NIO Hotel

I coordinated our officemate group trip from Pahang to Penang on 20-21 December 2025, booking 12 units for 45 people, including 3 quad rooms and the rest standard doubles. The hotel admin and HQ replied quickly on WhatsApp and email and were really helpful. The counter staff were friendly and helpful at check-in. We came by bus, which could drop us right in front of the hotel, and the places we visited were nearby. I stayed in a standard double. It was a bit small, but still had enough floor space to spread out the comforter for my kids to play and sleep on, and for praying. The bed could fit the four of us, though it was a bit packed. My kids are 9 y.o and 5 y.o. The room was comfortable. We only booked it for sleeping since we were out doing activities most of the time. There’s a TV with internet and an iron and ironing board on the lobby floor. My kids really loved the TV. The toilet door looks transparent, but don’t worry, you can’t see through it from outside. If you feel insecure, you can shower with the lamp switched off. 🤭 Overall, we were very satisfied with the room and staff service.

The parking charge was confusing and disappointing. We were told it would be RM6 per night, but were charged RM12 when leaving after one night. The room was very basic, with almost no amenities apart from a hairdryer. The hot water and water pressure were fine, but toiletries were extremely limited: only two small bars of soap and a tiny shampoo bottle. There was no body wash, toothbrush, or other basics, so come prepared. The stay was okay, nothing special. Given the price and lack of amenities, it didn’t feel particularly worth it.

For the price, I was happy with the clean room, service, and smooth check-in. It’s cheap, but the check-in experience was like at any other big hotel. The small room suited a couple, and the air conditioning worked well. There were fans too, though no TV. The lock was on the door, but I wish there’d also been a pad lock to secure it from inside. Parking was another issue. I hope they reduce the fee, since charging customers by the hour when they go in and out feels unfair.

The hotel makes it easy to walk around the city, which felt quite different from the mainland and had lots of special restaurants. We were given a “connecting room” for three people. At 175 MR it was very small for the price, though suitable for one night, especially if you arrive late.