Cheong Fatt Tze, The Blue Mansion

In my opinion, the tour of the mansion comes highly recommend. I thoroughly enjoy the 45 minute rundown of the mansion's history and the many artifacts on display. It is amazing to see how well the mansion was restored and maintain to this day, and with novice interest in architecture, I'm blown away by the historical aesthetic of the place. Special mention to the tourguide, Sally, who provided a very informative, educational and most importantly entertaining guide of the mansion. You can tell she has a lot of passion for this beautiful building and its history. Highly recommend any history buff to conduct the tour.

We stayed 3 nights at the Blue Mansion and took the complimentary tour one afternoon. From the warm arrival until our departure all the staff were unfailingly helpful and courteous with everything from excellent service at breakfast to help booking restaurants and recommendations on where to eat. We ate at the Indigo restaurant one evening and having a cocktail 🍸 on the verandah was memorable. The tour was excellent and informative. The house is absolutely stunning and has been beautifully renovated.

It was amazing to be able to stay here, a heritage site. Service is superb. Food was lovely, breakfast was superb. Tour is very informative. Amazing view in the evening when the tour groups left with the red lanterns lit. Lovely to walk around the mansion then. During weekends, there’s live guzheng performance. The mansion has a cat that appears in the morning. Had a superb amazing time at the mansion. A must stay.

Our stay at The Blue Mansion made our trip to Penang Island both enjoyable and unforgettable.||||We spent two separate nights here, and from the moment we arrived on our first stay—well past midnight—the staff went above and beyond. The receptionist was incredibly helpful, assisting us with our suitcases up the stairs to our room on the first floor and providing us with a brief introduction to the hotel. The next morning, after enjoying a delicious breakfast in one of the most iconic spots in the hotel, we had the chance to take numerous beautiful photos around the property. Since most areas of the hotel are reserved exclusively for guests, we were able to capture countless remarkable shots without the distraction of crowds.||||The Blue Mansion, a UNESCO-listed historic building, is a true architectural gem. Its restoration is nothing short of amazing, showcasing a perfect blend of heritage and modern comfort. Every detail, from the intricate wooden carvings to the beautifully restored tiles, speaks of the rich history and culture of Penang. It’s a place where the past and present coexist seamlessly.||||Every staff member we encountered was warm, friendly, and eager to ensure we had an exceptional experience. A special mention goes to Fazli, who was not only extremely helpful but also kind enough to share invaluable travel tips for Penang. Another young staff member was particularly eager to assist, helping us with our luggage as we left for a short stay at a resort, and again when we returned to The Blue Mansion.||||Our second stay was even more remarkable. Most of the staff recognized us and greeted us with warm smiles, making us feel truly at home. We were also fortunate enough to dine at the hotel’s renowned restaurant, Indigo. The restaurant offers a charming, airy setting with high ceilings and serves a unique blend of Asian fusion and traditional Malaysian dishes, all within the restaurant's old-style, atmospheric surroundings. The meal was extraordinary, and the ambiance was perfect, complemented by impeccable service. The staff went above and beyond, taking multiple photos of us to capture the special moments during our dinner.||||We’ll definitely return to The Blue Mansion on our next visit to Penang. It holds a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to creating more memories.

The guided tour is a must and highly recommended. I had Terry as the guide for my group and she was simply amazing; knowledgeable, a wonderful presenter and passionate about the history. The website said the guided tours were sold out, but I was able to purchase a ticket from the ticket gate/ counter to the left of the building earlier in the day for the 3.30pm tour, so don’t let the website put you off. Sadly many parts of the building are off limits unless you’re a guest at the hotel. The beautiful pond outside the hotel has since been paved over, but still a wonderfully photogenic spot to visit.

A great experience to stay in a heritage hotel as Blue Mansion. The room is spacious and bathroom well renovated. For those who seek to try out a hotel that is unusual and unique, book yourself in one of 18 rooms available. The only downside is many visitors poking around to enjoy the house tour. We had a great time, staff were friendly and helpful.

This house was once ranked among the world's top ten mansions and is over 120 years old. If you love history and appreciate historical mansions with a blend of Eastern and Western influences, this is a great place to visit and take photos. You’ll need to purchase an entry ticket at the entrance, which costs 25 per person. Guided tours are available every one to two hours, where they explain the history of the house and its past residents. If the main gate is closed, it means you’ll need to wait for the next guided tour session before they open it. After the tour, you’re free to explore and take photos on your own.

The building and our room was incredible. However the staff and service were not up to scratch. I was expecting high levels of service and hospitality but it was poor. Particularly the staff at breakfast, they didn't clear plates, should have provided instructions/guidance/introduction to how it worked, they would have to be asked to take our orders, breakfast was not out and ready at breakfast start time. The bell staff who brought are luggage was very dramatic and acting about how tough carrying our bags the short distance was to get a tip. We had an ant problem in our room and our mini fridge exploded after staff put it on too cold- when I reported it to reception I got no apology. Concierge service was good. I'd stay one night for the experience not your whole stay

