A fun family stay at the Hard Rock Hotel Penang, Malaysia. There’s so much going on in Penang, from its fantastic foodie scene to cultural sights and wonderful Penang street art. If you’re travelling with kids, it’s important to get the balance right and we were really pleased to check into the Hard Rock Hotel in Penang. This is the perfect child (and adult) playground. It was ideal for mixing it up with the rest of our trip to this great island and our amazing family holiday to Malaysia.
Penang is one of Malaysia’s most exciting destinations. Known for its UNESCO-listed capital George Town, colourful street art, historic temples and incredible food culture, it’s somewhere many travellers come to explore. But after long days sightseeing, it’s also lovely to retreat somewhere that feels relaxed and fun.
That’s exactly what we found at the Hard Rock Hotel Penang.
Located right on the beach at Batu Ferringhi, the hotel combines the brand’s famous rock-and-roll style with family-friendly facilities, making it one of the most popular resorts in Penang for travellers with children.
👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.
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Table of Contents
Hard Rock Hotel Penang, Malaysia – Hotel and Location
The Hard Rock Hotel Penang is situated on the beach at Batu Ferringhi and has 250 rooms and suites.
Batu Ferringhi is one of the most popular beach areas in Penang. Located along the island’s northern coastline, it’s known for its sandy beach, watersports, relaxed resort atmosphere and famous night market.
The hotel is perfectly placed if you want to enjoy both Penang’s cultural attractions and some beach time.
It has restaurants, a kids club and a fantastic swimming pool featuring a lazy river, water slides and lots of fun play equipment. The hotel is packed full of pop memorabilia which the children loved running around to explore from The Beatles to Richie Sambora.
It also has three restaurants from the iconic Hard Rock Cafe to a Star Pizzeria and diner.
The hotel also has direct access to the beach.
One of the things that makes the Hard Rock Hotel Penang stand out from other family hotels in Penang is its lively atmosphere. Music plays throughout the lobby and corridors, and the walls are brightly decorated with memorabilia.
Sleeps
We stayed in one of Hard Rock’s family suites. This consisted of the main bedroom with large double bed and wall mounted television with the hotel’s own TV music channels.
Then through a sliding door a fun children’s annexe with two large singles (my two youngest very comfortably slept in one and the oldest in the other). These pull out and apart from one another.
The room also had its own television, PlayStation and a selection of cuddly toys and books all of which my three loved.
There was then a bathroom which was a little on the small size for a family with no bath but which adequately suited us.
The hotel does have other rooms available including balcony rooms and those that directly accessed the swimming pool.
These pool access rooms are particularly popular with families who want to step straight into the water from their terrace.
Food
Hard rock Cafe Penang
Well naturally when you stay at the Hard Rock Hotel you have to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. We had a really fun meal here.
The kid’s food is served on guitar plates which is a nice touch and my three tucked into macaroni cheese and fish and chips.
While we feasted on a starter of Hard Rock favourites like artichoke dip, potato skins and huge onion rings. We followed this with grilled salmon and I had the veggie fajitas which was a nice change from the delicious Malaysian food we’d been largely having.
And for pudding we shared a huge chocolate brownie with hot fudge sauce.
Starz Diner – breakfast
Breakfast at the Hard Rock Hotel was at the Starz Diner. There was a huge spread of food but at times it felt a little chaotic as the hotel was so full when we visited.
We ate well though and there was plenty for everyone from Malaysian classics like roti canai to full fry-ups.
One of the things we really appreciated was the mix of local Malaysian dishes and international breakfast favourites, meaning everyone could find something they liked.
Hard Rock Hotel Penang, Malaysia – The Best Bits
We thought the Hard Rock Hotel Penang was a great stay for those looking to enjoy some beach and pool time.
The pools are huge and absolutely fantastic and there really is something for everyone to enjoy.
In fact the pool complex here is often described as one of the best hotel pools in Penang.
There’s a sandy children’s play area in the water, slides, fountains and a lazy river that winds around the resort.
We loved the fun and happy vibe around the hotel.
There was music playing around the lobby and elevators and it was great at breakfast to find little plectrum cards with music lyrics on. Our eight-year-old seized upon these and kept testing us, getting us to sing, “Isn’t she Lovely” by Stevie Wonder by memory. Which was a funny way to start the day.
Worth Bearing in Mind
Batu Ferringhi is about thirty minutes outside of Georgetown. There isn’t a free shuttle with the hotel which would have been nice so it does feel like a trek to get into.
