Bertam Resort & Water Park

The former Kayangan Resort had been left abandoned for over 13 years following a short-lived operation marred by mismanagement. Bertam Resort is a brave reimagining, delivering record setting facilities that exude luxury and style. In its transformation, the water park and resort pools have both more than doubled in size, while they have expanded the hotel’s offerings to serve not only tourists but corporate events, weddings, teambuilding and culinary delights. Despite being far off Penang's tourism map, the unique Malay-Moroccan themed resort continues to be in high demand, dazzling guests with its eclectic architecture.

To create a visual departure from its predecessor, the owners opted for a Moroccan/African inspired aesthetic, which, when paired with the existing Malay vernacular creates a truly distinct architectural style. A touch of modernity is also present thanks to the use of Bensley-esque patterns in black and white. At night, a gentle blue glow emanates from the lobby, reflecting its brilliant luminance onto the pool beneath. The most radical alteration is the lowering of the courtyard space by nearly 3m. This impactful change not only elevates the lobby further, but more importantly allows the ground floor spaces around the courtyard to be transformed into poolside facilities. Various adjustments to the layout ultimately resulted in a significant improvement in clarity of movement and form, transforming the formerly fragmented 3 and 4 star hotels to a cohesive and expansive 5 star tropical resort.