Top 23 Budget Hotels in Penang and George Town - Penang Insider (2024)

Yes, we know what you are wondering: is cheap any good in Penang? Good news: yes, it is.

The following are some of the cheapest hotels in Penang, and still, provide excellent value for less than 30$ (about MYR 120) per night.

We have already selected some of the best Penang Boutique Hotels you can stay at starting from35$ a night. This post, on the other hand, will give you suggestions to find a perfect budget hotel in Penang and spend less less than 30$.

Penang is a very budget-friendly destination. If you are a backpacker on a budget, please don’t miss our review of the best backpacker hostels in Penang.

This new post on Penang budget hotels will mention some of those we think are best. Please consider that our choice is catered to the general public and those who are looking for better facilities than just a dormitory shared by international travelers.

1Magpie Residence

Quietly tucked in a backroad off Jalan Transfer and in 10 minutes walk from Chulia Street and the best of Penang Little India, Magpie Residence is a perfect budget hotel choice in George Town.
It has smart en-suite private rooms that are larger than most in this price category, it’s very clean, quiet and yet social. Not a backpacker hostel, but a proper budget hotel to suit all tastes and keep you very happy on a budget.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

2WOW Hotel

The name of this hotel says it all, as it’s such incredible value for the prime location in walking distance to all that KOMTAR has to offer, and also a couple of minutes away from Penang Road and George Town’s pulsating heart. Rooms are large and make good use of industrial chic styles to give guests the full-on luxury experience, yet at a fraction of the price. There’s a kid playground, too — don’t forget to check out all you can do in Penang with Kids.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

3Attic Hotel

This is another incredible offer judging the quality of the rooms, the cleanliness and the price that could match much more expensive stays in Penang. Attic Hotel is smack-central in Chinatown, only a few minutes walk from KOMTAR, and also within walking distance to all the central night food markets where you can try the best Penang food. The staff is friendly and will suggest the best things to see and do in Penang for first-timers.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

4McLane Boutique Hotel

Yes, this is an incredible option for budget stays in George Town: it ticks all the boxes of the boutique hotel category, but at less than 20$ a night, it’s the perfect budget option for those who can’t sacrifice comfort and yet don’t like to open the wallet. The location is perfect, just behind the Goddess of Mercy Temple and a minute walk away from all that Chulia Street has to offer. What are you waiting for?

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

5Kimberley Hotel

Born as a full-fledged luxury hotel that hoped to cater to less high budgets, Kimberely Hotel has possibly been the first central George Town property to show that budget doesn’t necessarily mean lacking style and comfort. The many rooms here are all comfortable, large, and furnished with plush beds, en-suite bathrooms with rain showers, and much more than you would expect for a mere 20$ a night.
The buffet breakfast spread alone is worth all the money you’ll pay.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

6Chulia Mansion

This is another great budget hotel option in George Town, set in the middle of Chulia Street, and boasting superior facilities for very low prices. The hotel artsy decor, with paintings from local and international artists, is quite unique even in this street art town. The rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi and the free ice cream flow for guests are nice additions that better complement Chulia Mansion’s sumptuous buffet breakfast.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

7Carnarvon House

The beautiful rooms here are simply decorated and beautifully furnished with wooden panels and beams. An atmosphere that well complements the heritage appeal of this former Strait Chinese shophouse set at the fringes of George Town, where you can find some of Penang best nightlife.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

8Q Capsule Hotel

Welcome to the future at this industrial-chic capsule hotel set smack in the center of Chulia Street’s action. Yes, it’s a flashpacker hotel, but it’s great budget value with very clean individual pods, a cafe and a spa on site. Definitely worth checking out for a surreal, futuristic stay.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

9Moontree47

Even after several years, Moontree47, one of the pioneers among George Town’s heritage-inspired hotels, still offers some of the best-priced rooms. There are great quality and attention to details here, and the owner is friendly and knowledgeable. You’ll experience living inside a beautiful Penang central shophouse decorated with gusto and in walking distance to anything that matters in George Town.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

10Old Penang Guesthouse

This stalwart Penang budget hotel has been serving travelers along Love Lane for quite a while. It has well-appointed double rooms and a friendly atmosphere that mixes well with the heritage feel. The fact it’s been a solid mainstay on a strip where things change way too soon it’s a guarantee that you’ll get great bang for your buck here.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

11Hutton Lodge

Another old-timer, Hutton Lodge is a hit with older backpackers on a budget and generally known to be a perfect low-budget option. But the double rooms here, large and almost all with windows, better value than most other similar properties in Penang. Definitely worth a look, and very good priced to boot.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

12Hotel Mingood

A solid budget hotel choice in George Town, Mingood is a central Penang budget hotel tucked onto Jalan Argyll off Jalan Transfer, and it’s a more traditional-run hotel than most other options on this list. Rooms are large and decent for the price, albeit they could certainly benefit from a little spruce up. But there’s a convenient free covered parking and that “hotel atmosphere” that many crave, so it should certainly be considered by Malaysian families and those who are driving onto the island.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

13Red Inn Cabana

A popular haunt for both budget travelers and those in search of more privacy, this charming heritage house off Leith Street is central and cozy. It’s in walking distance to Muntri Street and the backpacker enclave on Chulia Street and yet offer some quiet and privacy on its secluded, yet very social, grounds. Check it out.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

14Tune Hotel George Town Penang

Airasia’s Penang property may not be a dreamy escape, but it’s cheap, squeaky-clean and very good for a night or two on the island. Yes, we get it: it’s a bit aseptic and impersonal, but where you’ll get this quality of rooms for less than 20$ in Penang?

