Hotel Sentral Georgetown @ City Centre

The breakfast staff were the best part of the stay. They were polite, smiled, and kept the tables and dining area clean. Breakfast was limited but enough to fill you up. The hotel is near a food market, though not close to tourist attractions. If you don’t drive, Grab is the best way to get around. We booked during a Penang festival, so the price was very high for a room that was only okay. The air conditioner worked well, and the bathroom was also okay, but there were broken tiles that made it uncomfortable to use the toilet barefoot. The room needed better cleaning, with dust on the table and floor. The sheets and towels were very old and strongly smelled of washing chemicals, and amenities weren’t well provided. The front desk service was below basic standards. They seemed not to care when people were waiting at the counter and only spoke to you when they wanted something. I never saw them greet customers. I hope management sees this and makes improvements. I’d definitely never return.

The room and bathroom were comfortable, but I wouldn’t call them squeaky clean. Parking is also a problem if you’re driving. The hotel has only about 15 bays; the lot opposite costs Rm3.00 for the first 45 minutes, and parking by the roadside could get you a city council summons. The hotel phone number on Google and Booking.com wouldn’t connect. I called more than 20 times to warn them I’d be checking in late, but nobody answered. I arrived at 2am and told the staff the phone might have a problem or faulty wiring, but he didn’t respond and just hurried through check-in. Since it was late, I didn’t get to look around and missed the ironing station. At 8.30am the next morning, I called reception to ask about an iron. The staff seemed to hear “hairdryer,” then said housekeeping would be available at 9am. He asked twice for my room number, so I thought the iron would be sent up. I waited until 9.10am, but nobody came. I went looking for housekeeping or the concierge to get one myself, and a friendly housekeeping staff member showed me the ironing station at the end of the alley. I was fuming by then. If reception had told me there was an iron on my floor, they’d have saved my time. A really bad experience.

The luggage storage didn’t feel secure. When I asked to leave my backpack, the woman receptionist wearing a black hijab told me to put it in the laundry room. She pointed to paper tags and told me to label it myself when I asked if she would tag it. The room was unlocked, so anyone could go in and take things without being noticed. It was appalling that the staff member wouldn’t even lift a finger to help. My first impression was already bad. The receptionist who said his name was Zakwan (?) was rude and unhelpful, with a very bad attitude. He refused to look at me while speaking and kept saying it was his last day, as if that meant he could be discourteous without consequences. I’ve never felt so unwelcome in a hotel. Unlike the other employees, he wore no name tag, so it was hard to know his real name. Maybe that was deliberate so guests couldn’t report him. I hope someone who behaves like this isn’t allowed to work in hospitality or deal with guests anymore. Customer service just doesn’t seem to exist here. If this behavior is allowed, this will be my first and last stay. There are many welcoming hotels nearby with better standards and similar prices, so there’s no reason to put up with this rudeness.

The rooms are in poor condition, and this stay really ruined our vacation. The soundproofing is nonexistent, so we heard the neighbors talking, watching TV, and knocking on doors. The Wi-Fi was so weak it might as well have run on hamster wheels. Check-in was fast, but there was no warm welcome. You have to start the conversation yourself. There was a sweaty smell in the linens when we arrived, and the sheets were stained. Housekeeping said a new staff member had probably forgotten to change them. The front office took a long time to send someone over. En Zakwan wouldn’t make eye contact, and the Malay lady at the counter answered questions with all the enthusiasm of a brick wall. The room felt neglected: the aircond leaked and roared like a jet engine, the door wouldn’t latch, and the basin, coffee table, and toilet floor were all dirty. The wooden floor was dusty and seemed not to have been mopped in ages. Pillows felt like bricks wrapped in fabric, so bring your own or prepare for a sore neck. Thai Best Massage is right across from the hotel. For the price, it really wasn’t value for money. This room shouldn’t be sold. Stay elsewhere unless you’re studying bad hospitality.