Blue Mansion Vs G Hotel
My previous post on the E&O hotel chronicled our fabulous stay at Penang's grand old dame for a night. The reason for our nomadic hotel stays is that my family and I like to try out different hotels of a city - especially when it is our first few trips there. This way we get a feel of which are the ones we would stay in the future - and of course for me to highlight on this site.
So after a night's fantastic stay at the E&O, we were looking forward to the Cheng Fatt Tze Boutique Hotel.
 |
| The Awe-Inspiring Blue Mansion |
"The Blue Mansion was named after its owner, Cheong Fatt Tze who maintained mansions in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China, besides the one in Penang. But although each of his far flung homes amply reflected his high station in life in terms of scale and luxuriousness, it would appear from all accounts, that the Leith Street home was the favoured one. The Blue Mansion was certainly his most elaborate and lavish - its detailing and artisan works more refined than even those in his native home in Tai'pu; and it was reputedly one of only two such buildings of its size outside China.
The Mansion's construction began before the end of the 19th Century, and it was said that Cheong Fatt Tze had hoped to house nine generations of his descendants there. The plot of land was chosen after heavy consultation with the era's preeminent feng shui masters, and while all his Hakka friends and relatives chose to build very modern, Anglo-Indian houses in and around the area, Cheong Fatt Tze gave the go-ahead for the construction of a traditional Chinese home. Artisans were shipped in from Southern China expressly for the project, and building materials were imported from as far away as Scotland.
The paradigm two-storey courtyard house, incidentally, was built in stages - the centre bay was constructed first, while the wings were added at a later stage (clear indications of after-thought are found in the corridors that lead nowhere and originally external windows opening out into covered verandah ways). Towards Cheong Fatt Tze's later life, the mansion acted as the base for his commercial enterprises and housed the Chinese Vice-Consulate - not to mention his favoured 7th wife. All significant activities were concentrated in the centre of the mansion, with front halls for business meetings, the administration of the Vice-Consul Generalship and formal greeting of guests. The rear halls were for ancestral prayers, dining and family; while areas on the first floor housed rooms for significant family members - preferred family members were housed in the Centre Bay, while those who had lost favour, as well as lesser relatives, were moved to the wings "
SOURCE: BLUE MANSION HOTEL
I mused to myself - is that not just the same way a Chinese Emperor housed his consorts?
Anyways musing gave way to hilarity when we were supposed to check into the Blue Mansion the next day after E&O. On the way there, our taxi driver pleaded with us not to go as it was "Not Clean". My partner told me that was local speak for "paranormal". I was all excited by the notion of staying at a hotel with grand history and one which locals are all spooked about. My partner pooh-poohed the notion, and she quickly went on Booking.com, and in just a few minutes, we were on the way to the G Hotel. You could also book direct at the hotel link I have provided or click Agoda. Luck has it that there is only one executive studio suite available, and we booked it... .the hotel G stands for GORGEOUS, at least in my book, see below:
 |
| Not Exactly Blue Mansion...But G is Gorgeous |
The G Suite was big and bright.....sea views from the bed and in the bathroom!
Our exclusive breakfast area at the executive floor was cozy and a bit upperty up for my noisy family of four....so being the hoi polloi that we are, we opted for the G Cafe on the ground floor to dine with the rest of the hotel guests instead. The more the merrier when you are on a family vacation.
 |
| G Suite Was Big and Comfy |
 |
| G Suite Executive Floor Dining |
So whether you want to attempt to Ghost Bust at the majestic Blue Mansion, look trendy at G Hotel, or simply Jalan Jalan on Gurney Drive, Penang is one of your next destinations for a short getaway.
