Hotel Jen Penang

As a Shangri-La member and returning guest, we expected a much better experience. We arrived after 10pm following a flight with our baby. Naturally, we expected our room to be fully prepared so that we could settle in and rest immediately. Instead, we found that there were no room slippers, the shampoo dispenser was empty and no baby cot too. When we called to request the missing slippers, the staff member (a lady) was unhelpful and rude. She instructed asked us to check the closet and underneath the luggage bench, obviously we had already done so before calling and we are familiar with where these items are normally placed. We also asked if possible to change to another room. Without a second thought, she immediately told us the hotel was fully booked. When making our reservation, we requested a baby cot and asked not to be assigned the room at the end of the corridor, but neither request was fulfilled. This gave us the impression that the remarks on our reservation were either overlooked or ignored entirely. While the missing amenities were disappointing, what concerned us most was the lack of attention to guest requests and the poor service we received. Hope you will review this matter and take steps to improve the guest experience in the future.

We had a very pleasant stay from 22th till 25th July. Breakfast was fine, room suite was very clean. Ramli and mohm nizan from service were fantastic and helped us with everything.

Dear General Manager, Member Number:690116484804 I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent stay at JEN Penang by Shangri-La from 10 to 13 July, during which my wife and I were celebrating her 60th birthday. I have been a loyal guest of Shangri-La hotels for many years, which is why the experience during this stay was particularly disappointing. I chose JEN Penang over Golden Sands because of its convenient location within walking distance of Georgetown, and I expected the standard of service and hospitality that the Shangri-La brand is known for. Unfortunately, what we experienced fell well below those expectations. Several weeks before my arrival, I contacted the hotel to request vegetarian food at the Club Lounge. Having stayed previously, I knew there were virtually no suitable vegetarian options available, so I made this request well in advance to allow the kitchen ample time to prepare. Specifically, I requested vegetable kurma and tofu sambal. on 11th July 2026 to Ms Eja from Club Lounge Instead, I was served what resembled an airline meal with everything was placed together on a single plate, which is entirely inappropriate in a lounge setting. The kurma was excessively thick, and the "tofu sambal" consisted merely of fried tofu with sambal poured over the top. It was obvious that very little thought or effort had gone into fulfilling a request that had been communicated weeks in advance. I returned the meal to the kitchen and explained my concerns. Rather than correcting the order and serving the requested kurma separately, I was instead presented with dhal. More disappointingly, several members of staff including the Executive Chef insisted that I had requested dhal. I did not. Dhal is not something I would specifically request at a hotel, and I found it frustrating that staff repeatedly attempted to tell me what I had supposedly ordered instead of acknowledging the mistake and resolving it appropriately. At that point, I declined any further food or explanations because I had completely lost confidence in the service being provided. What happened next was, regrettably, even more disappointing. I had informed the hotel in advance that my wife was celebrating her 60th birthday and requested a birthday cake. What was presented to us was, without exaggeration, the most embarrassing and disappointing birthday gesture I have encountered at any Shangri-La property. Instead of a birthday cake, we were given a fruit jelly wrapped in plastic film, shaped to resemble a cake, accompanied by a tiny plastic "Happy Birthday" decoration. I was genuinely speechless. My wife was celebrating her 60th birthday, not her sixth. The presentation felt thoughtless, cheap, and entirely inconsistent with the standards I have come to associate with the Shangri-La brand. Rather than making the occasion memorable for the right reasons, it became deeply embarrassing. Earlier during my stay here I was given several business cards and contact numbers, with assurances that I could reach out should I have any concerns for my future reservation . I have since emailed and calls those contacts and, to date, have received no response whatsoever from Mr Kevin and Pamela This raises the obvious question: what is the purpose of providing guests with contact details and promising assistance if those communications are simply ignored? Having stayed with Shangri-La properties over many years, I know what the brand represents—thoughtful hospitality, attention to detail, and genuine guest care. Sadly, my experience at JEN Penang reflected none of these values. In particular, the handling of my wife's birthday celebration was so poor that I struggle to reconcile it with the Shangri-La name. Based on this experience, I do not believe JEN Penang demonstrated the level of service that guests reasonably expect from a hotel carrying the Shangri-La brand. I have already documented this experience, together with photographs of the vegetarian meal and the birthday "cake", on Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and X to accurately reflect what occurred during our stay. I am requesting a personal response regarding this matter. Specifically, I would appreciate either: a telephone call from the General Manager of JEN Penang, or contact from an appropriate senior representative of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts within seven days of receipt of this email. Should I receive no response within that timeframe, I will have little option but to escalate this matter further through the appropriate channels. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards Purushottaman CEO ERIKCOM BUSINESS SOLUTIONS