,000 square metres of meeting and event space (including a glass marquee and private lawn for garden weddings and special occasions); and the brand’s Club InterContinental Lounge offering views of the Straits of Malacca.

InterContinental Penang Resort

Muhammad Zainal Ashikin, Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer, Tradewinds Corp said: “Teluk Bahang holds a special place for us, and with it, the former award-winning Mutiara Penang Resort. As such, we have taken the time to truly plan out its revitalisation, which included being very careful to find the perfect partner that shares our vision for this amazing location and the re-birth of this grand dame. We wanted to introduce a brand that holds the nature, culture and heritage of the area in the same high regard as we do, and I’m delighted to say that IHG was the only choice for us due to its proven track record of realising thoughtful luxury destination concepts in diverse locations across the globe.”

A 30-minute drive from central Georgetown, InterContinental Penang Resort will be the second InterContinental hotel in Malaysia after InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, and marks IHG's return to Penang, together with the upcoming Holiday Inn & Suites Penang Prai.

In Malaysia, IHG currently has six hotels across three brands – InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. At the of March 2022, the company had a pipeline of 10 hotels in Malaysia set to open in the next three to five years, most notably: Crowne Plaza Kota Kinabalu, Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park, Kimpton Kuala Lumpur and Regent Kuala Lumpur.

“A city steeped in history and culture, Penang presents a strong leisure and corporate travel demand, buoyed by the recent border reopening and ending of travel restrictions. We want to create the best resort destination in Penang, make it attractive to all types of guests and further solidify IHG’s brand presence in Malaysia in the luxury segment,” said Serena Lim, Vice President, Development, South East Asia and Korea, IHG. “Having previously worked with Tradewinds on a number of properties in Asia, we are truly excited to return into partnership with them with this flagship resort. We know that they are as committed as we are to make a positive impact on our communities, and our joint aim is to ensure that this project provides new economic opportunities and encourages many more travellers to visit this wonderful destination.”

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