Oriental Hotel
105 Jalan Penang, George Town, Penang Island 10000 Malaysia
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About
3.0
#97 of 123 hotels in George TownLocation
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Oriental Hotel is an excellent choice for travellers visiting George Town, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.
Oriental Hotel offers guests an array of room amenities including air conditioning, and getting online is possible, as internet access is available.
The hotel offers room service, to make your visit even more pleasant. The property also features a lounge.
While staying at Oriental Hotel, visitors can check out Chulia Street (0.2 mi) and Kapitan Keling Mosque (0.2 mi), some of George Town's top attractions.
If you like Asian restaurants, Oriental Hotel is conveniently located near China House, Kebaya, and Tek Sen Restaurant.
If you’re looking for things to do, you can check out Upside Down Museum (0.3 mi), Pinang Peranakan Mansion (0.6 mi), or Armenian Street (0.4 mi), which are popular attractions amongst tourists, and they are all within walking distance.
Enjoy your stay in George Town!
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Property amenities
Internet
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Restaurant
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Room features
Air conditioning
Room service
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HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Harbour View
Great View
Location
105 Jalan Penang, George Town, Penang Island 10000 Malaysia
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 100 out of 100
100
Penang Intl Airport
16 km•
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293 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
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Detailed Reviews
Rooms were ok, clean but it was too hot. You need to wait at least 30 mins, before you can feel the air conditioner, Staffs were friendly. There's a pub right opposite this hotel and the heavy music went on and on till 3 am. Not recommended if you're coming with kids
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OK...I have been going to Penang for over twenty years. This is the third time I've stayed at the Oriental Hotel on Jalan Penang. The staff really try to make the experience pleasant. The hotel is currently under renovation from the eight floor and above. That is where the views are the best..but even from the 7th floor facing the water we still got a fantastic view of Georgetown and the Straits in the distance.
The Oriental is solid value for the money....the location is excellent and central. The free CAT bus stop is right out front as is the beach bus ( very modern buses) to Batu Ferringhi ( but Batu Ferringhi Beach is very dirty except for out in front of the Golden Sands and Shangrila Hotels....the town of Batu Ferringhi itself and the bar strip is grotty and sleazy.... to say the least) and the bus continues to the Butter Fly Farm. The hotel itself is dated...yes....but the it's clean and the air con works fine....clean sheets and towels every day. I can say the Batu Ferringhi McDonalds is excellent.
The downside to the Georgetown location is the number of Mosques in this small area. It's a bit much to stay for long with five Mosques ( just around the hotel) sparking up at 5;30 every morning. No matter what hotel you try...the issue remains. Although Penang is a primarily Chinese population it is politically dominated by the Muslim Malay on the mainland.
In fact the Prime Minister just pushed through harsh Sharia Law....and it's now illegal to criticize or voice any opinions, or even mention the name of God if you're a non Muslim, which won't create any breathing space in Mosque construction. There seems to be a population boom coming from Middle Eastern countries and Pakistan...judging by the number of rather unwashed looking men with distinctive Pakistani pajamas and long unkempt beards...and woman covered entirely in long stifling black burka's. So...be forewarned..this island paradise is within an aggressively Islamic nation.
Georgetown itself has deteriorated over the years from quaint little city with a World Heritage designation to being so filthy that is behooves one to walk very carefully so as not to step in the grunge that has built up since I started going there in the 70's. I won't pull any punches...it's filthy. I would recommend wearing full shoes and not fashion flips. BTW...it's very humid so dress light.
The sidewalks are broken and uneven, there are shards of broken glass and construction debris everywhere. Not to mention that the sidewalks have been taken over by companies renting motorcycles and the like and pedestrians are most often forced into the streets where buses blast by without slowing down and cars have the ultimate right of way...so watch out.
