The Century Hostel (George Town)

The location is excellent, and I had no complaints about noise, cleanliness, bugs, or the room and sheets. I booked a larger king room, which was more than enough for two people, though I was travelling alone. It had a tub and shower and was reasonably equipped. I paid about 175 myr a night in May 2026, including taxes, and got what I paid for. It's a clean, safe, well-located three-star hotel, with some nice shared spaces and a pool, but it doesn't feel like a four-star place approaching five stars. The service could be more proactive. When I asked where to eat, I was told everywhere was good. That wasn't useful: I wanted the hotel to point me toward genuinely good places, since Google Maps has plenty of nonsense. I also asked if checkout at 7 am would go smoothly. The person I needed was sitting outside, and it took a frantic 5-10 minutes to find them. With a cab already on the way, that was stressful. No one had mentioned the morning cab rush either. My fare went from 15 myr to 35 myr in minutes, which was okay, but finding a car was difficult. A little information would have saved me a lot of stress. The water also stopped while I was in the shower the previous evening because they were repairing pipes. Guests should be told before their water is turned off. Afterwards, the pressure was very inconsistent, stopping and starting repeatedly. I'd recommend the hotel, but might not choose it for a vacation. It felt more functional than fun, and in Penang's heat I need a good room to rest.