In the heart of George Town, discover the hidden and cosy heritage hotel that is Betel Nut Lodge. Set within the city’s historical, cultural, food and street art precinct, guests will enjoy an urban sanctuary ambience of our small hotel. Our 19th Century building has been lovingly restored and refurbished with modern conveniences. After a day of wandering around the old town, come back to your comfortable abode connected to High Speed WiFi. All rooms in our heritage hotel are with en suite bathroom and furnished with quality bedding. Join an event during your stays or perhaps, try our homemade Nyonya delicacies – and you will bring home with you a memorable experience of your time in Penang. Stay with us and enjoy the Betel Nut Lodge hospitality of authentic Penang Baba-Nyonya culture that is second to none!
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
Charming
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English, Chinese, Malay
Location
100 Lebuh Melayu, George Town, Penang Island 10100 Malaysia
Betel Nut Lodge
313 reviews
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.
Upon walking into the tiny lobby my first impression was, "uh oh, I think I overpaid for a hotel". It turns out I was wrong.
Pros: The friendliest staff I've encountered in a long time. Vince and Joel supplied all kinds of recommendations, brought iced coffee to my room when they saw me sweating, hot almond drink to help me sleep, and reminded me to hydrate under the hot sun. The owner hosted a CNY Lion Dance and party for family, friends, and hotel guests. The breakfast guy (with very modest English skills) greeted me each morning with a big hello, fresh coffee, toast, a piece of fruit, and a great effort to chat and joke. It was like being adopted!
Modestly appointed rooms, but comfortable beds and pillows, soft sheets, ceiling fan + AC kept the room very comfortable, and everything was spotlessly clean. Despite being a very old building, shower pressure was excellent. They even have decent movie channels on their TV-Cable subscription service.
Guests at the hotel picked up on the positive vibes and all chatted amicably over breakfast each morning. How could we not when the staff were so darned welcoming and nice? It kind of felt like an upscale Hostel for people of all ages as a result. And I mean that in a good way.
Excellent location. Close to food hubs, the Piers, a mall, bus hub, Little India, temples, convenience stores, and so much more. Location on a generally quiet street was nice, but good soundproof windows made road noise a non-issue anyway.
Cons: (I'm stretching here) I wish there was a chair in my room.
I thoroughly enjoyed my 4 night stay at the Betel Nut and recommend it, and funky / proud / interesting Georgetown, highly.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip 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.
Response from BNL_Manager, Manager at Betel Nut Lodge
Responded 2 Feb 2020
Dear BobbyWashington, Thank you for staying with us in Penang and writing a review of your stay. We are humbled by your "The friendliest staff " accolade! It is also our aim that our guests not only enjoy a comfortable stay in our quiet rooms but to have the chance to interact with fellow guests in our common lounge area - for this reason, we have organised regular events especially during festive seasons. We noted happily that you have made use of our excellent location in George Town to visit the places of interests and food trails. We very much look forward to welcome you back soon!
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We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Betel Nut Lodge. It’s full of character with attention to detail such as a fresh orchid in our bathroom each morning and beautiful antique furnishings. The bed was very comfortable and the room really quiet - we slept the best we’d slept on our whole three week trip.
The staff are great and communication was excellent right from the time we made our booking. We really liked the location as it was a short five minute walk from the free CAT bus which takes you round the main sites of Georgetown. There are many great places to eat within striking distance of the hotel.
We enjoyed our nightly almond milk treat and were given some delicious home baked coconut cookies and rolls on our departure which certainly beat the McDonald’s offering at the airport! Would highly recommend.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from BNL_Manager, Manager at Betel Nut Lodge
Responded 1 Mar 2020
Dear LouiseHCook, Thank you for reviewing your stay with us in Penang. While our rooms are modest in size, we are glad to hear that you appreciated our antique furnishings and comfortable bed in your room. It's also good to know you made use of our excellent location within George Town Heritage site to explore all the places of interests. We look forward to welcome you back to our lodge again in the near future!
