Areca Hotel Penang — Hotel in George Town

We visited Georgetown for a duration of four nights, and our stay in a Family Suite at Areca Hotel added to the charm of our holiday. ||We found the Family Suite room spacious for 2 adults and 2 children (aged 5 and 8). The two beds were large and comfortable, and there was plenty of floor space, power outlets, and desks/tables to place our things. We also appreciated the large luggage storage area in the separate space outside the bathroom, which also housed the mini fridge and kettle. The bathroom itself, containing the shower and toilet, was simple and compact but it was functional. ||The room was able to be kept cool at all times, with split system air-conditioning and two ceiling fans. We appreciated being able to open the windows and shutters for air flow.||The Family Suite was located on the second floor and our room faced Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe. Despite travelling with an eye mask and earplugs I did not need them at this hotel. The room was able to be kept dark and the hotel itself was quiet. Although we could hear a small amount of surrounding traffic and the call to prayer in the mornings / evenings it was not disruptive, it was ambient and added to the charm. The area also felt quiet at night.||The location of the hotel was wonderful. We could walk to many nearby eateries and the Hin Bus Depot markets. The Top, and the Pacific Marketplace supermarket at the bottom of Komtar, is pretty much across the road when using the Octopus Bridge. Although we did walk to Armenian Street and surrounds we also used Grabs to visit the UNESCO area on other occasions when we were tired or the heat was taxing.||We were initially undecided about whether to book Areca Hotel, as we thought our children might prefer a hotel with a pool for relief from the heat but we are glad we went with Areca. This beautiful heritage building provided respite from the heat and busy activities, and it was a peaceful place to rest either in the room or using internal seating areas. The complimentary afternoon tea was much appreciated to give us down time, and our kids appreciated the cold icecreams they were given. Reception and kitchen staff were always friendly and helpful with us and our children. ||The breakfast offering was modest with local dishes, fruit, cereal, pastries, western options, tea, coffee and juices on offer. We found we ate small breakfasts anyway so we could enjoy all the food options on offer in Penang.||Although the hotel is rated 4 star I would say it's equivalent to many 3 star hotels I have stayed in due to no supply of shampoo, etc. The heritage feel, location, and overall experience make Areca Hotel worth the cost however. We would certainly return to this hotel for a wonderful, authentic,...

Booked through Agoda for a staycation with my husband.

Location Amazing spot, nearby a lot of popular eateries (the lorong beside has a famous roti bakar and a few malay eateries) and walking distance to Kimberly street as well Even though if is near popular tourist spots, it is tuck in a corner where it is quiet for a good night rest

Hotel A complimentary good upgrade was given from Garden room to Heritage room. They even left a cute card for our anniversary ❤️ Welcome drinks were given upon arrival and room was ready by 2pm. Do keep in mind a deposit of RM200 is needed with a RM3 tax (for locals). Foreigners will be required to pay a RM10 tax instead. The decoration and architectural is tastefully done. There’s many greeneries around which gives the hotel a very refreshing atmosphere. The staffs were all really friendly and helpful too :)

Heritage room Really really big! Appreciate that there’s a separate dressing area where you can close the door for added privacy. There were a few hangers provided too. We left our bags and hung our towels in there. There are a few steps of stairs to walk up to the sleeping area and a few steps down to the toilet. The hotel tape across the steps to make it non-slip. Really considerate! wifi is really strong and smooth; we watched a few movies through our tablets. TV has smooth connection with Netflix (need your own account) and youtube too. Air-con is really cold and strong. Even after switching off the air-con, the room remains cold. Really appreciate the fact that there’s a ceiling fan (not many hotels provide this). The bed is really comfortable. Water pressure is AMAZING.

Tea time and breakfast Complimentary tea time comes together with the stay and is really much appreciated. Though simple, it is more than enough to satisfy you. Breakfast has a simple yet satisfying spread: nasi lemak, porridge, naan with daal, english breakfast (beef bacon, eggs), a small noodle station, yogurt, fruits some pastries, cereals, salad, and drinks drinks (coffee, tea, juices..).

Final thoughts: I will definitely come back here again. Its location makes it really convenient to walk around to explore the charming Georgetown. The staffs are also really approachable and thoughtful. Thank you to all the staffs in Areca Hotel. You guys are...

Cos of an oversight, I had the opportunity to stay at two hotels during my recent trip to Penang - one of which was Areca Hotel Penang! Not my first visit to this beautiful island but definitely one of the best boutique hotel stays I've had here! I stayed in room 304 from 5th to 8th November 2022. Great experience!

What I love about the hotel: the laid-back, Peranakan charm of the lobby and clean rooms with a comfortable bed! Plenty of spots to chill and reflect on life around the hotel or take photos. The front-desk managers were friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and professional. They even called to ask if everything is okay after we checked into our room. There's even a fan in the room which really helps to cool the room quickly. Toilet is rather small tho and there were some stains in the towels given to us.

Locational-wise, walkable (like less than 5mins) to various popular food joints and malls e.g. Hutton roti bakar is just behind the hotel and you can also walk over for supper as there are stalls selling roti canai at night; Penang Street Chendol, Ming Xiang Tai Pastry, Chowrasta Market, Toh Soon Cafe, etc. Easy to obtain Grab rides to anywhere too. No need to bring your own toiletries as it's all - including room slippers - provided. There's an elevator in the hotel which is a huge plus point!

If you are concerned about noise, you can consider requesting for rooms 303, 304, 305 which are located on the second level and away from the hotel's cafe as well as a place of worship. We didn't have any issues with noise... we can't really hear much once the door is closed. The hotel provides complimentary daily high tea for all hotel guests from 3pm to 5pm, which is nice of them, just don't have high expectations... the food are just light snacks like sandwiches, biscuits, canned fruit, french fries, coffee and tea. Would be better if they serve more authentic local stuffs like kueh kueh, traditional pastries,...