Old Penang Casa Lagenda Hotel

At RM58, the single room price seemed fair. The room itself hadn't been cleaned after the previous guest: the bed was unmade, the rubbish bin was full, and dirty towels were left on the rack. Reception immediately moved me to another room.

The WiFi was very weak, and our room felt a bit dark and damp. Still, the bed was clean, which matters most to us, and the staff were nice enough to let us bring our bicycles inside. Agoda was much cheaper than paying at the counter. Nothing especially bad or good, just okay for a night. I'd stay again if I needed to.

For RM40 a night, the location is handy and there are lots of shops and services within walking distance. I walked to Oldtown for breakfast, then went to Village Mall nearby. The room had the basic things I needed: hot and cold filtered water, air conditioning, a fridge, TV, and a decent bathroom and toilet. It's fine for a night or two on a budget, but don't expect first-class standards. I only stayed four hours in a room on the top floor near the end of the corridor, up about three flights of stairs. At least I couldn't hear the mat rempits showdown by the main road at night. That seems to happen around here, so you might want to ask for a room further back to avoid the noise. The blanket was a little light, and the whole place had a permanent musty smell. The Wi-Fi, though, was just so bad.

I gave three stars to appreciate the staff, who were at least good employees. The person running this place doesn't seem to take the business seriously, though it could be improved without spending a lot. For RM60, this was a smelly, dirty room, and I'd rather pay a bit more. I could barely breathe because it smelled like a carcass in the ceiling. The carpet was old and filthy, and stains on the curtain, carpet edge, and floor made the room feel like a horror movie with a scary ghost. The bathroom was worse. My friends even moved out of their room after something strange happened: the curtain suddenly fell by itself.