I recently had the pleasure of staying at Hickory on Penang Hill, and it was a truly memorable experience. The location is incredibly tranquil – a perfect retreat for peace-loving individuals looking to escape the noise of the city. Surrounded by nature, the weather was pleasant and refreshing throughout our stay. One of the highlights of my trip was the 15-minute walk down through the forest from the top of Penang Hill to the resort – a thrilling and scenic trail that makes you feel completely immersed in nature. The sign boards were kept at the right place for guests to reach the resort. A special mention goes to Raaj, the owner, who was exceptionally kind, polite, and welcoming. The staff were also wonderful – they went out of their way to assist us, even helping prepare food upon request, which made our stay feel homely and relaxed. One minor challenge is that the train service to the station near the resort runs only once every hour, so planning your travel times is important. That said, the peace and setting more than make up for it. Don’t miss “The Habitat”, an incredible attraction on Penang Hill. It's a must-visit for nature lovers, offering a breathtaking walk through untouched rainforest. As a bonus, guests staying at Hickory can enjoy a 20% discount, which Raaj can help arrange. If you're looking for a peaceful, nature-filled escape with warm hospitality, Hickory is the place to be. Highly recommended!

There is no major discomfort, All Good. It depends on the person how they want to spend their leisure time.

The property is renovated beautifully, keeping the old time charm. The view of the east side of Penang was amazing especially at night. We were lucky to be there while Kek Lok Si temple was lit up for CNY. Raj, the owner, was so welcoming and it was genuine. He should be proud of what he has achieved with restoring the place and the additions to improve the comforts for guests. All the staff we very pleasant and helpful. We were lucky enough to see a big black squirrel from our balcony as well as a family of dusky leaf monkeys on our walk nearby.

Nothing

It is a bungalow built on 1929. Itself is a beautiful building worthy to take many photos. It has best city view and far sea view during day and night! It has best sun rise view. It is inside Penang hill, so a good start for hiking around, to visit nearby bungalows. It provides very good food, so some local people come here by train for just having a meal. It has a very nice owner Raj. Do chat with him, if you can meet him. It has two lovely dogs. Do play with them. It provides many free instance drinks.

Nearby no other shop or food stall.

We chose Hickory to rediscover the joys of Penang Hill which we revisited on several occasions decades ago and to introduce our grown-up children to places where our memories lay. We were not disappointed. Road paths and hill slopes connecting Hickory with Penang Hill summit via a steady 15-minute climb have been very well maintained, surfaced, lit, signposted and navigation made convenient by roadside maps. Hickory is a converted wooden bungalow with ample accommodation for groups and places for meetings or retreats. Bedding is comfortable, bathrooms are modern. Natural ventilation and relatively cooler weather are a welcome respite from George Town temperatures. The garden is full of beautiful flowering bougainvilleas, garlic vine, stefanotis, asters, shaded by bamboo, banana trees and ferns. The garden looks out over George Town and both bridges to the Peninsula. The night sky offers a clear view of the galaxy. Western-style breakfast and Chinese dinner were were deliciously prepared by wonderful house staff. Mr Raj the owner and manager was ever courteous and knowledgeable about the Hill. Hickory has a trove of books to read about Penang's history and some books are available to buy. A delightful stay away from it all.

WiFi and Internet signal was strong in the lounge area but faded a little in bedrooms.

The breakfast options were amazing. We chose their western breakfast. It was so good. The place was so relaxing and it felt like home. The staffs were very helpful and friendly. Their library has lots of book options as well. we definitely enjoyed this stay and we would really recommend.

Only thing is it was inconvenient to get up to the hotel. as the only way to get up there was to take the funicular. And the service of the funicular ends at 11pm. So for those who are here for holidays an wish to enjoy the night life in Penang its not recommended. Because you cant go out after 11 pm onwards.

The view and location was great. Staff were excellent and it was a wonderful and peaceful stay on the hill. Will definitely go back for a longer stay. Also a great place to hike up the hill.

Nothing I can think of. Everything was good . It is a place to connect with nature so it doesn't have all the facilities of a city hotel. It is meant for discovering nature and simple living.

It was strategically placed with a good view of Penang Staff were friendly and helpful Rooms were clean Decorations ard the property was beautiful and unique

The fittings were a bit old , but again this is a unique feature of the property There was a power outage the night that I stayed , but it was no fault of the property- the saving grace was the lights was solar powered so we don’t need to worry about the dark

Breakfast is good. Dinner is reasonably priced and good. Good view of Penang and good view of sunrise from the hotel. Staff are friendly and accommodating when we request early breakfast at 7.30

Hotel is 5 minutes walk from lower tunnel station, tram only stops at station hourly on request. Or have to take jeep from botanic garden costing 180rg return. 30 minutes Steep walk from hotel to hill top.

It's great stay at Hickory. My family members love it and would like to come back again in the future. The owner is friendly and the food is good. We love the scenery from the garden. It's so easy to see sunrise from the garden and having meal in their garden is awesome. It's a great place that I would recommend to others for family gathering!

I don't like the pathway to the bungalow from the train station. It's tough for senior to walk the steep road to the house but the owner is friendly enough to help if you inform them earlier. If it's not senior, the road is fine.

This is a stunning property with probably one of the most beautiful views in Malaysia across George Town and the Straits of Malacca, with a direct view of the sunrise. The house is extremely cozy and comfortable, with tons of space and lots to explore in the surrounding area. The owner was extremely friendly and shared a beer with us whilst explaining more about the property and Penang Hill. The other staff were also very helpful and the breakfast was delicious.

The only issue is accessibility. You can only access the hotel by a paid for jeep, by a steep by path, or a train that runs just once an hour. Make sure you have good shoes!