Southern Hotel

George Town


In this handsome, whitewashed heritage building, the smallest rooms are so compact as to be almost podlike – probably best for solo travellers – but are attractive and comfortable. Free coffee and water, and a convenient location, might help you get past the tight quarters.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby George Town attractions

1. Hainan Temple

0.07 MILES

Dedicated to Mar Chor Poh, the patron saint of seafarers, this temple was founded in 1870 but not completed until 1895. A thorough remodelling for its…

2. Blue Mansion

0.09 MILES

The most photographed building in George Town, this magnificent 38-room, 220-window mansion was built in the 1880s and rescued from ruin in the 1990s…

3. Protestant Cemetery

0.14 MILES

Under a canopy of magnolia trees you’ll find the graves of Captain Francis Light, the founder of the British colony of Penang, and many others, including…

4. E&O Gallery

0.21 MILES

Originally built in 1884, the E&O was the archetypal 19th-century colonial grand hotel. It was established by two of the Armenian Sarkies brothers, Tigram…

5. Church of the Assumption

0.28 MILES

The Catholic Church of the Assumption was founded in 1786, not long after the foundation of Penang, but the present building was constructed in 1861.

6. Kuan Yin Teng

0.38 MILES

Dedicated to Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy, this temple is the liveliest place of worship in George Town. The current temple was built in the early 19th…

7. Masjid Kapitan Keling

0.39 MILES

Penang’s first Indian Muslim settlers, troops from the East India Company, built Masjid Kapitan Keling in 1801, named for the captain who had the idea…

8. Teochew Puppet & Opera House

0.39 MILES

A family collection of puppets, costumes and traditional instruments form the basis of this charming specialist museum.