Lone Pine

I don't want to criticise the hotel itself, but rather the beach it faces. The Batu Ferringi beach took a hit during a tsunami many years ago and the coastal erosion is really bad. As another reviewer mentioned - several very big old trees on the Lone Pine hotel beachfront are being undermined, and look very close to collapse (see pics). Someone - whether the hotel, or the local council - installed large sandbags to act as breakwaters. But these have been ruptured over time and all collapsed, leaving a terrible mess of black plastic 'bin liner' material all along the beach. It's a total dump and an eyesore. Quite disgraceful that absolutely none of the stakeholders - the hotel, nor the council - seem interested in doing a thing to clean it up (see pics). This is not 'new' damage. This has been like this for over a year. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a 'pristine island beach vacation'. You will be very disappointed. I hope the hotel will realise this situation is damaging their reputation and their business, and will either get to work cleaning it up themselves, or else lobby the council hard to do so. This disgrace cannot continue. It's such a shame.

Some hotels are grand. Lone Pine Hotel in Penang is something far better — it is genuine. Returning after decades, I was struck by how beautifully it has held onto its soul. The pine trees still stand, the air is still serene, and the original building carries a quiet nostalgia that no amount of renovation can manufacture. From the moment we arrived, bellman Shaiful set the tone — warm, attentive, and effortless. The reception is intimate rather than imposing, and Suzi made check-in feel genuinely personal. Zura was welcoming at the front desk, and Maria arranged a house tour that had me seriously eyeing the Premier Courtyard rooms with their sea views — with Soorya as our wonderful guide throughout. Dinner brought us Qistina and Sharizam, and breakfast at The Bungalow introduced us to Chef Khalis and Hema, whose masala tea alone was worth the trip. Manager Faqih graciously welcomed feedback — a mark of true hospitality. Adila, Dubeis, and Siti rounded out the warmth of the team there. BBQ night was a highlight — Chef Zul and Chef Khalis served up grilled lamb, fish, prawns, and kebabs that were simply sumptuous. On the way back, I had the pleasure of meeting Rina from HR — professional, composed, and impressive. And a quiet thank you to Shamim from Housekeeping, who took great care of our rooms. The beds are heavenly, the bathrooms lovely, and falling asleep to the sound of waves is the kind of luxury money rarely buys. Very few hotels leave a mark. Lone Pine did — instantly. I will be back, and I suspect it will become our regular getaway.

The hotel is ideally situated in Batu Ferrenghi very close to Long Beach food court and Power Up. Unfortunately the beach immediately outside the hotel has more or less disappeared with 5 big trees that have fallen seaward with erosion and only access to beach is by the water sports area. The room was spacious and very clean and 2 staff members who were exceptional were Maria and Hena, they were very customer orientated,but other than that, the staff at breakfast ( not Hena) were slow, not clearing tables and using their phones a lot! The bar by pool was not always staffed and could take 30 mins if you ordered a drink. Breakfast had loads of choices and tea and coffee to order. The night market is immediately outside the hotel. On the whole a good stay, but was disappointed that we couldn’t use beach immediately outside the hotel. Grab taxis easily available to take you into Georgetown, Penang Hill etc. certainly not expensive either.