Monday October 19, 2009

Fun in the sun

WHEN you’re in Hard Rock Hotel Penang, try this. Call up front desk from your room. Instead of the usual “How may I help you, sir?” greeting, this one answers you with: “How may I rock your world today, sir?”

It’s a bit of a shock to the system at first, but once you take it all in with the Hard Rock concept in mind, it’s not that strange anymore. When you sign your name on the dotted line upon registering at the hotel’s check-in counter, you won’t see the usual “Signature” on the form. Instead, it’s “Autograph”.

Idyllic setting: Hard Rock Hotel Penang is located right on the beach in Batu Feringghi and boasts the largest swimming pool in Penang.

It’s the rock star life. But, of course, don’t throw the TV out of your hotel room window. Please leave that to Keith Richards or Alice Cooper.

Hard Rock’s hotel chain was a natural progression, another logical step in business expansion. “It just evolved, you know,” said John Primmer, general manager of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. “It’s like how some of these boutique hotel chains maybe started with a spa or something like that.”

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the 11th in the chain, and one is being constructed in Singapore, due to open next year.

Two more in Dubai and Abu Dhabi will open in 2012. Hotels include Bali, Pattaya, Orlando, Chicago and San Diego; while Hotels and Casinos can be found in Macau, Las Vegas, Hollywood, Biloxi, Tampa and Tulsa.

The very first Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was in Las Vegas (built in 1995, and sold to Morgans Hotel Group in 2006), while Hard Rock Hotel Bali was the first in Asia.

The hotels in Bali, Pattaya and Penang are managed by Singapore-based HPL Hotels & Resorts which also manages the Concorde Hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, KLIA and Singapore.

Located on Batu Ferringhi beach, the 250-room Hard Rock Hotel Penang is right smack on the hotels-and-resorts trail along the seaside. Being a resort hotel, Hard Rock is naturally more than just a bed-and-breakfast place.

The statue of Michael Jackson sitting in an armchair ala Lincoln in front of the Cafe was made in tribute to the late King of Pop.

While there is public transportation to take you into George Town or elsewhere, one can really “camp out” at the hotel and enjoy the many activities and facilities (spa, gym, pool). There are live music performances and movies down at the lobby at night, along with fire-eating and juggling shows. Or you can head to the cafe located within the building for more live music.

“We have a whole team of entertainment people,” said Primmer. “Their job is to go out and delight people, and then do something a little bit unexpected, whether it’s bellydancing or a fire show or some hip-hop dancing, or just putting on some crazy costumes and having a jam session. And we’ve bands going on all over the place. We like to mix it up.” – By Allan Koay

Related story:
Hallway of fame