SE Hotel 2

The room change at least got the problem sorted, but the way it was handled left me disappointed. The bathroom light wouldn't switch off, and with a glass door it was going to make sleeping difficult. I told Kumar, the receptionist, before dinner. He said to press the button harder. When I came back and the light still stayed on, he promised to check in five minutes. More than half an hour passed, and when I went back downstairs, he'd finished his shift and gone home without fixing it or telling anyone. The new receptionist gave me another room straight away, which made me wonder if they already knew about the fault. Check-in had also taken longer than expected. Kumar asked me to wait five minutes, but I was called after about 15. I was on holiday and wasn't in a rush, so that wasn't a big deal. Problems happen, but I expected more responsibility and professionalism in how this one was dealt with.

I stayed in a comfortable, clean deluxe double and got the best sleep I'd had in a while. There was free Wi-Fi, though I had to ask the front desk out loud for the login and password. Bells from the church across the street rang at certain times, but I didn't mind much. The location is handy for getting around: Penang Sentral is walkable, and buses going to different parts of the city stop right outside. Just be ready to pay a RM50 cash deposit at check-in and RM2 tourism tax.

The reception staff were polite and helpful even though I turned up close to midnight. I'd had to find somewhere else for the night because my original booking had no water. The room was spotless and I slept well. Walls are quite thin, so earplugs may help. A good place for a night's rest around here.

The room was spacious and clean, with decent air-conditioning and a comfortable bed. The TV is old, though, and the Wi-Fi was mediocre at best. Having to get a fresh password from reception every day wasn't great either. Staff were a bit hit or miss. There's a nice little burger place across the street at night. Penang Sentral, the local transport hub, is about a 15-minute walk away. Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend the surrounding area.