The street hawkers leave a lot of organic debris and cooking grease behind...this has really exacerbated the rat and roach problem...that has to be looked at...it's sad. IMPORTANT....the mosquito problem is intense in Penang. Malaysia is having an epidemic of Dengue Fever...but strangely the government does not allow the sale of DEET. So bring lots of repellant with DEET with you...the flower scented lotions sold in Malaysian pharmacies are useless.I talked to one Penang pharmacist whose legs were covered in mosquito bites....sadly she had no DEET. Use DEET with at least a DEET content of 24% which lasts about 3 hours. But reapply often...especially feet and face.
Unfortuneatley Georgetown famous Chulia street becomes an open brothel at night lined with predominantly male transvestite prostitutes plying their trade in the dark lanes trade to local Muslim dressed men on motorcycles. Maybe not the place to walk the kids. Locals tell me the pickpockets are out in force these days.
The Oriental is solid value for the money....the location is excellent and central. The free CAT bus stop is right out front as is the beach bus ( very modern buses) to Batu Ferringhi ( but Batu Ferringhi Beach is very dirty except for out in front of the Golden Sands and Shangrila Hotels....the town of Batu Ferringhi itself and the bar strip is grotty and sleazy.... to say the least) and the bus continues to the Butter Fly Farm. The hotel itself is dated...yes....but the it's clean and the air con works fine....clean sheets and towels every day. I can say the Batu Ferringhi McDonalds is excellent.
The downside to the Georgetown location is the number of Mosques in this small area. It's a bit much to stay for long with five Mosques ( just around the hotel) sparking up at 5;30 every morning. No matter what hotel you try...the issue remains. Although Penang is a primarily Chinese population it is politically dominated by the Muslim Malay on the mainland.
In fact the Prime Minister just pushed through harsh Sharia Law....and it's now illegal to criticize or voice any opinions, or even mention the name of God if you're a non Muslim, which won't create any breathing space in Mosque construction. There seems to be a population boom coming from Middle Eastern countries and Pakistan...judging by the number of rather unwashed looking men with distinctive Pakistani pajamas and long unkempt beards...and woman covered entirely in long stifling black burka's. So...be forewarned..this island paradise is within an aggressively Islamic nation.
Georgetown itself has deteriorated over the years from quaint little city with a World Heritage designation to being so filthy that is behooves one to walk very carefully so as not to step in the grunge that has built up since I started going there in the 70's. I won't pull any punches...it's filthy. I would recommend wearing full shoes and not fashion flips. BTW...it's very humid so dress light.
The sidewalks are broken and uneven, there are shards of broken glass and construction debris everywhere. Not to mention that the sidewalks have been taken over by companies renting motorcycles and the like and pedestrians are most often forced into the streets where buses blast by without slowing down and cars have the ultimate right of way...so watch out.
The street hawkers leave a lot of organic debris and cooking grease behind...this has really exacerbated the rat and roach problem...that has to be looked at...it's sad. IMPORTANT....the mosquito problem is intense in Penang. Malaysia is having an epidemic of Dengue Fever...but strangely the government does not allow the sale of DEET. So bring lots of repellant with DEET with you...the flower scented lotions sold in Malaysian pharmacies are useless.I talked to one Penang pharmacist whose legs were covered in mosquito bites....sadly she had no DEET. Use DEET with at least a DEET content of 24% which lasts about 3 hours. But reapply often...especially feet and face.
Unfortuneatley Georgetown famous Chulia street becomes an open brothel at night lined with predominantly male transvestite prostitutes plying their trade in the dark lanes trade to local Muslim dressed men on motorcycles. Maybe not the place to walk the kids. Locals tell me the pickpockets are out in force these days.
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Date of stay: January 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: I choose the back of the hotel with a view of the Straits and Georgetown. That part is awesome ....
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was a caregiver for a group of 40 pax of strokees and caregivers checking in on03/03/16 for 2 nights. Upon arrival at the hotel by chartered bus, I requested for assistance from the concierge with the luggage as there are many strokees on board but he said it's not his duty. Bad first impression. We had booked a total of 19 rooms and the rooms were generally clean but unfortunately a few rooms encountered bed bugs and we had to changed the rooms. No other facilities accorded but this a budget hotel and we can't expect much.