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This charming small lodge makes an ideal base from which to explore fascinating Georgetown and its surrounding areas.
Communication with the management was impeccable from the start, and we were made to feel welcome and equipped with all of the local knowledge we needed for a fantastic holiday.
The rooms are simple, comfortable and in keeping with the understated elegance and authenticity of the overall renovation. We stayed in two different rooms over several short stays, alternating with our visits to other parts of Georgetown and Penang. We enjoyed both rooms - Cempaka is larger than Areca but we had a slight preference for the peaceful and cosy quality of Areca. The generous touches of welcoming drinks and snacks, along with the exquisite freshly picked flowers in the rooms each day, all help to add to the ambience.
The staff here are great - warm, personable and always willing to help. The extensive knowledge and enthusiasm of owner Cheah is a definite plus , with his commitment to helping to preserve and share Perenakan culture.
We would highly recommend Betel Nut Lodge to first-time visitors as well as to those who are return visitors.
Thankyou Cheah and team for helping to make our stay memorable!
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from BNL_Manager, Manager at Betel Nut Lodge
Responded 2 Feb 2020
Dear JayneAlice, Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us in Penang. It is an honour that you chose to stay with us again on your return trip to Penang after a few days away. We are glad to hear you liked both our bigger front room and airwell room. It is always a pleasure to introduce Penang's unique Peranakan ( aka Baba-Nyonya) culture to our guests . We look forward to hosting your stay again on your next trip to Penang .
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Five star service. Super nice people who really go out of their way to accommodate you.
Any issues we encountered were structural and beyond the control of the establishment. Building is old and a bit funky; which, depending on your perspective, can either add character or distract from your stay. Because of the UNESCO historical status of Georgetown the owner is limited as to what he can do as the building is a maintenance nightmare and modern improvements are not allowed.
We were without internet for two of our three days there. This was an ISP problem and nothing the owner could do until the cable company fixed their problem; and, being over a weekend probably didn’t help the situation.
Some may complain about the breakfast being a bit sparse, but I thought it was about right. Coffee was good and I had grown tired of the cold buffets I had experienced over the past six weeks traveling throughout SEA.
They had limited English T.V. channels. Add Fox Cable News and I’d give them five stars based on the service alone.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from BNL_Manager, Manager at Betel Nut Lodge
Responded 18 Jan 2020
Dear DipCourier, Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. It is great to know you appreciated our small hotel with its 'funky' feel. Indeed, our 150 year old building has been restored strictly conforming to heritage laws using heritage materials giving rise to walls ( for example) that are uneven. We like to think that this gives our lodge its character! We apologise for the internet problem during your stay due to the optic fibre disruption connecting to our building from the road outside. We are happy to announce that our telecommunications provider has repaired it and it was back to normal, regrettably on the afternoon you checked out! Thank you for appreciating our healthy breakfast with our coffee locally roasted by a small independent supplier. We look forward to welcoming you both back again soon!
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We had a pleasant stay here. The owners/staff were very hospitable, accommodating, friendly and very helpful. Our room was cleaned daily (by default) with fresh flowers (mostly orchids grown by the owner himself) to perk up the room. The Teaffin Cafe downstairs is where we could relax and have a good cuppa with cakes/pastries. Location is close to many local eateries. Should you need anything, just ask them and they will try their best to help/accommodate your request. Would we come back and stay again? YES, we definitely will!! Thank you Cheah, KC and staff of Betel Nut for a wonderful stay!
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â The only setback is the street parking. If you happen to drive there (for locals only) you will...
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.
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BETEL NUT LODGE is conveniently located in a busy area with quietness. It takes only 3-5 minutes to walk to Shantou Night Market! I stayed in the *Areca* room type. Although the window of the room faces the street, it is soundproofed, the basic facilities in the room are complete, and the wifi signal is good. Booking from the official website is a little cheaper than booking through an agency hotel. The daily snacks are ordinary, but they show the landlord's thoughts. I have to give a special praise. The whole hotel is very clean and the staff are kind. The price-performance ratio is very high
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
Very clean, well appointed hotel in Penang's historical area. Close to most of the iconic wall murals as well as the famous Teochew chendol. Also a short walking distance to tour agencies / buses at Prangin Mall for onward journeys to other parts of Malaysia.
