One of the best parts of travel is the element of surprise. You visit a place with certain expectations and, when you finally arrive, you’re greeted with something completely different. This is even more delightful when what you discover is so far out of left field that it opens your eyes even wider to the wider possibilities of your chosen destination. And, ironically, sometimes these bursts if creativity end up being the highlight of your trip.
[]
Case in point, the Macalister Mansion in Penang. Macalister Mansion is a 100-year-old mansion in George Town, Penang, Malaysia; it has been conserved and adapted as a hotel.[1]
Its name honours Penang’s British Governor Colonel Norman Macalister, who was lost at sea in 1810, when Penang was still known as “Prince of Wales Isle”. Macalister Mansion was designed by Ministry of Design, a Singaporean-owned architecture firm. It occupies 1,700 square meters.
But, to be sure, this is not a dusty, crusty old relic. A top to bottom renovation was completed in 2012.
