Shangri-La Golden Sands, Penang

MD RIDZUAN YEE

I returned to Shangri-La Golden Sands Penang after a year and noticed quite a number of changes — mostly positive. The hotel is still great, especially for families, with plenty of outdoor slides and kids-friendly facilities. My children really enjoyed themselves. However, there was one part of the stay that I didn’t enjoy: the breakfast experience. During my visit, the breakfast area was crowded with a large company retreat group. Almost 80% of the seats were taken by them, and many of them were hogging seats for long periods. They were also talking and laughing loudly, which made my family and I uncomfortable. We came to relax and enjoy our morning, but instead felt disturbed. I strongly feel that management should consider separating large retreat groups from regular guests during breakfast. Mixing everyone together affected the comfort and experience for families like us. Aside from that, I still like the hotel overall. I shared my feedback with the duty manager — a helpful Indian lady (unfortunately I didn’t get her name). I hope the hotel considers this for future improvements.

Dinesh Nair

We're a regular here at the Golden Sands and have been coming for years. We love its location, awesome pool and water themed facilities for the kids. Rooms can be a bit outdated and feel old but this time we were in a suite and the spaciousness made up for it. Breakfast buffet has a wide range but it can get busy during peak hours and food is mid level in variety and flavour. Still worth the effort to get down for it. The only downside is the large number of boats and water sports vehicles parked at the sea. These are a potential danger to swimmers, not to mention leaking diesel into the sea water. Easily fixed though, hopefully. A good holiday, nonetheless.

Radyum Ikono

It was a pleasant stay. What we loved most was the location and the pools. Breakfast was okay, acceptable. The only negative thing is the room as it is an old hotel, but i think it is still acceptable. Also, just an input: maybe you can do something about the beach to make it better. Our kids really loved the hotel and said they really want to come back here again

Joshua Miranda

I recently stayed at Shangri-La Golden Sands to celebrate my son’s 2nd birthday, and overall, it was a pleasant experience with memorable service from the support team. I initially planned to book a Seaview room, but after seeing a room-upgrade voucher on my app, I decided to use it instead. There was a small hiccup regarding which room category I needed to book in order to apply the voucher, and by the time everything was clarified, the upgrade was no longer available due to the weekend rush. I contacted Shangri-La’s support, and Ying (using her call-name to protect her identity) along with her team were very helpful and understanding. They took the time to review my situation, especially since the stay was for my son’s birthday and eventually managed to apply the voucher for us. I really appreciated their patience and effort. When we checked in, we were welcomed with a birthday cake in the room. Although they mentioned they would try to arrange something special, and the cake was the only gesture, I’m still grateful. I understand how busy weekends can get with many families staying over. On our last day, we enjoyed a beautiful view from the room, which I captured in a photo. We also saw a bunch of monkeys around the area. They didn’t disturb us at all, but if you're staying on the lower floors, it’s best to keep your balcony door closed, just as a precaution. Don’t be afraid, they generally mind their own business. Overall, despite the initial booking issue, the thoughtful service and genuine hospitality made our stay enjoyable. I would happily consider returning for another family-friendly getaway.

Aurelia Long

Great location and beautiful sea views for a 4-star hotel, but tired looking rooms in need of an upgrade. Very busy and loud hotel Buffett breakfast but I did stay over Christmas & New year. Good selection of Malay, Chinese and western food. The onsite restaurant Sigi’s served the best tiger prawns I’ve ever eaten in my life! Definitely worth a visit!