Check the best prices: Booking.com|Agoda

15Chulia Heritage Hotel

This is another incredibly good value property set along super-central Chulia Street. It has a nice front courtyard and white-washed interiors with speckles of gold that, in the past, granted prices to be kept much higher. It still remains a very good option, clean and central, and something you should consider for staying close to Penang nightlife.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

16Broadway Budget Hotel

The ugly duckling of George Town’s hotel gentrification may be an old hand and have more scars than we all can remember. But it dominates one of George Town’s most iconic corners, smack centre on Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, and is a throwback to all that Malaysia and Penang were before street art and UNESCO started spinning the hipster wheel. Only for true hardcore old Asia hands.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

Best Budget Hotels Near Penang Airport

17D’Nice Hotel

Maybe a bit charmless, but this is the closest hotel to Penang Airport. It’s clean, not expensive, and perfect for those early morning flights, but don’t stay here for the sake of saving some money because there’s much better value in George Town.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

18The LOV Penang

This is just a few bucks more expensive than 30$, but definitely the best option, with plenty of local charm and yet a splurge of hip comfort, for a budget hotel near Penang Airport. The rooms are large and comfortable and host up to 3 people. You can even book a full dorm room for six for RM290 which is a pretty good deal.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

19DR Hotel Penang

It may not look like anything special from the outside, but the rooms here are quite decent for the price. It’s literally within walking distance to Penang Airport, and perfect for catching an early morning flight.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

Budget Hotels in Batu Ferringhi

Batu Ferringhi is usually famous for its upmarket 5-star beachfront hotels, but you can also find a couple of good budget options if you look hard enough.

20Ferringhi Heritage Budget Hotel

A perfect budget option in an area that usually has much more expensive hotels. Let’s say that “heritage” here is a bit of an exaggeration, however, the rooms are decent enough for those who don’t want to break the bank.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

21Zahaar Hotel

Another decent option to stay in Batu Ferringhi and save money, Zahaar hotel has adequate rooms for the price category and friendly staff who will make all they can to help.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

Best Budget Hotels in Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong, Penang

228 Boutique By the Sea

Slightly pricier than 30$, this hotel sits within the Chinese village close to Penang Avatar Secret Garden and a quiet beach. It’s a good option to check the pulse of Penang from a relatively prime and pristine location with amazing sunsets and leave the smog of George Town for later.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

23Hotel Sentral Seaview@ Beachfront

This hotel has a good seafront location and very decent, large rooms that will appeal to those who want a more traditional hotel stay. The sea-facing swimming pool next to the restaurant is a great touch and a selling point, as much as the good breakfast spread.

Check the best prices: Booking.com |Agoda

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Top 23 Budget Hotels in Penang and George Town - Penang Insider (2024)

FAQs

Which area of Penang is best to stay? ›

The following five areas are the best areas to stay in Penang:
  • George Town.
  • Batu Ferringhi Beach.
  • Gurney Drive – The Modern Side Of George Town.
  • Tanjung Bungah Beach.
  • Bayan Lepas – Penang Airport.
Feb 24, 2024

How long is enough in Penang? ›

Is Three Days in Penang Enough? Three days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Penang. A long nautical and trading history has given Penang a healthy multicultural mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European heritage. Ornate Hindu and Buddhist temples bookend busy streets lined with colourful Chinese shophouses.

Which month is best for Penang? ›

November to January (24°C - 31°C)

The months between November to January are considered best time to visit Penang. During these months, the weather remains quite pleasant for sightseeing. This is the best time to go to Penang as the weather is very pleasant and conducive for sightseeing.

Is George Town Penang walkable? ›

Walking is the easiest, cheapest, and best way around George Town.

Is Penang or Langkawi better? ›

And the winner is: Penang

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town would be enough to win Penang this category on its own, but the abundance of other cultural, religious and heritage attractions seals the deal. The attractions in Langkawi are wonderful, ideal if you're just here for a few days. What is this?

Why is Penang so expensive? ›

"Penang Island is scarce in land, and due to that, the house price in Penang Island is extremely high. "On top of that, there are more job opportunities there, so that's why the housing market has skyrocketed," Adib added.

Is Penang better than Kuala Lumpur? ›

Sights and history, then Penang has much more to offer. KL does have some good things (Batu Caves being one) but mostly it is about shops and shopping. Petronas is good, but you only get to the Sky Bridge - not very high up. The KL Tower is built on a hill and is actually taller than Petronas as a result.

Is it better to stay in George Town or Batu Ferringhi? ›

If you want to be in the center of Penang's cultural and culinary heritage, stay in George Town. You'll be right in the middle of Penang's UNESCO Heritage Site, with quick access to all the island's street art, delicious food, and architectural wonders. If you want a relaxing tropical holiday, stay in Batu Ferringhi.

What is the difference between Penang and George Town? ›

This misspelling may be due to confusion with other places worldwide that share the same name. In common parlance, the city of George Town is also called "Penang", which is the name of the larger state.

What is the best street in George Town Penang? ›

GEORGE TOWN: Penang's Kek Chuan Road has been named one of '40 of the Most Beautiful Streets in the World That Will Stop You in Your Tracks. Penang and phu*ket, Thailand, are the only Southeast Asia countries on the list.

Is it easy to travel around Penang? ›

Getting around Penang is relatively easy, as various parts of the island are connected with paved roadways. However, its high population density often results in traffic congestion during rush hour. You can find various transportation options that suit many budget levels.

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