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Date of stay: March 2015Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very bad experiences repeatly each time I check in with my spouse.. My bad luck each of my visits being attended to by a very rude and disrespectful woman, who works the afternoon shift. Really lacking of manners and judging her age being not that young, I doubt a good training will do any good to improve her PR. It makes one wonder how this hospitality business can prosper with a thorn in it.
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Date of stay: May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We’ve stayed at the Orient for 3 times over the years, this most recent in April, 2014 for 2 weeks. That says something in itself – I’ve always thought that this hotel offered a great value. The rooms are spacious enough to move around in and places to put your luggage. Each room has a private bathroom, and though it’s far from being a new place (and shows its wear-and-tear a bit), the rooms are well-maintained and kept very clean. The staff is always cheerful and helpful, and the location is great, with lots of great restaurants, hawker food courts and Komtar just a few minutes away by foot. I don’t think that you can find a better budget hotel in Georgetown for the money – it’s the same price as a hostel, with private bath and hotel service. That said, the towels are thin and the sheets are old – but everything is clean and we really have no complaints at all with this place. Breakfast isn’t included, but there is a very good nasi kandar next door and several other places just a very short distance away. Wifi is spotty and only available from the 8th to 10th floors. The best reception on the 10th floor is either 1008 (on the karaoke side, which can be loud) or 1003 (on the mosque side, which is much quieter). Next time we’re in the area, we will definitely stay here. If you go, ask them about their promotional rates – always cheaper than what is posted on the website. 4.5 stars.
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Date of stay: April 2014Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: One side faces a karaoke place, the other a mosque. The mosque side is much quieter. Wifi only...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is very old and has not had any updating at all. Carpets are all worn and stained, bathroom plumbing so old, and no hot water, bed sheets stained, bathroom towels so thin you could see thru them. We saw a cockroach in the bathroom. Elevators very slow and rooms have no sound proofing. This is the worst hotel I have ever stayed at. The only good thing is the location, but find another hotel, you will sleep better.
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Date of stay: January 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Save yourself the grief, book a different hotel.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We arrived in Georgetown at 5am after a long journey from Melaka. Stupidly we had not booked a hostel ahead and so spent over an hour walking the deserted streets in the dark looking for a double room. Every hostel we tried was full and so we consulted the lonely planet for their recommeded midrange hotels and decided to try the oriental. The staff were not overly helpful on arrival but they had a double room available for 90 ringgit and we were so tired by this point that we didn't really care. We were shown a "double" room (which was actually 2 individually made up single beds pushed together, that were on wheels so if you rolled into the middle of the 2 you promptly fell down the gap!). We left our luggage in the room and went downstairs to pay. The whole time we were being shown the room the porter was on his mobile phone which I thought slightly odd as it was 6am. I took my purse and other valuables with me when leaving the room. However, my boyfirends left his money belt containing 120 singapore dollars. On leaving the room i made sure the door was locked and as we entered the lift the porter muttered something that sounded like yeh yeh into his phone and then hung up. we went down to pay and then went to bed exhausted. Upon waking the next day my boyfriend noticed his money belt was open and on closer inspection the singapore dollars were gone. They has definitely been there with the zip shut when we had left the room to pay..... we can only assume that the porter had been on the phone to another hotel worker who had entered the room after we had gone down to pay. Upon complaining about this the hotel manager was extremely unhelpful and didnt seem concerned that he was employing thieves. We resigned ourselves to the fact that the money was gone but after this I felt very unsafe in the room and we took our valuables with us everywhere. If I had been travelling without my boyfriend I think I would have left immediately! Saying this we stayed for the time we had payed for and then left.
Asides from this the room was mostly clean. It was freezing cold as the aircon was on way too high and there were no controls to turn it down. I called customer service twice and no one came. My boyfriend phoned a third time and they arrived, pulled a wooden board across the vent and then left! This was them "turning the aircon down".
