I was traveling solo and absolutely loved my stay. I've been to Penang on multiple occasions now and I always find it hard to find a place that is cozy, clean, quiet, has windows, with comfortable bed and is well priced. After some horrible experiences in Penang in the past, this time I did a very thorough research (understand I turned the web inside out and looked at hundreds of places, reviews etc lol)... To conclude that Carnarvon house is among the best value midrange places. And so it was. I was in the secondary building next door to the main one, room was clean, bed was great, it was quiet and tastefully appointed. I enjoyed myself and would definitely come back. :) The coffee corner was a nice touch, with coffee, tea, fruit and little cakes at all times (no herbal tea, luckily I had my own). All and all fantastic stay and carrying staff. :) Ps. One tiny note for improvement: I found the toiletries provided didn't match the 'quality' of the room and unfortunately my scalp made an allergic reaction to the shampoo. So for next time I will know to bring my own.

Beautiful Old Timber building. I love their layout, long and bright. Good air flow. Beautiful timber. The price is reasonable. I am not surprise if they increase price by 50-100%. Walking distance I found many good places for food, drinks. I am thinking to come back again and spend more time in George Town. I already start sharing this place to my closed friends.

Really wanted to love this place after reading all the reviews but was deeply disappointed at arrival. Was informed that I’d have no access to the beautiful original guesthouse because it’s been bought out by a family for the 2 nights I was staying here. Had I known, I would have arranged alternative dates. I love Penang’s heritage shophouses and have been wanting to stay in one. If you’re choosing to stay here for the historical novelty, please check that you actually have access to the original building. Managed to steal a few hours in the old house when the other guests were out. Enjoyed it very much although I felt a bit like an intruding burglar. Instead of a paying guest who had been promised a unique experience. Everything else was well appointed. Nicole and her team were very welcoming and accommodating. And the location is perfect. I am happy to recommend Carnarvon House, despite the initial disappointment.

The host, Nicole was super friendly and accommodating. The rooms are clean and well arranged. We booked 3 rooms with private bath for our family short holiday. The neighborhood seems safe and quiet. We just love it. Walking distance to Armenian Art Street and plenty choices of food.

Super comfortable bed and pillows. Great Air- con and fan. No window to outside in my room but I understood that when I booked - fine for me as I only sleep in the bedroom! Good size and places to put everything including a lockable cupboard - bring own lock. Great touch. Clean shared shower rooms and bathroom facilities. Public spaces fabulous and beautiful. You can have a cuppa, top up your waterbottle have some fruit - Great to be able to do this. The location is perfect very central and the lady who runs the place could not be more kind or helpful. Even lent us umbrella's. You can get your washing done here too! Excellent wifi. Highly recommend.

A great stay;The place was packed full but super quiet. We had the top top top room up on level 3 with loads of stairs so could be a bit challenging for anyone with mobility issues. We sweated a storm getting all our motorbike gear in at 30 degree and high humidity but it was worth the effort! Wonderful large room, exceptional comfortable king size bed, and cold air conditioning plus a fan. We arrived super late due to thunderstorms and being on motorbikes, but Nicole had a friendly staff member waiting for us- we arrived at 11.30pm! We were so relieved and impressed with their concerns for us and care. We had a shared bathroom, with hot showers and filtered water. These were private and we never crossed other people. Super clean as housekeepers and staff spent all day cleaning and sweeping and mopping! Squeaky clean. We also used in-house laundry service which was excellent. Loved the downstairs with shared dining room area, 24/7 free coffee and fresh fruit and some bakery delight- that extra special touch. Best of all was it’s location close to busy street food, but away from busy streets and very quiet neighbourhood. Nicole was great! Super friendly. Has won awards and no surprises why. Exceptional service. We will be back!

