Images of Syok at Chulia Hostel, Penang, Malaysia
A Tour Through One of Penang's Funkiest Boutique Hostels
The Syok at Chulia (buy direct) is a hostel in Penang, Malaysia following the boutique playbook: located in a restored shophouse at a busy corner lot in George Town, this establishment balances heritage and youthful cool. ("Syok", in fact, is a Malay word meaning "cool" or "right on".)
Natural textures like brick and wood clash playfully with vibrantly-colored furnishings; rain shower baths and air conditioning add modern creature comforts to a historic structure that has only been gingerly altered by the management.
This image shows the Syok at Chulia from two different angles: the left one was taken from the pocket park on the intersection of Jalan Penang, Lebuh Leith and Jalan Chulia, while the image on the right was shot from across Jalan Chulia. The Subway restaurant that takes up half of the shophouse's ground level can be seen on the Lebuh Leith side.
A Warm Welcome at the Syok at Chulia's Lobby
A shoe store once occupied the shophouse where the Syok at Chulia stands today; abandoned after a fire, the shophouse stood empty until the present-day owners remade the space.
The ground-floor lobby serves as a preview for the funky style that permeates the rest of the establishment: high ceilings, borrowed Peranakan design cues like ornate tile and louvered wooden window shutters, and the generous use of vibrant orange on painted surfaces and fabrics.
From the lobby, guests find the rest of George Town within easy reach: Cheong Fatt Tze mansion is just a few blocks north up Lebuh Leith while Line Clear Nasi Kandar is pretty much across the block in the opposite direction. The shopping and central transport terminal at KOMTAR is less than ten minutes' walk south.
Interior of the Eight-Bed Dorm at the Syok at Chulia
Ascending the stairs from the lobby, guests will find a series of dorm rooms waiting for them: three eight-bed mixed dorm rooms; two female-only dorm rooms with 6 and 8 beds respectively; and two private rooms with double beds and bathrooms en suite.
The "Downing Street" eight-bed dorm room occupies the corner of the second floor, and as a result is one of the better-lit rooms. Wooden floors, high ceilings and ample wiggle room ensure that guests don't feel cramped when lounging in their orange bunks.
All bunks have their own reading light, power outlet, and locker within easy reach.
Personal Touches Outside the Syok at Chulia's Hostel Rooms
Curtains, not doors, shut the outside world off from each dorm room. On the outside of each dorm room, a backlit sign bears the name of the hostel room, along with the names of the guests written on it in erasable felt-tip.
Artistic Touches Brighten Up Syok at Chulia's Interior
Artistic touches throughout the Syok Hostel balance a respect for the property's heritage and an eye to the cool and new. Inspirational quotes painted in the stairwells (above, right) mesh well with interactive displays like this board of handwritten "confessions" (above, left) in the common bathroom.
Clean and Cool: the Syok at Chulia's Common Bathroom
The common bathroom's toilet and bath stalls liven up the surroundings with colorful wooden doors; in each shower stall, guests can enjoy access to a hot-water rain shower, soap, and shampoo. Bathroom tile in each stall give way to traditional rough-hewn red tile in the common floor.
The "confessions board" in the previous image can be seen at the far end of the bathroom, along with a staircase that leads up to the roof deck and the Syok Lounge.
A small open-air deck at the top floor serves as the only smoking area in the hostel. The walls surrounding the garden preclude a view, but as far as open-air decks go, Syok's is clean and uncluttered.
The air-conditioned Syok Lounge can be entered through the doorway barely visible to the right of this image.
The Syok Lounge is the hostel's piéce de resistance: a comfortable, warmly-lit air-conditioned space with board games, foosball table, TV, breakfast nook, bar and a shelf full of magazines and books.
This is the primary social space for guests, where travelers from different places can share Penang travel tips and experiences; more solitary guests can curl up with a book or watch TV. A free breakfast of cereals, bread and spreads is served here in the morning; the bar also serves tea and coffee all day long.
The only indication of the shophouse's last tenant can be found under the Lounge bar - a sign advertising the "Yang Sheng Shoes Store" runs across the bar front.
