--- title: "Brown Hotel vs So Hotel: which hotel is better?" description: "Brown Hotel or So Hotel in Penang? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side. Pick So Hotel. It leads in 2 of 3 categories." url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/brown-hotel-penang-vs-so-hotel-penang/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-11-05 --- # Brown Hotel vs So Hotel Both are in Penang, 510 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger. Hotel · ★★★ · Kampung Dodol ## [Brown Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/brown-hotel-penang/) - **Guest rating:** 8.5 · Very good - **Location score:** 6.5 - **Score by category:** 1 of 3 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1229751/agoda/?lang=en) Hotel · ★★ · George Town ## [So Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/so-hotel-penang/) - **Guest rating:** 8.0 · Very good - **Location score:** 8.1 - **Score by category:** 2 of 3 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/2112135/agoda/?lang=en) The short answer ## Pick So Hotel It leads in 2 of 3 categories. 510 m apart. ### Choose Brown Hotel if you want - the more consistently praised stay (8.5 / 8.0) - a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 51 / 24) - a newer or recently renovated building (2019 / 2010) ### Choose So Hotel if you want - to be closer to the beach (1.4 km / 1.7 km) - free parking - a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 24 / 51) ### Why is Brown Hotel better than So Hotel? 1. Higher guest rating (8.5 vs 8.0) (+0.5) 2. Higher star rating (3★ vs 2★) (+1★) 3. Newer or more recently renovated (2019 vs 2010) (+9y) ### Why is So Hotel better than Brown Hotel? 1. 45 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+45) 2. More walkable surroundings (walk grade 92 vs 78) (+14) 3. Has free parking 4. 11 more sights within 1 km (+11) 5. Earlier check-in (14:00 vs 15:00) (−1h) ## All compared facts Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel. | | Brown Hotel | So Hotel | | --- | --- | --- | | Score by category | | Guest rating | 8.5 (+0.5) | 8.0 | | Location | 6.5 | 8.1 (+1.6) | | Facilities | 2.5 | – | | Spa & wellness | 0.0 | – | | Beach access | 4.4 | 5.6 (+1.2) | | Ratings & reviews | | StayVersus score | 8.5 (+0.5) | 8.0 | | Guest rating | 8.5 (+0.5) | 8.0 | | Number of reviews | 2,974 | 3,016 (+42) | | Google rating | 3.7/5 | 4.0/5 (+0.3) | | Google reviews | 126 | 343 (+217) | | Rank in Penang | bottom 43% (+21%) | bottom 22% | | Location | | Location score | 6.5 | 8.1 (+1.6) | | Distance to the centre | 580 m | 470 m | | To the beach | 1.7 km | 1.4 km (−340 m) | | To the airport | 14 km | 14 km | | Restaurants within 500 m | 105 | 150 (+45) | | To the nearest food shop | 280 m | 210 m | | Shops within 500 m | 3 | 7 (+4) | | Sights within 1 km | 4 | 15 (+11) | | Rooms & building | | Star rating | ★★★ (+1★) | ★★ | | Rooms | 51 | 24 | | Floors | 8 | 4 | | Newest building or renovation | 2019 (+9y) | 2010 | | Listed amenities | 12 (+4) | 8 | | Policies | | Check-in from | 15:00 | 14:00 (−1h) | | Check-out until | 12:00 | 12:00 | | Amenities | | Free Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ | | Airport transfer | ✓ | – | | Luggage storage | ✓ | – | | Bar | ✓ | ✓ | | Wheelchair accessible | ✓ | – | | Smoke-free | ✓ | – | | Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | | Minibar | ✓ | ✓ | | In-room safe | ✓ | – | | Blackout curtains | ✓ | ✓ | | Free parking | – | ✓ | | Which hotel suits you | | Beach holidays | – | ✓ | | Sightseeing on foot | – | ✓ | ## Live prices around both hotels Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer. ## Nightly price by month Brown HotelSo Hotel - Through the year the two hotels cost about the same - Brown Hotel: €25 a night on average · So Hotel: €26 a night on average Pick a month to check today's price for its cheapest date. [Hotel prices in Penang by month](https://stayversus.com/en/malaysia/penang/prices/) Averages of real one-night prices for two adults on Agoda, a Tuesday and a Saturday in each month, last checked 21 October 2026. In euros; the final price is shown before you book. [Brown Hotel prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/brown-hotel-penang/prices/)[So Hotel prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/so-hotel-penang/prices/) ## Location 510 m apart Brown Hotel: city centre: 580 m, Penang International Airport (PEN): 14 km, beach: 1.7 km, 105 places to eat within 500 m, 4 sights within 1 km. So Hotel: city centre: 470 m, Penang International Airport (PEN): 14 km, beach: 1.4 km, 150+ places to eat within 500 m, 15 sights within 1 km. ## Brown Hotel or So Hotel: common questions ### Which is better, Brown Hotel or So Hotel? So Hotel leads in 2 of 3 categories, including location, beach access. Brown Hotel is stronger in guest rating. ### Which is cheaper, Brown Hotel or So Hotel? Over the year they cost about the same: €25 a night on average at Brown Hotel, €26 at So Hotel. Pick your dates above for today's prices. ### Which hotel is closer to the beach? So Hotel is 1.4 km from the nearest beach; Brown Hotel is 1.7 km. ### How far apart are Brown Hotel and So Hotel? The two hotels are 510 m apart in a straight line. ## More match-ups - [Brown Hotel vs Landison Hotel Penang](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/brown-hotel-penang-vs-landison-hotel-penang-penang/) - [Brown Hotel vs One Pacific Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/brown-hotel-penang-vs-one-pacific-hotel-penang/) - [Brown Hotel vs Ink Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/brown-hotel-penang-vs-ink-hotel-penang/) - [So Hotel vs Ink Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/ink-hotel-penang-vs-so-hotel-penang/) - [So Hotel vs Edenwood Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/edenwood-hotel-penang-vs-so-hotel-penang/) - [So Hotel vs Georgetown AY Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/georgetown-ay-hotel-penang-vs-so-hotel-penang/) - [So Hotel vs Mac Hotel by Sky Hive](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/mac-hotel-by-sky-hive-penang-vs-so-hotel-penang/) ## Compare now Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/brown-hotel-penang-vs-so-hotel-penang/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/