Ropewalk Guesthouse
Clean and friendly flashpacker option
More on Penang
Occupying a row of three heritage shophouses, Ropewalk Guesthouse harbours an assortment of simple and clean air-con rooms spread over two floors of the three buildings.
Travelfish says:
Offerings include a female-only dorm, (sorry guys, no male or mixed dorms here), along with a selection of private double, twin, and triple rooms with and without ensuite bathrooms. The folks at Ropewalk Guesthouse greeted us with one of the most friendly welcomes we encountered in Penang, and it wasn’t just the staff—other guests seemed happy too.
A smart renovation was not long complete at the time of research in July 2017 and as well as the rooms and bathrooms getting a makeover, the lightwells throughout the buildings have been transformed to mini garden artworks with plants, ponds and seating to relax and enjoy.
The rooms we viewed, although on the small side, were bright and airy with windows, but we were informed not all of the rooms enjoy natural light, some with internal windows and some none at all, so request a window when booking.
Air-con cooled, the stylish but modest rooms provide comfy beds, a small bedside table and hanging rack, some add a chair, but not much else, however colourful walls and smart linens with coordinated throw cushions and blankets offer a cosy contemporary ambience. Note that the budget twin rooms are not much bigger than a cupboard with bunks rather than two separate single beds and unless you are on a very tight budget, it’s worth paying the extra for a regular twin room.
We were impressed by the spacious six-bed female dorm room with well spaced single beds, no bunks, separated by bedside “dressing” tables with attached mirror and each with power outlet and individual lighting, entirely surrounded by floor to ceiling curtains creating a private space when drawn. We were unable to view rooms with ensuite, but the share bathrooms were clean and plentiful with separate toilets and hot shower cubicles that are outfitted with a small shelf of toiletries and a luggage rack style towel rail with ample space to keep your clothes and towel dry.
Breakfast is not included, but baskets of snack are available to help yourself to anytime including (delicious) homemade cakes. For flashpackers looking for a well located clean sleep, Ropewalk Guesthouse is a good option, and seemed a popular place, so would be wise to book. For a similar style dorm, female travellers may consider the all-girl Queen’s Hostel or for private rooms with a little more heritage feel, consider Moon Tree 47 or Lang Hoose.
Contact details for Ropewalk Guesthouse
Address: 78 Jalan Pintal Tali, Georgetown
T: (0426) 45 769;
Email: ropewalk.guesthouse@gmail.com
Web: https://www.facebook.com/rope.walk.guest.house/
Coordinates (for GPS): 100º20'1.94" E, 5º24'59.85" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: Under 60 ringgit
Room rates
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Dorm fan cooled | 38 ringgit | 40 ringgit |
| Dbl air-con share bathroom Budget double. Add 10 Ringgit for a bigger double | 100 ringgit | 110 ringgit |
| Dbl air-con private bathroom | 160 ringgit | 180 ringgit |
Reviewed by
Sally Arnold
Sally spent twelve years leading tourists around Indonesia and Malaysia where she collected a lot of stuff. She once carried a 40kg rug overland across Java. Her house has been described as a cross between a museum and a library. Fuelled by coffee, she can often be found riding her bike or petting stray cats. Sally believes travel is the key to world peace.