Discover family-friendly hotels in Penang, Malaysia

Visit to view fabulous temples, relax on sandy beaches, ascend jungle-covered hills and mingle with an exotic cast of characters. As the oldest of Malaysia's British Straits settlements, predating Singapore and Melaka, it's no surprise that this established destination has long been on travellers' wish-lists, but a fresh clutch of boutique hotels are bringing a more stylish, intimate flavour to a sojourn here. The island's majority Chinese population help give Penang a personality all its own, but you'll find English and Indian influences afoot in bustling capital Georgetown, too. Sure, skyscrapers, Silicon Valley-esque software smarts and creeping modernity are mixing it with old-fashioned boutiques and bazaars these days, but buzzing from bar to beach in your trishaw – or wandering from tropical national park trails to temple-topped peaks – you can still find a peaceful pocket of the 'Pearl of the Orient' to polish as your own.