Nestled in the heart of Love Lane in Georgetown, Penang (Malaysia) is the beautiful boutique heritage hotel 23 Love Lane. It’s eclectic, it’s full of character and most importantly, it reflects the careful restoration of heritage that is an important part of the UNESCO Heritage Site.
23 Love Lane comprises of several heritage buildings, which were built across the 1800’s. This meant that the property was exposed to several architectural influences, and you can see these differences throughout 23 Love Lane today, especially in the design of its 10 rooms.
23 Love Lane was originally built as a private residence first for a European family and later a local family. In the late 1900’s, the compound was turned into the Oasis Hotel. Then in 2007 a new owner bought over the Oasis Hotel and soon began a full restoration project. The project took three years to complete and the hotel was reopened in late 2011 as the newly branded 23 Love Lane.
It was a labour of love for the team at 23 Love Lane. They were meticulous in the restoration of the hotel and almost all original architectural elements had been restored. The project was so successful that 23 Love Lane won the Gold Award for Conservation at the Malaysian Institute of Architects PAM Awards in 2013.
As the name suggestions, the hotel is located on Love Lane, which has an interesting history on its own. The road gained its name ‘Ai Cheng Hang’ otherwise known as Love Lane, because it is said that this street used to house the mistresses of rich husbands who lived on Muntri Street (also known as Jalan Muntri) back in the today.
Today Love Lane has changed to become a quaint area of Georgetown, offering an excellent selection of cafes, plus a shops and even a small spa. Just around the corner from the hotel is Muntri Street (Jalan Muntri), which also boasts lovely cafes and shops. Plus, it is the best way to walk to the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, which is only 7 minutes away on foot.
THE EXPERIENCE AT 23 LOVE LANE
23 Love Lane was my home away from home. From the moment we arrived, to the moment we departed, we felt like home at 23 Love Lane. It was our own little oasis, especially after a long day of touring and eating.
The hotel is beautifully decorated, with antiques and paintings eloquently placed throughout. It is said that the antiques and artwork you’ll find here is actually from the owner’s private collection.
And my favorite part of the hotel – the pop of bright colours. From lime green to magenta to aqua blue to fire engine red, 23 Love Lane is sure to make a colourful impression.
THE TEAM
The team at the hotel were friendly, approachable, attentive and worked hard to ensure that we felt comfortable during our stay.
I remember when we first arrived, we were met by the Hotel Manager, Fauzi. It was a smooth check in process and then Fauzi proceeded to show us to our room. As he walked us to the room, I remember him saying, “please don’t ever feel hungry or thirsty when you are at 23 Love Lane. Help yourself to any drinks and snacks/fruit provided here in the lobby.”
Wow! Already a feeling of being welcomed and I instantly felt at home.
OUR ROOM
We stayed in the Straits Eclectic Room, which was located on the second floor.
Our room was fantastic. It was clean, it was airy, and it was decorated to reflect the charm and character of Georgetown. The room had a king size bed, high ceiling, full length shutter windows, and a spacious bathroom with his & her sinks. In the room we also had a kettle, safe, TV, and mineral water, which was replenished daily.
Free wifi is also provided in the room and all common areas, and runs at a decent speed. We never had any trouble connecting. In fact, I was able to get some work done online without hassle.
We found our stay at 23 Love Lane to be incredibly peaceful. As the hotel is away from any main roads, the only noise came from the birds chirping and the peaceful fountain in the garden. I’m telling you – 23 Love Lane is an oasis in Georgetown.
FACILITIES
Every room booking comes with breakfast provided daily in their adjacent restaurant SteakFrites@23 and is served up to 10:30am. Guests are able to order a variety of hot dishes, including omelette, fried noodles, and fried rice. Then from 4-6pm daily, the hotel provides all its in-house guests with a free afternoon tea, which consists of light snacks and drinks.
In addition, there are light snacks such as biscuits and fruit available throughout the day to in-house guests. You can also order mineral water, soft drinks or tea/coffee at any time, which is included in your room package. I felt this that this was a great service for guests.
Finally, there is a small library lounge on the second level, which is open to all in-house guests to use. The hotel offers free coffee and tea making facilities, as well as a small fridge if guests need it. It was a lovely space to sit and have a good cup of tea and browse through the selection of books available.
THE VERDICT
Forget modern style hotels – immerse yourself into the culture and history of Georgetown by staying at this lovely boutique heritage hotel. 23 Love Lane is so full of character, which reflects the diverse history of this part of Malaysia.
23 Love Lane is only a short distance walk to the many attractions and delicious food of Georgetown, making it easy to get around. Prices start at RM520 (A$170/U$128) per night for a room, which is affordable when you consider the high quality product and service you will receive.
Source: Hello Raya