But if you’re looking for beach time then this is the perfect location.
There is a shuttle around the night market of Batu Ferrenghi which we took advantage of.
This hotel also feels very busy, particularly at weekends. This isn’t a hotel to come and chill out in but to have fun in.
Why stay at Hard Rock Hotel Penang with kids
If you’re planning a family holiday in Penang, the Hard Rock Hotel is one of the most popular places to stay.
The combination of beach access, large swimming pools, family suites and children’s entertainment means it’s designed with families in mind.
Some of the standout features include:
– One of the largest resort pools in Penang
– A kids club with daily activities
– Family-friendly suites with separate sleeping areas
– Direct beach access at Batu Ferringhi
– Restaurants offering both Western and Malaysian food
For families travelling around Malaysia, it can also be a great place to relax for a few nights after exploring cities like Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.
Child Friendly?
The Hard Rock Hotel Penang is very child friendly.
Our children loved spending time at the onsite kids club. Here they got to have a go at fun arts and crafts and there were toys to enjoy there too.
And it was so hard to drag them away from the pools. The children absolutely loved going down the water slides and gliding around the river.
The kid’s annexe in the room was great. Essentially, we were all in together but once the children were in bed it was possible to slide the door shut so we wouldn’t disturb them when we watched a film.
We really loved our time at the Hard Rock Hotel. It was the perfect place to unwind and for children to really enjoy themselves with lots of fun.
We can’t wait to try more in the group.
Things to do near Hard Rock Hotel Penang
Although the hotel itself offers plenty to do, there are also lots of attractions nearby.
Some of the best things to do near Hard Rock Hotel Penang include:
Batu Ferringhi Night Market – A lively evening market selling souvenirs, clothes and street food.
Penang National Park – A beautiful area for jungle walks and wildlife spotting.
George Town street art – The famous murals are a must-see when visiting Penang – read about our visit to George Town’s street art here.
Penang Hill – Offering spectacular views across the island.
Kek Lok Si Temple – One of the largest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia.
Combining cultural sightseeing with relaxing time at the hotel makes for a brilliant family itinerary in Penang.
Read all our best things to do in Penang with kids here.
FAQ – Hard Rock Hotel Penang
Is Hard Rock Hotel Penang good for families?
Yes, it’s widely considered one of the best family hotels in Penang thanks to its huge swimming pool, kids club and family suites.
Where is Hard Rock Hotel Penang located?
The hotel is located on Batu Ferringhi Beach, about 30 minutes from George Town.
Does Hard Rock Hotel Penang have a beach?
Yes, the hotel has direct beach access to Batu Ferringhi.
Is Batu Ferringhi a good place to stay in Penang?
Batu Ferringhi is ideal if you want beach time, watersports and resorts, while George Town is better for culture and historic sights.
Ready to book Hard Rock Hotel Penang?
You can find out more about the hotel and book your own stay here.
Read more of our Malaysia posts here
Read all about The best things to do in Penang with kids and Exploring the street art of Penang. You can also read about our trip Taking a Nyonya cookery class in Penanag and a full trip report of Our family holiday to Malaysia.
That’s an amazing swimming pool. That would be all my son would need to see to be sold on a hotel.
What a cool hotel and that waterpark is amazing!!
Do love a Hard Rock restaurant, didn’t realise they had hotels too. The kids’ annexe is so cool- looks great for families!
It looks amazing! Glad you had a great time x
Wow what an absolutely amazing looking hotel – I would love to stay there I think! x
The pool and slides look amazing. I like the annexe for the children. I think I’d like a quieter resort to relax but the kids would adore it 🙂
The first thing I notices was the fab pools. My boys would LOVE it. I am going to admit I am a hard rock virgin!
That looks like a wonderful hotel, I didn’t know Hard Rock had hotels x
What a fab place to stay, and what a fantastic place to visit as a family!
This sounds like a great place for a family stay. The room layout looks excellent and those pools look fantastic.
the kids room looks amazing! I’ve never stayed at a Hard Rock but I’ve always heard such great things about them, they look like they go that extra mile for sure! x
My kind of hotel and somewhere the kids would love. It’s a shame about the shuttle but as long as a work around is easy it wouldn’t put me off
What an amazing hotel and country, we truly ope we will be able to visit one day with Emma.xx
Oh how fabulous, I didn’t realise there were Hard Rock Hotels. This one sounds brilliant. What great fun for the kids and the food looks divine too 🙂