Hostels in Penang, Malaysia

As a solo traveler, I found that most conveniently located hotels were around 300-500 MYR a night. To save money, I booked this hostel for about 80 MYR per night. I was a bit apprehensive before checking in, as it was a mixed-gender dorm. Overall, it pleasantly exceeded my expectations. The location is excellent; Mural Street, Durian Dessert Kingdom, Clan Jetties, Chulia Street night market food, the Blue Mansion, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, and many other attractions are all within walking distance. Plus, there are plenty of great food options nearby. The hostel boasts a wonderful environment and atmosphere. There are backpackers from all over the world, and everyone is very friendly, welcoming, and respectful of the rules. There's no noise at night, ensuring a good sleep. Each bed has a curtain for privacy, and the space is quite generous, so it doesn't feel cramped or crowded. The common areas are spacious and comfortable, featuring a co-working space, a lounge area, and free drinking water. You can relax and enjoy the air-conditioning anytime. What pleasantly surprised me was the hostel's rich variety of organized activities. I joined an 8 AM carpool trip to the famous Penang Hill (entry is free if you hike up, which I did and got completely soaked in sweat; I took the funicular train down for 15 MYR). Also, on my last night before leaving, I happened to catch their Thursday night music party. It was a delight to hear talented travelers from all corners of the world perform songs – English, Chinese, and Cantonese, for example – with an incredibly enthusiastic and supportive audience. Finally, I'd like to mention a few drawbacks of this hostel: Each bed came with a dark blue blanket that I suspect hadn't been washed, as it carried a strong scent of perfume and body odor. It likely belonged to a previous guest who was heavy on perfume. Luckily, I had brought my own blanket and bedsheet. The bathrooms don't have basins or buckets for handwashing clothes, which is quite inconvenient. While the hostel offers a paid laundry service, they don't provide drying racks or towels. Shoes must be removed before entering the dorm areas, so I recommend bringing your own indoor slippers; otherwise, you'll have to walk in socks or barefoot. On the positive side, the front desk staff speak Chinese, so communication is seamless, and they are very friendly and welcoming. Overall, I highly recommend this hostel, especially for solo travelers.

I found it quite good and excellent value for money. The accommodation is right across from Chew Jetty, and the street opposite is packed with delicious food, including durian, char kway teow, seafood, and Mixue (an ice cream/drinks chain). It might be due to the heat, but I found all the iced drinks here to be really tasty. Be aware that at night, you might hear motorcyclists speeding, a common occurrence I've also observed in Kuala Lumpur where I am currently. The location is really good and I found it very convenient. A deposit is required, which will be refunded before check-out. The room was also very spacious. Oh, and a heads-up: remember to bring your own travel adapter. There's a convenience store right next door that's also somewhat of a hardware shop, and they sell adapters for about 7.9 MYR each.

The location is very good. Bus stops are close, shopping malls are close, you can walk around Georgetown, and there are no problems with places to eat. The hotel has air conditioning and the shower has strong water pressure. Shampoo and body soap are provided, and the hair dryer is also strong and good. The toilet and shower are shared, but that's the case with most accommodations of this type. One thing that bothered me was that although it looked clean, there was a lot of hair and other things stuck on the rail of the room door. They didn't clean the small details, so it might not be suitable for people who are concerned about that. They only cleaned the surface lightly. Check-in is self-service. It's fine for people who are used to it, but it will be confusing for first-timers.

This place is fantastic! It's surrounded by amazing restaurants, all within walking distance, many with high ratings. The owner, a very kind lady, even upgraded me to a more convenient room. It's a self-service style place, clean and with a pleasant scent. Since the rooms are enclosed, noise isn't much of an issue. The common areas are constantly ventilated, and even with the door closed for sleeping, I didn't feel stuffy. The air conditioning is also quiet. It's located on the second floor of a small two-story mall, and there's often security around. The rooms have keypads, so it feels very safe. If you're looking for a convenient, high-value private space, this place is truly perfect. Much better than those hotels in converted old buildings!

Strategic location, around 10-15mjns walk from sg nibong bus station. Easy check in and check out. Everything ok, nearby also can grab good easily

The room was cleaner than expected. There was a water dispenser right after exiting the elevator, and there were two bottles of water in the room. However, they didn't provide toothbrushes, toothpaste, or slippers, so you had to bring your own. No deposit required, which was nice. The soundproofing was poor, and I was woken up by the crowd outside one morning. 😞 The window wouldn't close properly, and the bathroom vent fan could see outside, so I had to use a towel to block it out. 🙁 I didn't dare shower, so I slept for a few hours before leaving.