Right after we touched down, the staff from Golden Sands Resort, Penang, were all ready to pick us up as we had ask to arrange for airport pick up to the hotel. Finally, after about an hour's journey (factoring in slow traffic condition),we arrived at the resort.
The staff were welcoming, warm and friendly and before we could walked into the Cool lounge, the sighting of the pool got the kids really excited, checking in was seamless too! And guess what made me happy, free wifi all around the resort of course so that I could update my Instagram stories about our stay, go search for #JSinPen, if you would like to trace back on our Penang adventures.
We were totally impressed with our Executive Suite , which had full length sliding glass door allowing us to step out to the balcony, where the magnificant view of the beautiful landscape of the resort and the tranquil sea with sound of gentle waves greeted us, it was a suite with a view!
The room was spacious and luxurious! I have pinned them on my instagram highlights - Golden Sands Resort. Even the balcony was spacious with a beach chair laid facing the sea and I loved that the balcony was stretched all the way to the other living room where there was an additional pull-down bed! Xav 'chope' that bed immediately for the two nights stay while Don could not be any happier because he usually sacrificed the comfy bed for the couch so that there was no need for us to 'fight' for space. This stay, he could comfortably rest on the big and cosy bed!
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| Cute animal towels with Polly the parrots added a smile to the kids's face ! |
From the balcony of the living room, the two lagoon-style swimming pools, amidst the lush greenary definately looks inviting! It was no wonder the kids were so eager to get changed into their swimming gears and jumped right in!
I loved the shallow pool for children though supervision was needed but we did not need to be so stress that the pool may be too deep for her. The vibrant blue canopy right above, is just perfect to filter the scorching sun rays without having to compromise the skin to sunburnts thereafter. Play for as long as the kids wanted, no wonder we had a hard time pulling Vera out from the pool!
Look for for some pool activities organised by the staff of Golden Sands Resort too and managed to catch Xav in action for 'running' on water.
Splash Zone is a "zero depth', outdoor water play zone made up of two slides with a landing pool, tipping water bucket, animal sprayers, water cannons and the ground was designed to be anti-slip for the young guests. Thumbs up for all the consideration of making it so kids friendly! We did not managed to play in here because she simply refused to get out of the shallow pool!
How can a family friendly resort do without an indoor playground? Golden Sands Resort had it all in mind! Adventure Zone is the largest indoor playground in Penang with the facilities built on 10,300 square feet, catering family-style activities.
The highlights of Adventure zone were Hyperglide Astra Slide, the drop slides - Double Drop Slides and Demon Drop Slide which is a 24-feet vertical drop. When I walked up and looked down, I felt a lump in my throat, alright, I chickened out. I would suggest you go slow first, start off with the Hyperglide Astra Slide first before you try the other two.
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| Overview of Adventure Zone (Ground Floor) |
Believe it or not, Hyperglide Astra Slide could be exhilarating too! But seemed like a breeze for the kids!
The old 'kids' gave it a try together !
And the young ones together.
For Double Drop Slide and Demon Drop Slides, long sleeves top are compulsory. So do wear a light, long sleeve top else bring your sweater, if you are planning to take on these slides. Do not forget your socks too!
Demon Drop Double Slides was the one that made Xav's heart beat faster than usual. Initially, he resisted a little when he was seated right at the edge. I was standing somewhere near him but when I looked down, my heart nearly popped out.
It took him a few minutes to remain compose and he accepted the challenge and off he went, not once but a few times. Soon, he got the momentum of it.
apart from the above, there was also an obstacle course surrounding the premises for the young challengers to complete. On the upper level of Adventure Zone, houses Kids' Club, which offers entertainment like Nintendo Wii, a 55 inch TV for movies, playhouse corner, soft toy and board games. We were totally into the slides until we forgot to check out the upper deck.
As for Vera, she was happy to compete with us down Hyperglide Astra Slide and making new friends at the "Toddler Zone" which caters to kids 4 years and below, with a ball fountain, ball pit, padded corner climber, over-under hurdles and more!
Adventure Zone is open daily, from 10 a.m to 7 p.m.
