GEORGE TOWN: Holidaymakers with a penchant for old world charm can head to Penang Hill where two heritage buildings will be available for rent by the end of October.

Hillside Bungalow and Tulip House – built in 1900 and the 1920s respectively by the British – are being renovated under the Hillside Retreat Penang project.

Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Cheok Lay Leng said Hillside Retreat Penang could accommodate up to 80 people.

“Restoration on Hillside Bungalow and Tulip House started in 2017 and is expected to be completed in October,” he said.

“The colonial buildings will be made available to the public once they are ready and

an official launch date will be announced soon.

“Hillside Bungalow, which is along the Upper Tunnel Road, comprises four boutique rooms, four bunk rooms and an open area that can accommodate up to 16 four-person tents for camping.

“Tulip House, located below the main Summit Road, has two rooms.

“Besides a design that blends well with the environment, the extensive amenities include living and dining areas, toilets and shower rooms, storage for refuse and recycle mate­rial, a rain harvesting system and many other eco-friendly features,” Cheok told reporters here yesterday.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who was also present, said the public-private partnership project was in support of PHC’s vision to make Penang Hill a resort of choice in both Malaysia and the region.

“The project will provide more opportunities for tourists who are keen on our environment and heritage to explore such hidden gems in different parts of Penang Hill,” he said.

Hillside Retreat Penang, said Chow, would be operated by Pembinaan YSBT (M) Sdn Bhd, which was selected through a request for proposal called in September 2017.

The rental rate for the facilities has yet to be announced.

One of the oldest bungalows on Penang Hill, Hillside Bungalow is classified as a Category II heritage building in the Penang Hill Local Plan 1998 and Penang Hill Special Area Plan 2016.

Once used as a rest house for British government officers, it was turned into a rest house for civil servants after independence before being left vacant.

The British built Tulip House in the 1920s for workers.

The place was used as government quarters after independence before being handed over to PHC after 2011 and renovated in 2016.