Hutton Lodge

Getting around is easy from here. The ferry port has a free CAT bus, and the hotel is close to the tourist areas. The owner is very friendly, too. The surrounding hotels had cool, shady trees, and this hotel’s corridors were wide. Our room was very comfortable and clean. The shared bathroom and toilet outside the room were fairly bright, though there was sometimes a urine smell.

The location is very convenient, with lots of places to eat within walking distance. Cleanliness was okay, and guest parking is available, though spaces are limited and first come, first served. There are quite a few rooms on each floor, and some walls are plasterboard. Sound insulation is an issue, so you can hear noise from neighboring rooms and the hallway.

The social side was a highlight for me. There was a community of travellers, and I met some really interesting people. The staff were all friendly, kind, and knew the area well. Cheap laundry and bus tickets for sale were big pluses for a backpacker. My private room was spacious and basic, with air conditioning that worked perfectly. Breakfast was simple, but it was the only Southeast Asian hotel I’d stayed in that offered it. I’ve paid the same amount elsewhere for a double room with its own bathroom, so that’s a drawback here. There were also guests with small children making a lot of noise early in the morning. Families should be put in rooms away from adults if possible. Screaming babies at 6 a.m. aren’t fun. I like this place. It has flaws, but there’s a certain charm to it.

You’ll need to bring your own shampoo and shower gel because the shared shower rooms don’t provide them. Towels are supplied, but ours need replacing with newer ones. The lodge feels very old school, and it’s a bit run down, with some broken doors. My room was comfortable, though. The location is the reason I give it three stars. It’s very close to Penang Road, tourist attractions, markets, and restaurants of all sizes. The lodge itself would get two stars from me. Some repainting and repairs or replacement of the broken doors would improve the maintenance of this “historical” bungalow.