The gate was closed right behind me. So how lucky I was to get the last tour ticket. I suggest pre buy on line. This mansion, now historical hotel was built in the late 19th century by Cheong Fatt Tze. He wanted to convey the essence of majesty and elegance. And he did !! The mansion seems to have it all. He consulted with the era's leading Feng Shui master and sophisticated beauty of traditional Chinese houses. He was trying to preserve his heritage and share his love of culture and tradition through architecture. He had an incredible eye for details, so allow yourself time to wander on the self guided tour. He brought artisans in from Southern China and imported building materials from as far as Scotland, like the wrought iron spiral staircases. The mansion is one of two such buildings of this size, it has 5 courtyards. In its heyday The Blue Mansion was the pivotal heart of the city. The mansion served both as a home and an office. It was the base for Cheong Fatt Tze's commercial enterprises, housed the Chinese Vice-Consulate and was home to his favoured 7th wife. The back of the mansion were kept away Cheong Fatt Tze's business and administrative work. These quarters were for favored family members. Today the back rooms are hotel rooms and suites. After the passing of Cheong Fatt Tze in 1916, the Mansion fell into disrepair and left the Mansion to erode with the passing of time. The Mansion was sold to a small group of Penang conservationists who took to restore it to its former glory around the 1990's. They took six years for the conservationists to repair the Blue Mansion trough a detailed process to preserve and restore as much of its original fabric and structure. They used Penang artisans, local materials, and the principle to retain the with the application of traditional methods. So today you set onto the property and it's a portal back in time over a hundred years ago. Tours are limited and go fast. The tour is restricted to the front main portion of the mansion since a large portion is now a restaurant, bar and hotel rooms. This is definitely on my list to stay at when I return to the area. Also on the tour were fabulous pieces of housewares, clothing and notes from popular movies shot here. Definitely a must see.

Pretty low end experience. Not sure what is being paid for. Entry gets you into a hotel / restaurant lobby. Interesting building and history but not that interesting that is it worth visiting. I would pass on this place.

If you venture to Penang, you should stop at the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Museum. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Museum is a historic sight on the island of Penang. It is also known as the Blue Mansion as the color of the mansion is blue. This was the former residence of Cehong Fatt Tze who was a well respected businessman, politician and instrumental to Penang's growth. The mansion conducts tours during the day at 3 showings. It also is a hotel and houses a restaurant. During the tour, you will learn about Cheong Fatt Tze and how the creation of the mansion. You will be able to go to the two floors and view the various belongings of the past inhabitors. The tour is about 1.5 hours. Tours are conducted in English and in Chinese. The famous mahjong scene from the movie Crazy Rich Asians was filmed here on the first floor. Note - they are diligent in time management. They will allow visitors to gather in the lobby 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour time.

This museum is also a hotel accomodation. I booked my tour online and they only do two tours in english on certain days. I booked mines a day ahead and there were still a lot of spots that were not filled when I looked. Although it seemed like it gets sold out because it can only accomodate up to certain amount of people. If you're too early for the tour, there's a cafe where I bought coffee but also served breakfast and pastries thats attached to the mansionand its really cute and after the tour you can opt out to dine at the fine dining restaurant if you want to splurge. I reserved mines before the tour started. They have a really good 3 course menu.

Note that they only offer tours of the mansion at 11am, 2pm, and 3:30pm. The mansion is also a hotel and restaurant, so you may be able to check out the lobby, but I don't think you can just walk in to browse otherwise. If you're not planning on going for the hotel or restaurant, take the tour. You just show up at the tour time, buy a ticket (no tour participant limit), and walk in. The tour guide was really engaging, and although he didn't show many rooms, he talked a lot about the history and architecture of the home and the life of Cheong Fatt Tze. Highlights of the tour: - Hearing about how the mosaics outside the building were made (not using flat mosaic tile, but chips from bowls) - How the mansion survived WWII and became a slum - The painstaking restoration process to bring the mansion back to its former glory - Learning about feng shui and the impact on the mansion - Hearing how Cheong Fatt Tze got rich - Hearing why the mansion was painted blue - Seeing the main courtyard area, a wife's bedroom, and where Cheong entertained guests - Checking out the architecture influences from Europe (tiles from England, columns from Scotland) and China ("East meets West") This mansion was designated as an UNESCO site, and the upkeep of the property and the tour were both fantastic. About a 45 minute tour. 17 RM per person. Well worth it!

This place is one of those places you must visit if you travel to Penang. You must know Cheong Fatt Tze. If not, you need to learn about this man. There are many historical reasons to come and learn about his life and what he did for Malayasian culture, but there are important lessons to learn about the rise and fall of wealth that go beyond the rags to riches story. It's a short walk through, but our tour guide gave such a colorful picture of this world. He was excellent she painted a picture of the height of its empire worthy of a Disney award she had the voice and the soulful dance to pull you into the Fengshui. I recommend stopping by and planing maybe 2 hours here. Expect to chill and request the English version and if you can seek the lady with the British accent. She is excellent!

It's not bad. I wish the curator Pat would go upstairs and talk about the fashion of the people then. Her talk is good but she needs to show the exhibit as well. She talks at the entrance and inside the pond area . I got nice pictures though.

We arrived early to the tour (10:15 when the tour starts at 11) and we called the front desk to ask if we could wait in the hotel lobby while we wait for the tour to begin. They said that they couldn't since the hotel guests were still eating breakfast. We originally thought that the hotel was open to outside guests for breakfast but they said that they were not. Very disappointing since it was over 30C outside. We had to find shade across the street.