The Syok at Chulia (buy direct) is a hostel in Penang, Malaysia following the boutique playbook: located in a restored shophouse at a busy corner lot in George Town, this establishment balances heritage and youthful cool. ("Syok", in fact, is a Malay word meaning "cool" or "right on".)
Natural textures like brick and wood clash playfully with vibrantly-colored furnishings; rain shower baths and air conditioning add modern creature comforts to a historic structure that has only been gingerly altered by the management.
This image shows the Syok at Chulia from two different angles: the left one was taken from the pocket park on the intersection of Jalan Penang, Lebuh Leith and Jalan Chulia, while the image on the right was shot from across Jalan Chulia. The Subway restaurant that takes up half of the shophouse's ground level can be seen on the Lebuh Leith side.
- Inside job: Read our review of the Syok at Chulia Hostel, Penang, Malaysia.
A Warm Welcome at the Syok at Chulia's Lobby
A shoe store once occupied the shophouse where the Syok at Chulia stands today; abandoned after a fire, the shophouse stood empty until the present-day owners remade the space.
The ground-floor lobby serves as a preview for the funky style that permeates the rest of the establishment: high ceilings, borrowed Peranakan design cues like ornate tile and louvered wooden window shutters, and the generous use of vibrant orange on painted surfaces and fabrics.
From the lobby, guests find the rest of George Town within easy reach: Cheong Fatt Tze mansion is just a few blocks north up Lebuh Leith while Line Clear Nasi Kandar is pretty much across the block in the opposite direction. The shopping and central transport terminal at KOMTAR is less than ten minutes' walk south.
- Ground zero: Location of the Syok at Chulia Hostel (Google Maps).
Interior of the Eight-Bed Dorm at the Syok at Chulia
Ascending the stairs from the lobby, guests will find a series of dorm rooms waiting for them: three eight-bed mixed dorm rooms; two female-only dorm rooms with 6 and 8 beds respectively; and two private rooms with double beds and bathrooms en suite.
The "Downing Street" eight-bed dorm room occupies the corner of the second floor, and as a result is one of the better-lit rooms. Wooden floors, high ceilings and ample wiggle room ensure that guests don't feel cramped when lounging in their orange bunks.
All bunks have their own reading light, power outlet, and locker within easy reach.
- Backpacker Basics: Check out our list of Georgetown, Penang hostels.
Personal Touches Outside the Syok at Chulia's Hostel Rooms
Curtains, not doors, shut the outside world off from each dorm room. On the outside of each dorm room, a backlit sign bears the name of the hostel room, along with the names of the guests written on it in erasable felt-tip.
Artistic Touches Brighten Up Syok at Chulia's Interior
Artistic touches throughout the Syok Hostel balance a respect for the property's heritage and an eye to the cool and new. Inspirational quotes painted in the stairwells (above, right) mesh well with interactive displays like this board of handwritten "confessions" (above, left) in the common bathroom.
Clean and Cool: the Syok at Chulia's Common Bathroom
The common bathroom's toilet and bath stalls liven up the surroundings with colorful wooden doors; in each shower stall, guests can enjoy access to a hot-water rain shower, soap, and shampoo. Bathroom tile in each stall give way to traditional rough-hewn red tile in the common floor.
The "confessions board" in the previous image can be seen at the far end of the bathroom, along with a staircase that leads up to the roof deck and the Syok Lounge.
A small open-air deck at the top floor serves as the only smoking area in the hostel. The walls surrounding the garden preclude a view, but as far as open-air decks go, Syok's is clean and uncluttered.
The air-conditioned Syok Lounge can be entered through the doorway barely visible to the right of this image.
The Syok Lounge is the hostel's piéce de resistance: a comfortable, warmly-lit air-conditioned space with board games, foosball table, TV, breakfast nook, bar and a shelf full of magazines and books.
This is the primary social space for guests, where travelers from different places can share Penang travel tips and experiences; more solitary guests can curl up with a book or watch TV. A free breakfast of cereals, bread and spreads is served here in the morning; the bar also serves tea and coffee all day long.
The only indication of the shophouse's last tenant can be found under the Lounge bar - a sign advertising the "Yang Sheng Shoes Store" runs across the bar front.
- Book a stay: buy direct from HostelWorld | buy direct from Expedia
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