All in all we had a rather unpleasant stay in this completely outdated unfriendly hotel. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone.
On returning to Penang we stayed in the Civilians Inn hostel which was a lovely place and I would thoroughly recommend that hostel.
Asides from this the room was mostly clean. It was freezing cold as the aircon was on way too high and there were no controls to turn it down. I called customer service twice and no one came. My boyfriend phoned a third time and they arrived, pulled a wooden board across the vent and then left! This was them "turning the aircon down".
All in all we had a rather unpleasant stay in this completely outdated unfriendly hotel. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone.
On returning to Penang we stayed in the Civilians Inn hostel which was a lovely place and I would thoroughly recommend that hostel.
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Date of stay: January 2011Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Visit this place many times on border visa from Thailand. Nothing to change. Old hotel in Georgetown. But clean inside.
Smart stuff. Speak English well.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner it buffet. Quality of food not so good.
Price cheap. For sleeping only 1-3 days.
Smart stuff. Speak English well.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner it buffet. Quality of food not so good.
Price cheap. For sleeping only 1-3 days.
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Date of stay: September 2018Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is old but is being refurbished. Good air con and bed. Helpful desk staff. Noise from the busy road below certainly kept us wake on the 7th floor, as single glazed windows. Good central location, short walk to Komtar and historic centre is round the corner too. Wifi intermittent as they warned us, so no surprises there. View of Penang hills spectacular especially at night!
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Date of stay: February 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Try the rooms not over the main road, looking towards the harbour.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed in Orinetal hotel last week with my family. We booked a family room for just $55 per night. The hotel is ideally located in the heart of George town in close proximity to the famous UNESCO world heritage site, restaurants and shopping centers. Although the hotel is a bit old the rooms are very spacious and clean. The room we got is on 7th floor and is in the corner and has nice views of the Penang bridge, Komtar (tallest building in Penang). The Prangin mall is also 7-8 minutes walk from hotel. There is a restaurant and bar on the ground floor (We didn't try food there though). There is a 7 Eleven opposite to the hotel.
The hotel also arranges day tours and private tours of Penang if you wish. There are some bike renting shops in the next lane. Also there is a bus stop near by with buses to Jetty and other main locations. The area itself is vibrant with many Chinese, Indian temples near by.
The only few cons are
1. The WIFI signal was weak and unreliable
2. There are no controls for Air Con inside the room as it is centralized.
3. There is a Mosque near by the hotel and you will be waken up by early morning prayer calls.
Overall my stay was very comfortable and I would definitely recommend this hotel.
The hotel also arranges day tours and private tours of Penang if you wish. There are some bike renting shops in the next lane. Also there is a bus stop near by with buses to Jetty and other main locations. The area itself is vibrant with many Chinese, Indian temples near by.
The only few cons are
1. The WIFI signal was weak and unreliable
2. There are no controls for Air Con inside the room as it is centralized.
3. There is a Mosque near by the hotel and you will be waken up by early morning prayer calls.
Overall my stay was very comfortable and I would definitely recommend this hotel.
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Date of stay: January 2014Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Ask for a room above 7th floor to avoid noise from the road and also the WIFI signal is only...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Early check-in may require some charge to be paid.
We had a late check out at 6.00 pm and had to pay 60 RM for that.
You may mail Mr Michael at Oriental hotel and get a clearer pciture from them
PRICE RANGE
RM 112 - RM 112 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
oriental hotel georgetown
LOCATION
MalaysiaPenangPenang IslandGeorge Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
26
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Oriental Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Oriental Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Chulia Street (0.4 km), Cheong Fatt Tze - The Blue Mansion (0.3 km), and Kapitan Keling Mosque (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Oriental Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and room service.
What food & drink options are available at Oriental Hotel?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Oriental Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Laksalicious, Junk Cafe, and Yin's Sourdough Bakery and Cafe.
Are there any historical sites close to Oriental Hotel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Armenian Street (0.6 km), George Town (0.8 km), and Sun Yat Sen Museum (0.6 km).