Is RM350 per night for a room a 'flashpackers' budget?

Far too much for me (I guess I'm not a flashpacker though ;-)

Yes,its upper mid range I think.You can get a 4 star hotel for less than that,most of the year.

BTW I just booked my next stopover in Penang (passing through,so only a few nights of eating!)....at the Tune.

Small room,yes.30RM a night.....

Hi Julie,

It is really very expensive. I would suggest you stay in Armenian street you will find cheap Hotels out there.
I have recently visited the penang and stay at armenian Hotel place was really good and then I booked my tours for penang through www.gotourister.com
I got both deals at very good price.
Good Luck

Thanks guys. I've been to Penang many times, and I'm not planning to go there. The last time I was there I stayed at the Cathay Hotel for RM69 per night (for 2 people), which I thought was a bit more upmarket backpackers place.

But I was reading through the Saturday paper and found this place mentioned in an article. I couldn't believe that it was described (even on their website) as a Flashpackers.

Its about 9x what we'd usually pay. And I'd say even more than a flash Flashpacker.

pfff... what's a flashpacker? I doubt there's an official definition let alon what his budget would be!

BTW the Cathay hotel was closed earlier this year when I passed.

thanks Bamboo. I hope the Cathay was closed for renovations. It's a lovely old building. However, it was staffed by an exceptional amount of little old men, so perhaps their hotel running days have now passed. God bless 'em. They all thought it was a great joke that the room rate was RM'69'!

Flashpacker describes the person who is on a trip but has plenty of money to splash out on superior accomodation, cars with drivers and hired guides. Their numbers are definitely on the rise.

I hope the Cathay was closed for renovations. It's a lovely old building. However, it was staffed by an exceptional amount of little old men, so perhaps their hotel running days have now passed. God bless 'em. They all thought it was a great joke that the room rate was RM'69'!

That's probably because the hotel was a well-known 'massage' parlour where extra services were the main attraction, not the massage...
http://www.schnooka.com/adult-massage-penang.php