Nam Keng Hotel （南京） — Hotel in George Town

Fourth time in Penang—what a delightful place to eat and recharge!

This time, I wanted a unique experience, so I chose to stay in a shop house converted into a hotel. After reading the great reviews, we decided to book at Nam Keng Hotel.

Pros: Nam Keng Hotel is perfectly located right in the heart of Georgetown, which made it super convenient for us to return to our room and rest whenever we needed it.

The shop house itself is beautiful, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia. With only eight rooms, it has a charming, family-style atmosphere.

The Indian front desk staff was incredibly friendly and informative, and even the lady who I believe was the security was very welcoming.

Considering it’s a shop house, the room was surprisingly spacious with a queen-sized bed. The large windows made it bright and airy.

Cons: Since it’s a two-story shop house, we had to use the stairs, but the staff kindly helped us with our luggage.

The complimentary breakfast was pretty basic and nothing to get excited about—you can easily skip it.

The cupboard had an "old furniture" smell, so we opted not to store our clothes inside.

The bed was firm, but the pillows were too soft, which made it difficult to get a good night's sleep.

I'm not a fan of orange lights in the room. [my preference]

Overall, I can see why Nam Keng Hotel has such great reviews. It’s a cozy, Georgetown-style hotel that offers a great experience without breaking the bank.

It has nearly everything you need for a comfortable stay.

Definitely go for the...

For a three-star hotel, Nam Keng Hotel can be considered the pinnacle among its peers that I've encountered. It's located on a small street in the heart of Penang's old town, making it entirely possible to explore the old town on foot. Moreover, under the scorching sun of Penang, one can always return to their room for a rest whenever they feel tired. The hotel rooms are small but clean, especially with the central air conditioning, which is very quiet. The breakfast is simple and monotonous, there are basically no options, one can get full but not necessarily satisfied. The staff are very friendly and enthusiastic. Compared to five-star hotels that are less conveniently located from the old town, I prefer this type of hotel that not only guarantees decent living conditions but also offers more convenience in travel, and moreover, it's not expensive. Now about the drawbacks. The room facing street still picks up music from nearby bars and noise from motorcycles passing by. After eating the same breakfast for three days, patience is wearing thin, and by the fourth day, the desire to even look at...

Nam Keng Hotel was a lovely stay overall, and I really enjoyed my time there. We stayed for two nights in Room 201, and while the room itself wasn’t big, it felt cozy and homey, which made the experience comfortable.

One major downside was the water heater, even after switching it on outside the bathroom and waiting for a while, the water just wouldn’t turn hot. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but it was a bit inconvenient.

Breakfast was simple but homey, served from 8 AM, which was a nice touch. However, the biggest highlight of our stay was the thoughtful staff. We had to check out at 4 AM, and to our surprise, they prepared two sandwich packages for us before we left. That small gesture really made an impact and showed their excellent hospitality.

The location is another huge plus, it’s super central, making it easy to walk around and explore all the cool spots in Penang.

Overall, aside from the hot water issue, I really loved this hotel and would definitely recommend it for a warm, cozy, and convenient...