th D.
Google
We stayed at Hoose Penang for 2 nights, mainly because of its convenient location — close to the old town and the sea. That was the main reason we moved hotels during our trip.
First thing to note: do not expect a hotel experience. This is not really a hotel, but an old heritage house built in 1903. The price is very affordable, and the stay reflects that.
The entire structure is made of wood, so you can clearly hear other guests walking or moving around. We were placed in a middle-section room, so thankfully street noise was minimal and not too disturbing.
Regarding the room condition, the air conditioner was very cold during the day, which was great at first. However, possibly due to the nature of an old house, the room became warm at night, and we ended up sweating despite the AC being on. Temperature stability could definitely be improved.
In terms of cleanliness, I wouldn’t say the room was dirty, but it was also not cleaned to proper housekeeping standards. For example, the table in our room was not wiped properly and still had used tissue left by previous guests. We did not complain about this, as we understood the nature of the property and the price point — you get what you pay for.
That said, I would strongly suggest that the property provides proper housekeeping training to ensure basic cleanliness standards are consistently met. Because this is a very old wooden house, it gets extremely dusty, and having both dry and wet vacuum cleaners provided and used properly would help a lot and significantly improve guest comfort.
The only issue we raised was regarding the daybed couch cover, and to their credit, it was handled well — the linen was immediately replaced.
The owner was responsive and genuinely wanted to make sure we had the best possible stay. Just ask him if you need anything, he does try his best.
Another practical note: the water flow in the bathtub was very weak and should be adjusted so it flows properly. To clarify, we did not use the bathtub for soaking, only for regular showering, and even for that purpose the water pressure was inconvenient due to the low flow.
The male receptionist is an older gentleman who does not speak Malay or English well (possibly only an Indian language), so communication was a bit challenging. That said, he was very friendly, kind to our child, and even took the time to show us around the building, which was a nice gesture.
Again, this place truly feels like staying in an old house, not a hotel. The stairs are very narrow and steep, which cannot be changed due to the age and structure of the building. Thankfully, our toddler is calm and not overly active, so it felt manageable for us. However, if your child is very energetic or tends to run around, I would not recommend staying here for safety reasons.
Overall, Hoose Penang may work if you:
prioritize location
are comfortable with heritage buildings and imperfections
have realistic expectations
are looking for a very budget-friendly stay
But if you expect hotel-level cleanliness, stable room temperature, silence, or modern facilities, this is likely not the right place.
The pict was taken after staying. YES we always left our rooms like this, neat!
I doubt between 4 or 5 stars, tho!
They can do better! So i give 4 stars, also the price is fair but cleanliness is a must on hospitality
