{"id":25158,"date":"2026-01-02T13:41:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T05:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=25158"},"modified":"2026-01-02T13:41:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T05:41:02","slug":"the-edison-george-town-old-world-charm-meets-modern-elegance-in-penangs-unesco-listed-capital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=25158","title":{"rendered":"The Edison George Town: old-world charm meets modern elegance in Penang\u2019s Unesco-listed capital"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1xdhyk6 ec74h0k0\">When Eugene Tan and Rina Teoh opened The Edison George Town in 2016, the capital of <span data-qa=\"Component-Text\" class=\"css-0 ef9u0v00\">Penang Island in Malaysia<\/span> had yet to become the social media magnet it is today.<\/div>\n<p datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1c6uqr6 ec74h0k1\">The quaint and charming city, which in 2008 was named a Unesco World Heritage site, has always been a top destination among travellers to Southeast Asia, but in recent years it\u2019s been attracting a new cohort of visitors looking for that perfect Instagram post.<\/p>\n<div datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1xdhyk6 ec74h0k0\">From the incredible <span data-qa=\"Component-Text\" class=\"css-0 ef9u0v00\">variety of its food<\/span> to its vibrant street art and long history influenced by all the different ethnicities that have called it home over the centuries \u2013 Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Malays and Europeans, among them \u2013 George Town is a melting pot and a wonderful place to get lost in.<\/div>\n<div class=\"image-inline-container e1a5rv550 css-1llrc1m e1yqhwb40\" data-qa=\"Component-renderMap-StyledDiv\">\n<div class=\"image-inline caption e1fvabeq0 css-19sk4h4 ea9pn0s0\" data-qa=\"Component-Container\">\n<figure class=\"image-inline caption ea9pn0s1 css-1qeofuq e1gf69pb0\" data-qa=\"ArticleImage-ArticleImageContainer\">\n<div data-qa=\"ArticleImage-handleRenderImage-ImageContainer\" class=\"css-0 e1gf69pb3\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Edison George Town is housed in a heritage colonial building dating back to 1906. Photo: Handout\" data-qa=\"BaseImage-handleRenderImage-StyledImage\" class=\"e1gf69pb2 css-6ikqhs e445x7d0\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/01\/02\/6114ddd4-b196-4574-aa9e-28a261945f6b_fc2015f9.jpg\" title=\"The Edison George Town is housed in a heritage colonial building dating back to 1906. Photo: Handout\"\/><\/div><figcaption data-qa=\"ArticleImage-DescriptionContainer\" class=\"css-1ixmelf e1gf69pb1\">The Edison George Town is housed in a heritage colonial building dating back to 1906. Photo: Handout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1c6uqr6 ec74h0k1\">Like many hotels in the heart of the city, The Edison is housed in a heritage building. Dating back to 1906, the Anglo-colonial structure, designed by architect David Nathaniel, was established as the residence of a wealthy Chinese tycoon, Yeo Wee Gark.<\/p>\n<div datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1xdhyk6 ec74h0k0\">Centred around an open courtyard surrounded by corridors and hallways, the hotel is \u201ca marriage of old and new\u201d, as Teoh explained during a recent visit. After acquiring the property in 2012, she and Tan, who is also her husband, embarked on a four-year restoration, adding a pool under a canopy of tropical trees, an all-day guest lounge, and sprucing up the interiors to cater to the needs of <span data-qa=\"Component-Text\" class=\"css-0 ef9u0v00\">demanding luxury travellers<\/span>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"image-inline-container e1a5rv550 css-1llrc1m e1yqhwb40\" data-qa=\"Component-renderMap-StyledDiv\">\n<div class=\"image-inline caption e1fvabeq0 css-19sk4h4 ea9pn0s0\" data-qa=\"Component-Container\">\n<figure class=\"image-inline caption ea9pn0s1 css-1qeofuq e1gf69pb0\" data-qa=\"ArticleImage-ArticleImageContainer\">\n<div data-qa=\"ArticleImage-handleRenderImage-ImageContainer\" class=\"css-0 e1gf69pb3\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lush vegetation provides natural shade in the pool area. Photo: Handout\" data-qa=\"BaseImage-handleRenderImage-StyledImage\" class=\"e1gf69pb2 css-6ikqhs e445x7d0\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/01\/02\/c9c438f6-ef9e-4568-be45-463b03083dac_ee705aa2.jpg\" title=\"Lush vegetation provides natural shade in the pool area. Photo: Handout\"\/><\/div><figcaption data-qa=\"ArticleImage-DescriptionContainer\" class=\"css-1ixmelf e1gf69pb1\">Lush vegetation provides natural shade in the pool area. Photo: Handout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1c6uqr6 ec74h0k1\">While many renovation projects often strip legacy buildings of their souls, The Edison has managed to keep its old-world charm while also providing an impeccable experience for travellers who may be intimidated by the idea of staying in an old mansion. With its green shutters, carved wrought-iron colonnades, colourful tiles and lush vegetation in the outdoor areas, the hotel is a celebration of George Town\u2019s multicultural architecture.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-inline-container e1a5rv550 css-1llrc1m e1yqhwb40\" data-qa=\"Component-renderMap-StyledDiv\">\n<div class=\"image-inline caption e1fvabeq0 css-19sk4h4 ea9pn0s0\" data-qa=\"Component-Container\">\n<figure class=\"image-inline caption ea9pn0s1 css-1vtntpq e1gf69pb0\" data-qa=\"ArticleImage-ArticleImageContainer\">\n<div data-qa=\"ArticleImage-handleRenderImage-ImageContainer\" class=\"css-0 e1gf69pb3\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The open-air courtyard at the heart of the hotel is a great place to meet fellow travellers. Photo: Handout\" data-qa=\"BaseImage-handleRenderImage-StyledImage\" class=\"e1gf69pb2 css-6ikqhs e445x7d0\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/01\/02\/52a3bde1-f1ca-4c48-b71c-74c16a300637_36ba0bd8.jpg\" title=\"The open-air courtyard at the heart of the hotel is a great place to meet fellow travellers. Photo: Handout\"\/><\/div><figcaption data-qa=\"ArticleImage-DescriptionContainer\" class=\"css-1ixmelf e1gf69pb1\">The open-air courtyard at the heart of the hotel is a great place to meet fellow travellers. Photo: Handout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p datatype=\"p\" data-qa=\"Component-Component\" class=\"e8zc9q40 css-1c6uqr6 ec74h0k1\">The beautifully appointed rooms are welcoming and warm. Decorated with retro furniture that pays homage to the building\u2019s origins, they\u2019re equipped with comfortable sitting areas and spacious bathrooms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/magazines\/style\/lifestyle\/travel-hotels\/article\/3338464\/edison-george-town-old-world-charm-meets-modern-elegance-penangs-unesco-listed-capital?utm_source=rss_feed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Eugene Tan and Rina Teoh opened The Edison George Town in 2016, the capital of Penang Island in Malaysia had yet to become the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4840],"tags":[3120,6551,14931,14933,1010,797,1468,14932,14934,981,14935],"class_list":["post-25158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-globetrotting","tag-capital","tag-charm","tag-edison","tag-elegance","tag-george","tag-meets","tag-modern","tag-oldworld","tag-penangs","tag-town","tag-unescolisted","wpcat-4840-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}