We stayed on May 18-23: As an avid heritage building lover, we wanted to stay at a heritage home for our 1st trip to Penang. We chose this place not only because of that but also the many positive reviews of the host, Nicole. The Double En-Suite with the private bathroom was in the new wing next to the original house but we could access it any time we wanted. Each wing had its own dining area where tea, coffee, sugar, a (hot, ambient and cold!!!) water dispenser was available for us to use. There were also cutleries, bowls, plates that we could use if we ordered Grabfood. The room was clean, AC working well (additional wall fan to help w/ Penang's weather) and hot shower working. Laundry is RM10 per kg. Our 2 suitcases was brought up to our rooms. It's only 150m to Lebuh Armenian (via Lorong Toh Aka) where all the main attractions are but quiet enough in Lorong Carnarvon. Lebuh Melayu a block away provided many eateries. Nicole and her assistant were both friendly and helpful. They had various maps, sunscreen, bug repellant and first aid kit. She even helped us reserve bus tickets to our next destination. We loved it so much that we extended an extra night and she provided the bigger Superior Double En-Suite with the same price. Wow. (Although we actually loved the smaller intimate double en-suite). Definitely will stay there again when we come back!

The stay is truly stunning, resembling the pictures. I've never experienced such a captivating property before; it exudes a homely, rustic atmosphere. The entire place feels like it's straight out of a Pinterest dream.

If you wanted to experience the unforgettable hospitality of Penangites, this place should be on your top list - The hostess (Ms Nicole) will show you! 👌 Location is ideal, strolling around you may find food & drink galore, souvenir stores, heritage sites, museums, picturesque art lanes, night entertainment and much more.. Terminal ferry is just a few minutes away by foot.. Due to covid-19 travel restrictions (of foreign countries) we enjoyed a quiet stay at a really bargain rate. In a nutshell.. Im falling in love with.. hrmmm.. everything & every moment of it. Counting days to come back, again.. That's for sure. Thanks Nicole

I stayed for 2 nights 31.07 - 01.08. 2022. It was very very good. The hostess Nicole is very friendly, helpful, attentive. The entire place is very attractive and beautiful, not easy to maintain but Nicole is making it like new everyday. Very clean. I stayed in the double room with bathroom attached. King size bed, the size of the bathroom is good and very clean, provided with shower gel and shampoo. Nicole is very nice, she updated what is the present event in Georgetown, Penang and what recommend a few good restaurants. Carnarvon House is a few streets away from the Armenian Art street attraction. Love this place much. Nicole is the soul of this house.

Nicole is a warm and friendly host that welcomed me to the accommodation. Amenities are taken care of. Rooms are clean and neat.

A taste of heritage is what this place is able to provide. Simple, affordable and very good location in the heart of Georgetown. Backpackers would love this place for sure. I was here when Penang had a spike in Covid and it literally transformed the entire state into a different place from what Penang used to be. Most businesses were operating at minimum capacity and most food places didn't have dine in (only takeaways). Despite all that, the location was strategic enough that within 10 mins walking distance you'll be able to find many of the great Penang delights and you can bring back to dine. The owner, Nicole was nice and accommodating. She makes you feel at home whenever you get to meet her. Staying here is almost like staying in a big old home with many rooms and family members, a cozy/homey kinda feeling. I had Kimberley room for a month, love this room as it comes with a window that provides a view of the interior of the building.

Definitely a steal and a hidden gem if you wanted to try staying in a peranakan style housing and something different from typical hotels. Nicole was a super host who's very friendly and helpful in giving recommendations and places to travel. I think it is good for solo, couple and traveller's with friends. The shower, fridge and other facilities are in common space but they're mostly not occupied. There's a mosque nearby, if you're a super light sleeper you might want to avoid rooms towards the front. The location is great if you're looking to explore around Georgetown and there's several eateries in the area (~5mins) in the morning, but not much at night. Love my stay and looking forward to go back again in the future.

The modern facilities and heritage elements in Carnarvon House interact harmoniously and exude a sense of calm. After a morning of walking, one looks forward to making a pit stop back in Carnarvon House to cool down, take a breather before continuing the exploration of Penang. We also enjoy our talks with Nicole, the proprietor of Carnarvon House. Topics range from food, local attractions, neighboring shops, local history.

