Berjaya Penang Hotel

The rooms are a bit dated, so don't expect top-notch cleanliness. The location is excellent with a nice view from the window. However, the bathroom and air conditioning were incredibly noisy, which was quite frustrating. Many people seem to be used to it, so maybe it's just me. The breakfast was excellent, and it was easy to get a taxi. The service was good, especially a Malaysian guy who tried to help me find a quiet room, though we weren't successful in the end.

Terrible, absolutely terrible! I strongly advise everyone to avoid this place, especially if you're traveling. It will ruin your mood and waste your time. Problems: No. 1: I booked a superior room, but the pictures showed a renovated room. When I arrived, they gave me an old room. They didn't reserve the correct type for me and just gave me a different room type. It smelled strongly of mold, almost to the point of being unbearable to breathe. Even the bellhop commented on how strong the smell was. Since I arrived so late, the front desk said there were no suitable rooms to switch to, basically telling us to just deal with it. My friend couldn't sleep all night and only managed to get 2 hours of sleep in the morning. I felt so bad for my friend! No. 2: There was a cockroach in the room. By the time I wanted to take a picture, it ran away. How dare they offer such unsanitary conditions to guests! No. 3: The hotel elevator broke down during peak hours, leaving only one operational. We had to wait for about 15-30 minutes on the 20-something floor, stopping at every single floor. Everyone was absolutely furious. The hotel didn't actively repair it; it seemed like there was no management at all. Absolutely horrendous. No. 4: Because there were so many people, dining tables were set up in the lobby. It was ridiculous. No. 5: The front desk eventually switched us to the correct superior room, but it was still a compromise. The new room didn't have the moldy smell. Afterward, they didn't offer any formal apology or cooperate with a refund for our other room for the second night. We decided we couldn't stay there, checked out early, and rebooked at another five-star hotel further away. I eventually complained to Ctrip, and they made an exception to refund me for the second night's room fee. The first night, I had to find and book another hotel during peak hours, and I didn't get to bed until 3 AM. I was so exhausted and on the verge of a breakdown. Honestly, I made countless calls to Ctrip to get that refund. I truly believe the hotel should compensate me for the emotional distress and wasted precious time. But a hotel like this wouldn't have any concept of customer service; at most, they'd just say "sorry"! Berjaya Corporation's hotels are truly a failure; they treat customers so poorly! The next day, seeing that we were checking out early regardless of the cost, they asked, "Would you like us to switch your room?" I said no. But they had told us the day before that there were no rooms available. How did rooms suddenly become available? Ctrip did their best, and I appreciate that. But frankly, I don't feel this situation has been resolved to my satisfaction. Please, please, do NOT stay here. It's truly horrifying. And it's not even cheap. If you have any other option, it's better to pay a bit more for a five-star hotel or choose a newly opened one; that would be a safer bet.

The room was spacious and satisfactory. However, the lift facilities were a bit disappointing.

It's clear this hotel was once a grand establishment, but it's lost its former glory, as the renovation probably dates back to the 90s. The doormen at the entrance were a pleasant surprise; since there's quite a steep staircase leading into the hotel, someone to help is super helpful (they helped me carry my suitcase up and then down when I checked out). I had a room on the 17th floor with two single beds. If you're tall, your feet might hang off the beds; I'm 163 cm and even I felt they were a bit short. The room is cleaned daily – even though I didn't use the toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, lotion, toothbrushes), they conscientiously replenished them every time after cleaning. They provide two bottles of water per day, but I didn't see a water cooler. There's a hairdryer, fridge, safe, and wardrobe. The pool on the 8th floor seemed a bit small to me, but you can still swim. Towels are provided there, and next to it, there's even a small gym with a treadmill. The buffet-style cafe on the 1st floor doesn't have any meat, but there are fruits, lots of local pasta dishes, pastries, juices, coffee, and tea – you definitely won't go hungry if you order breakfast. And the location is excellent – very close to key malls. I definitely recommend it.