The Prestige Hotel Penang

Opening in October 2019, The Prestige Hotel is situated in the heart of George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Penang. Four years in the making, the 162-room property has been brought to life by Ministry of Design, whose scheme forms a modern-day interpretation of Victorian design layered with local botany.

Upon entering the hotel, a ground-floor arcade features an envelope of Victorian-style mullions housing retail and dining spaces, while elsewhere, indoor alfresco areas filled with verdant landscaping, rattan furniture and natural light recall the area's strong colonial influence. The Glasshouse restaurant - modelled after a glass conservatory - is centrally located within the arcade and offers both local delicacies and international cuisine throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the idea of illusion plays out in whimsical guestroom features such as levitating beds and side tables, and secret doors that reveal toilet cubicles and pantries. The design studio also found innovative solutions to structural challenges such as long room corridors, where rotating lights project an intricate lattice pattern to animate the journey. Drawing on Penang island's rich tropical bounty, bathrooms feature botanical wallpapers, while plants are a green respite in the public spaces, and a rooftop infinity pool comes alive with floral mosaics.

Nestled between the banking district of Beach Street and the Weld Quay area, The Prestige Hotel is only minutes away from major historic sites as well as art, culture and dining options along the Heritage Trail of Penang. Though the island is dubbed the food mecca of Malaysia, guests at the property need only head to the arcade or the Glasshouse restaurant to explore the surrounding culinary paradise.