The Southern Boutique Hotel

The location was the one saving grace and made the stay bearable. The room was much smaller than we expected from the pictures, a little dirty and had a lingering unpleasant smell. In the middle of the night someone started vacuuming so loudly that it woke my partner and me up. I’m so disappointed with the room’s condition.

The room had several comfort and maintenance problems. The shower head was loose and unstable, and there wasn’t a proper place to hang towels. The air conditioning was also very noisy. A technician checked it and said the sound came from outside, but the disturbance continued and made sleeping difficult. I was also concerned about hygiene because I experienced what seemed to be bed bugs. I felt itchy through the night, and changing the sheets didn’t improve things. It was extremely uncomfortable and affected my rest. I’m very disappointed with my recent stay at The Southern Boutique Hotel in Penang. The room’s upkeep and comfort fell short, and I hope management takes these issues seriously for future guests.

Agoda later offered a refund and coupon, but that didn’t make up for the wasted time, extra expenses and hassle. I had to find last-minute accommodation, pay for extra transport, and scramble while stranded. I’d expected much better coordination between the hotel and Agoda. I arrived with a confirmed Agoda booking, only for reception to say they had no record of my reservation and no room for me. I’d travelled all the way there and paid for a Grab. A situation like this should never happen, and the compensation didn’t reflect its impact. Extremely frustrating and disappointing.

The room needs a lot of improvement. The air conditioner started dripping when we lowered the temperature to deal with the hot day, and the sound of the drops was torture for a light sleeper. We could also clearly hear cars on the road and the masjid. Whether that works for you depends on your needs. The staff were all good, always smiling and polite. The design looks nice and has a new-meets-old-school feel. The location is fairly central, with a few shops within a 1 km walk.