We really enjoy our stay during the few days we spent in George Town. Nicole and Kelvin are really helpull and shared with us good advices. We really recommend this house

Cosy quaint heritage house turned into hotel. The family that runs thus hotel is caring and friendly. Some guests walk with heavy stompy steps on the common wooden corridors late night or early morning is the only small issue that a sleepy head can sometimes ignore ;)

Lovely staff, the old building is beautiful, really appreciate the seating area where you can relax, have tea, coffee, fruit and cake, the room is a good size, nicely decorated and comfortable,

Great hotel. Very kind staff and the room spacious and comfortable. Best of all is the location, very close to all shops, bars, street art and restaurants in Georgetown. I’d definitely recommend staying here if you’re coming to Penang.

Clean room, comfy bed, plenty of bathrooms, good walking distance to every attractions Some free beverages and snacks downstairs Situated near mosques, otherwise a quiet place to stay

This is a beautiful Chinese home of past times converted into a little boutique hotel. Rooms are basic and most have shared bathrooms, so keep in mind when booking! Pretty building, worth seeing it.

Beautiful old townhouse. Remarkably clean. Very comfy beds. Good location with many restaurants nearby. Helpful host. (Wake up call by nearby prayers if you have the room facing the street - early wake-up and start to sightseeing recommendable due to very hot & humid weather in the noon/afternoon)

Great central location surrounded by heritage buildings and near to the clan jetties. It was down a side street and was super quiet with minimal traffic noise. Also close to a convenient shopping mall with a grocer, and to the archaeological park which was a lovely stroll. Nicole was super friendly and helpful at check-in and let us know there was a market happening in the park during our stay, she was also really helpful with details about getting our washing done in house (amazing service). The guesthouse had two lovely common areas, with filtered water, self service tea, coffee, fruit and snacks, and some basic kitchen amenities. The room was super clean and tastefully furnished with some heritage features (we stayed in the new building) and a comfy bed. The bathroom was clean and had some basic amenities, and fresh towels were provided every two days. We really enjoyed our stay at Carnarvon House and would absolutely recommend it!! To access the modern rooms there was a long staircase which might be tricky for those with mobility issues - Nicole really kindly offered to help move our luggage upstairs which we appreciated :)

Beautiful guesthouse in a convenient location, and Nicole (the host) was really friendly and helpful. I booked a room in the new wing with a private bathroom and the facilities were clean and comfortable - overall I would say this place is great value for money 👍

We like the “yesteryears” ambiance of this charming house. The staff, especially Eva, were attentive and helpful in accommodating our expressed requests. They treated their clients as their house guests. The only downside (if you are an early sleeper) with our brief stay was the chanting broadcasted nightly for over an hour through loudspeakers from the nearby Mosque, as it is their Ramadan season.

It was a great place to live and stay. I loved it sooo much ! The hostess was very nice to us and understandings! ❤️ The place was clean and comfortable! If you have a group of friends who enjoy your own sweet time, you should stay here !

If I can rate 10 stars, Carnavon House deserve it. Beautifully restored heritage house, it exudes charm that comes with peaceful comfort. Breakfast was traditional Penang food serve with the trickling sound of the mini fountain. Value was excellent due to the MCO I think. Location is very good. Walking distance to a lot of eateries and attractions. The lady, Nicole even paid for our car park so that we could have our breakfast peacefully. Nicole has a way to make you comfortable and she is not intruding at all Carnavon house itself is already an attraction by itself. So much personality. Go and see it for yourself. Would definitely return even though I am local and would recommend to visitors to Penang. Carnavon House is definitely the highlight of our Penang vacation compare to our stay E&O which was utterly disappointing

Cosy and feels like home. Reminds me of my grandma's place. Owner was very nice and helpful. Plan to stay here again next time i visit Penang.

Very pretty place. Rooms are very clean. We should have booked the ensuite bathroom room.

