Stayed two nights in January 2013 before going to the beach at Batu Ferringhi & really glad we did. The historic centre of Georgetown is fascinating and lively and hot and dirty. You have to watch where you're walking all the time as there are no level surfaces and many impediments as well as a lot of traffic. There is a lot to see, a delghtful jumble of temples, clan houses, shrines, hawker stalls and shops that range from the boutique to quite industrial. We were so glad we were staying at the Yeng Keng, to step through the gate to the calm courtyard was to come home and relax. The rooms are not huge but are clean and the bathrooms are very nicely finished. We had rooms 212 and 210 upstairs at the back and we were not disturbed by any noise from the road. Must mention Ms Yeoh the receptionist, a great welcome and very helpful in suggesting sights, arranging taxis etc. She is a real asset to the hotel. We tried to sightsee in the morning while it was cooler and then spent the afternoon in the hotel pool. I don't imagine there are many places in the local area where you can while away the afternoon heat with a cooling swim, it was great.
One gripe, when you are in the courtyard and order drinks from the cafe they also bring a bowl of peanuts. We assumed that they were complimentary and were surprised to be charged 2 ringetts for them. They are on the menu as "tid bits" but had not been ordered. This happened every time we ordered a beer.

The Yeng Keng was a nice hotel, exceptionally clean and staff were attentive. However, the pool had an excessive amount of lemon flavoured bleach in it, to the point where it caused skin irritation and felt as if my teeth enamel was being stripped clean. Go to the hotel, but don't use the pool.

We really loved this exquisitely renovated small hotel in the historical section of Penang. It is all very tastefully done and perfectly maintained with a number of small public areas tucked into various areas including upstairs.. The staff are extremely attentive, helpful and friendly. They have a good extensive breakfast buffet (included) in their new "café bar", which is in the style of a Parisien café, not a North American coffee shop. Do check their web site http://www.yengkenghotel.com/ for lots more information and photos.

The contrast between the calm oasis of the hotel and the bustling traditional street scenes immediately outside the courtyard is really quite striking. The loudspeakers of the mosque across the street can be noisy at certain times of the day but we could not hear it in our upstairs room at the back. It too is part of the local scene, of course.

The pool is small but very clean and just right for a cool down at the end of the day. It is true that the rooms are on the small side but they are nicely done and they fit the style and architecture of the hotel very well.

There is very good city bus service along Chulia street that can take you almost everywhere on the island. You need to figure out which bus goes where but you can find that out on the Penang bus service web site. Alternatively the hotel can arrange a taxi for you at a fair rate.

Our Malaysia tour was set to end at a beach hotel out at Batu Ferranghi, well outside of Georgetown, so we elected to have the tour company transfer us to this hotel for the end of our stay on Penang Island. We are very glad we made this move. The Yeng Keng Hotel is located right in the heart of heritage Chinatown, a few blocks from Little India, and a reasonable walk to the old colonial area of Georgetown. Looking around the street you might wonder about staying here as some of the sidewalks are broken (walk carefully) and the neighboring shops, whose goods spill out onto the street, sell a variety of hardware and repair items, but that’s the point. It’s a real neighborhood and the hotel was wonderful.

Stepping through the gate you enter a spacious outdoor courtyard with table and chairs. Just under the portico are a bar and some additional seating. You then step through the doorway into a cool lobby with more seating and are greeted by some of the most eager and helpful staff ever bearing cool drinks. Either side of the lobby and small garden area behind are rows of rooms and a staircase leading up to additional larger rooms/suites upstairs. Behind the building are another courtyard and a secure parking area; the driveway is gated and manned by a security guard. There is also a small swimming pool off to the side of the building.

We had room #10 off the garden area on the ground floor. The room was well-lit and very compact with just about 2+ feet around the edge of the bed to walk. We had a very firm king bed, one arm chair, and a desk with straight chair. The two night stands had good deep drawers and the closet also had good storage. There was the usual fridge and kettle. The television included HBO, CNN and BBC. The individual A/C and ceiling fan worked very well. The bathroom window was only a screen and louvers so we were worried about noise from the courtyard, but we just closed the bathroom door at night and heard nothing at all. Both the room and the hotel public areas are decorated with wonderful historic photos of Georgetown.

Off the courtyard was a nook with a computer that was free for guests to use and it served as a WiFi hotspot as well. Also in the lobby was a table offering morning newspapers and some magazines. In the bar area was a bookcase with books to borrow.

The hotel’s café is wonderful and located just across the open courtyard near the entrance; it is open from 7 am to 11 pm. The breakfast buffet focuses on Asian cuisine but you can order eggs or omelets. We also ate both our dinners here as the menu is quite extensive and varied. The food was well prepared.

For snack items you can walk to the nearest 7-11; just turn left as your exit the gate and walk to the end of the street. It’s a very small store but a good source for bottled water and snacks. If you keep walking in the same direction into the next block down you will find the Rainforest Bakery which has wonderful breads and other bakery items.

We highly recommend this hotel to anyone who wants a sense of the historic Georgetown.