Top 23 Budget Hotels in Penang for less than 30$/Night

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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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Best Budget Hotels Near Penang Airport

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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Best Budget Hotels in Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong, Penang

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.

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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.

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