What sets the lodge apart is the wonderful hospitality of the people who run it. They are constantly organising all sorts of activities, some of it around the festive period with special and delicious food. Also not forgetting the attention to detail such as a welcome tea with local delicacies, a map with all the food recommendations marked out.
Glad and fortunate to have spend three nights at Betel Nut Lodge. Thank you! :)
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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.
Response from BNL_Manager, Manager at Betel Nut Lodge
Responded 18 Jan 2020
Dear capecobalt, Thank you for staying and taking the time to review your stay with us. We are glad to know you noted our great location of being close to both the transport hub and the cultural and historical places of interests. Indeed, we often try to give our guests a stay where they can experience local cultures and what better way than to celebrate local festivals (eg Mooncake , Chinese New year festivals, etc) with our guests. We are also glad and fortunate to have you and celebrate the festive period with you at our hotel. Hope to welcome you again on your next trip to Penang.
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The manager was incredible, a fantastic host, very welcoming. He provided great information on restaurants and events. Please follow his recommendations, you won't regret it! The staff was great, so helpful. The hotel has a boutique character charm to it, and is situated at an excellent location, walking distance to food night markets, nice restaurants, museums and more. My room was comfortable and clean. Everyday, it was nice coming back to my room after a long day of sightseeing and finding fresh cut flowers and receiving a complimentary hot tea with a treat. Magnifique!
I highly recommend Betel Nut Lodge, and will definitely come back when I'm in George Town.
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Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
We enjoyed our stay very much. The Betel Nut Lodge is a small lodge in old house with only a few rooms, which gives a very familiar atmosphere.
To explore the old town of Georgetown on foot, the location is perfect.
Thanks for the relaxed stay, the perfect service and the daily good night drink 😀
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from BNL_Manager, Manager at Betel Nut Lodge
Responded 1 Mar 2020
Dear dominikw770, Thank you for staying at our small hotel and reviewing your stay with us. We are glad to hear you enjoyed staying in our front room. It is great to know you used our excellent location to explore George Town's old town. We look forward to welcome you both back again to Penang for another "relaxed stay". See you both soon!
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We saw the good reviews but were still pleasantly surprised by how wonderful this lodge is! We stayed in the Frangipani room with two single beds. It was small but had everything we needed and was very clean. The AC worked very well. The street is not touristy and overall was quiet but had several places to eat across the street for breakfast/lunch. We booked directly on their website which I highly recommend for the best value, and they even included a small breakfast with local toast and jam, and tea. Every afternoon we came back to rest and they gave us tea and a sweet treat. Such a special place.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Our rooms are rather quiet . Rooms are mostly fitted with two layers of windows, with the inner window being casement sound-proof windows. However, 100% sound-proofing in an old heritage building is difficult if not impossible! Please check our website for the various room types.
We are 61 and 68. And we stayed on the second floor. There are stairs. But they will help you with your luggage. We look at it as a great balance between all the food we were eating and exercise. We love staying at this hotel. We did have the front room which was larger. But it was also noisy. Still a great place to stay. Highly recommend it.
Only one of our rooms has a fridge but most don't. We are in the process of seeing how we can incorporate a fridge in the room- as being a heritage building , our rooms are modest in size!
Betel Nut Lodge
Dear Liew M,
thank you for your interest in our lodge. Unfortunately, our lodge is unable to accommodate pets. However, there are some small lodges in the heritage area that do accommodate pets. In case you are unable to find one, email us and we will try to check around for accommodation that do take pets.
There are more places to choose from in the George Town area.
PRICE RANGE
RMÂ 194 - RMÂ 257 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
MalaysiaPenangPenang IslandGeorge Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
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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