Saturday, November 2, 2013

Official Opening of Four Points by Sheraton Penang

30th of October 2013 marked the official opening of Four Points by Sheraton Penang, adding a new member to the Penang Hotel industry. Situated along Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Four Points by Sheraton is part of Starwood Resorts & Resorts Worldwide and Plenitude Berhad, the 220-rooms hotel has been refurbished to a modish and contemporary design. It was my honor to be invited to this auspicious official opening event. 

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with a total number of 1,162 properties in nearly 100 countries. Some of the renowned brands under the group are St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, Aloft, Four Points by Sheraton and Element. To reward the supports of public, the company boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs- Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. For more information about SPG, kindly visit www.starwoodhotels.com and www.spg.com.



Many thanks to Four Points by Sheraton- Cindy Yoong (Director of Marketing Communications of Starwood Malaysia Marketing Team), Kiran Hans (Marketing Communications Manager of Starwood Malaysia Marketing Team) and Angeline Chen (Assistant Manager, Digital Marketing of Four Points by Sheraton Penang) for extending the invitation.


Upon entering the hotel lobby, guests will be greeted by a breath-taking panoramic view of the straits of Malacca.

About the Hotel Rooms:
Four Points unique brand signatures have been carefully chosen to provide guests with complete comfort. The resort's 220 stylish guestrooms and suites share the amenities below:
  • Complimentary Bottled Water
  • Complimentary wireless high speed internet throughout the premises
  • Made-to-order breakfast
  • Great Coffee
  • Comfortable Signature Beds with plush matress, down pillows, cozy duvet and LCD flat screen television
  • Fitness facilities in the majority of locations
  • Spacious, state-of-the-art meeting spaces in most locations
Four Points by Sheraton Penang is offering a special introductory rate of Rm 199+/ night in a Deluxe Room for stays between now until March 31, 2014. The introductory offer includes double SPG Starpoints, 20% off food and beverages, and complimentary in-room Wi-Fi internet access. Prices are subject to changes without prior notice, kindly refer to their website for the latest prices. 

For more information or to make a reservation, please call 604- 371 8888 or email to reservations.03947@fourpoints.com or visit www.fourpoints.com/penang. 



Guests at the hotel lobby waiting for the official opening were being served a cup of chilled and refreshing drink- blended Nutmeg with Ginger Ale, sweet with a hint of Nutmeg and spicy end. 


Mr. Charles Abbott (Left 2- Regional Vice President of South East Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.), Mr. Kurt Vieren (Left 3- General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton Penang), YB Danny Law (Right 3- Penang State Tourism and Development EXCO), Madam Elsie Chua (Right 2- Executive Chairperson of Plenitude Berhad).


Guests were then invited to make a move to their ballroom at level 6 which equipped with the latest audiovisual technology. The opening ceremony started with Mr. Charles Abbott (Regional Vice President- South East Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.) delivering his speech followed by Madam Elsie Chua (Executive Chairperson of Plenitude Berhad). In the Q&A session, Mr. Kurt Vieren (General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton Penang) says that he would like to put his focus in promoting the food and restaurants in the hotel, offering delectable dishes at very reasonable prices to Penangites!  


"Passing the Key"- Mr. Charles Abbott (Left 1), Madam Elsie Chua (Left 2), Mr. Kurt Vieren (Middle) and Ms. Janice Yeo (Right 1- Senior Manager, Brand Management of Asia Pacific Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, Element).


Guests were then invited for a buffet lunch at the restaurant- The Eatery. I was rather surprised to find out the interesting buffet spread at the restaurant- Cheese Platter, Black Mussels, Scallops, Smoked Salmon, Roasted Beef/ Chicken/ Lamb, Fresh Greens, Spanish Seafood Paella, Tiramisu and more. The Eatery offers buffet breakfast only for the time being, more buffet themes (Christmas and New Year) will be coming out soon.

The Eatery:
Buffet Breakfast (6:30am to 10:30am Daily)- Rm 49 + (6% government tax). 


Cheese lovers will be pleased to see the Cheese Platter available, which consists of Blue Cheese, Brie, Cheddar and some cream crackers to go with the cheese. It offered a refreshing crunch of healthy greens such as Celery, Cucumber and Carrot in the face of sheer sinful indulgence too.


Seafood lovers will be amazed and spoiled by the choices available- Blanched Scallops, Black Mussels, succulent Prawns. The Prawns were not over-cooked, they were pleasingly firm but not hard to the bite. Perfect to savor with just a dash of Lemon Juice to further enliven the natural seafood sweetness within. The Smoked Salmon, on the other hand, was slightly saltier than expected but I was impressed by the thickness of the fish though. 


Its not common to see Spanish Seafood Paella in any buffets, Four Points by Sheraton Penang's version scored an okay-average from me. No doubt the seafood were fresh but the seafood sweetness failed to infuse within; mild in flavors and lacked of the "X" factor. It needs some refinement but it has potential. The Roasted Beef was little less successful either, it was dry and the texture was rough. Worst part was, the lack of a good sauce to go with it. Among the dishes I had, the Sambal Curry Squid with Petai was lip-smacking. Slightly resilient but not hard to chew, the dish was good but even better spooned over rice. Other dishes available were Kung Po Chicken, Sze Chuan Spicy Lamb, Stir Fried Broccoli with Mushrooms, Cheese Baked Oysters and Sauteed Potato Cubes etc.


The sweet endings were Pseudo Mille Feuille, Moist Chocolate Cake, Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce and assorted Nyonya Kuih. I was especially enamored with their Pesudo Mille Feuille, the crisp and thin layers of Phyllo were slathered with their velvety smooth Vanilla Cream; very sinful but worth the calories. The Bread Pudding was okay, kept warm but the disappointment comes after the Vanilla sauce which lacked of a very strong Vanilla essence. There is also an al-fresco dining section on the side of the restaurant, facing the straits of Malacca; having your desserts in the middle of a stunning view is indeed a wonderful life moment. 


The Best Brew Pub features a sleek and stylish outdoor deck overlooking the spectacular sea view, guests can savor delicious snacks and indulge in a worldly collection of beers including authentic local favorites and imported beers. It is simply too futile to resist Pasta dishes starting at Rm 15+, wouldn't it be great to savor cheap and good pasta dishes in a pub with such relaxing-vibe?


Additional Information:
Address: 505, Jalan Tanjung Bungah, 11200, Penang.
Contact Number: 604- 371 8888

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