I rarely leave review but this place is an exception. I just felt like I need to make this place known for its quality due to the owner’s Nicole warm and top notch hospitality and also the location wise where it’s near to most of the best places to visit in the city. I really like the room design. The one which is for 3 person where I there’s a mini stairs you need to climb onto to reach the bed on top. It made me feel like an excited kid being able to be on top of the world. Breakfast is simple yet fulfilling. I really like the porridge with the sambal. The room is very clean. Don’t have to worry a thing due to COVID-19 pandemic. Pricing wise is also very reasonable as what more can I ask for? Location ✅ hospitality ✅ breakfast ✅ cleanliness ✅ However, the downside would be the poor WiFi connection on the newer building. And also the thin walls and hence not sound proof but overall it’s one of the best place I’ve ever stayed at that’s why despite the little flaws present I’ll still gladly give y’all a five star. Definitely be back again if I were to come back to Penang and I need a place to stay.

Pros: The host gave outstanding hospitality. The room is clean and have little bit modern heritage style. Affordable. Have instagramable spots Cons: No tv & refrigerator Quite difficult to get parking

Walk into the past. Old rooms that let you taste the history.

Everything about our stay is amazing. The room is clean and decorated with furnitures with heritage touch. The hostess is so helpful and friendly. Helped us with places to eat and go in surrounding areas. The floor that we stayed on has a rooftop where I spent my morning drinking coffee. I wish I could stay longer. Thank you Nicole, for the wonderful service.

Great experience at Carnarvon House. Walking distance to most Georgetown attractions, 500m to Chulia Street. I stayed in a basic room with shared bathroom, no problem at all. House is decorated in traditional way with access to tea/coffee and refrigerator. Nicole is a super host and provided local Nonya sweets as a Sunday morning treat. Would definitely stay again.

Clean, comfortable and lovely! Perfect location, everything is walkable distance. Our host Nicole is very helpful & friendly. Note: toilet & bathrooms are all sharing. It’s very clean so no worries.

Stay only for a night. But overall is great. The house is very beautiful and host is very friendly and helpful. Got teas for breakfast and wifi is good. Location also great because I went there for the street art and everything in walkable distance.

The room is clean and tidy. The best of all to highlight is the host, Nicole. She was extremely friendly and always ready to help you in anything not just about the homestay but also if you need any recommendation about places and food in Penang. Has been staying in Carnavon House for more than 3 months and it never disappoint. Highly recommended!!!

Beautiful old townhouse very close to tourist attractions, restaurants and cafés. We had a great time staying at Carnarvon House, Nicole is a gem and helpful with anything you need. She pointed out the different attractions/areas on a map when we were checking in. It had a family vibe that was so welcoming. We’d recommend checking out the Kimberly Street evening/night food market a few minutes walk away, it has some good vegetarian options and really budget friendly!

I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in George Town. My partner and I were lucky enough to stay at Carnarvon House in March last year, and were treated so kindly by Ms Nicole the hostess. Our flights were cancelled a few times due to COVID 19, and each time she welcomed us back and made us feel safe and cared for in a very stressful time. Truly above and beyond! The facilities are clean, the bedrooms beautiful and historic, and the location ideal for checking out all the best food and sights that the town has to offer. We will be back for sure!

Stayed here for 2 nights and it was a very pleasant experience. The rooms are very nice and well maintained. Nicole the hostess was very helpful and friendly and made us feel very welcomed. The location is close to many attractions and has a rich history of culture. Would recommend to anyone who is visiting Penang.

The guesthouse is in an old heritage house, and the lobby/ground floor is impressive. The rooms are sparse but the beds comfortable. The shared bathrooms are clean but a bit outdated. The staff was very friendly, and throughout the day guests are provided with water, coffee, tea & cake. The soap dispensers were empty (bar of soap was provided instead but it felt a bit weird to share that with other guests). The walls separating the rooms felt a bit thin and didn't cancel the noise that well.

Nicole was extremely helpful before I arrived with transport options from the airport and gave me tons of tips once I arrived. The Kimberley room was well-appointed with clean linens and thoughtful touches, attention to detail is paid everywhere in the house, just as beautiful as the pictures show. I highly recommend Carnarvon House!