A resort by the beach can never go wrong! Golden Sands Resort Penang, was built on the lovely Batu Ferringghi Beach, known to have softer and finer sand as compared to other beaches as shared by some of my Penangite friends. It was so convenient to hit the beach as it was right behind the Splash Zone.
Back in Singapore, we hardly hit the beach. Imagine the kids were on cloud nine when they were in touch with the sand and sea!
It was not just a beach for sun-tanning, it was a beach with a variety of water sports for you to choose from and Xav got his first ever experience riding on a jetski! He was asking for more after 20 mins.
And we did ventured out to George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was only 20 minutes drive away and we took the complimentary shuttle service made available for all guests of Golden Sands Resort. It is recommended that you make the booking one day before.
Dining options, right next to the resort lobby, it was an open-air venue where Garden Cafe served international spread during breakfast. Garden Cafe has a seating for 235 and I like it that it is strictly a non-smoking area.
I love this part of the cafe especially, where 1/3 of the cafe had glass ceiling right above, allowing the natural sunlight to pass through while we could still enjoy the greenary that surrounds. This cafe only operates from 6.30 a.m to 11 a.m.
We were were totally spoilt with the array of choices offered but be sure to give the Kapitan chicken a try! The curry was at the mildest level of spiciness yet fragrant with the blend of the spices. The meat of the chicken was really tender, I could easily slide it off the bones.
Always love freshly cook-on-the-spot omelette or a Sunny-Side Up!
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| The very friendly staff gave his most vibrant smile. =) |
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| One for the donut |
In the evening, dinner was at Sigi Bar and Grill on the beach in the evening and Jenn requested for a table by the beach, no regrets except for the dim lightings after the sky turned pitch dark.
This kid and family- friendly style restaurant offered both indoor and outdoor dining.
From freshly grilled seafood, oriental food, Malaysia's local favourite like satay and more, the kids were given choices to go for pizza or pasta and even bbq chicken wings.
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Freshly grilled seafood, sausages, chops and others
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We were in for a sumptuous buffet and not forgetting the extensive range of desserts on the dessert table. But I would prefer desserts like tiramisu to be served in individual cups than in a whole tray. I felt that it did not look appetizing with the anyhow scooped presentation left behind.
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Tasty grilled lamb anyone ?
Photographed by Jenn
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We fell in love with the mersmerising sunset and watched the parasailers drifted across the
glowing skies as we dined. We had been on and off running to the beach and sent our phone cameras
clicking away.
glowing skies as we dined. We had been on and off running to the beach and sent our phone cameras
clicking away.
It was truly a blessing to enjoy those moments with the family and friends, in that moment, with Jenn and her family. How often do we get to have such moments, these moments were indeed precious.
Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-la bagged two awards in 2012, for "Most Family-Friendly Hotel" as well as "Best Family Stay" category for the Expatriate Lifestyle Best of Malaysia 2012 Awards. I will highly recommend Golden Sands Resort, if you are planning for a Beach Vacation in Penang. This award winning resort offers much more than I have mentioned above. Thank you Golden Sands Resort for having us and we will definately be back again. Totally perfect for a beach vacation!
Location:
Batu Ferringgi Beach, Penang, 11100, Malaysia.
Phone: (60 4) 886 1911
You can also visit Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-la's Social Media pages for their future updates:
Planning for a family vacation to Penang with the family, hop over to Mylilbookworm as she got it blogged "Penang with Kids".
Other Malaysia related post:
KSL Resort and "Dinosaurs Alive" Water Theme Park
Land of Birds - Angry Bird Theme Park
Legoland Malaysia
Pulau Ketam
Land of Birds - Angry Bird Theme Park
Legoland Malaysia
Pulau Ketam
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Disclaimer: This is a partially sponsored post, no monetary compensation is involved and all opinions are of my own.
Wow, this article beautifully captures the essence of enjoying the nightlife in Kuala Lumpur! The vivid descriptions and insider tips make me want to book a flight right away. It's great to see the ' famous rooftop bar in KL ' being highlighted as a must-visit spot. The combination of breathtaking city views and delicious cocktails sounds like the perfect recipe for an unforgettable evening. Thanks for sharing such a fantastic guide to KL's vibrant rooftop scene!
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