Penang Trip : Stayed at MoonTree47, 1920 Shoplot!

old story, but the memory remains fresh!

i can’t even begin to describe this wonderful trip. this is our FIRST trip together without the boys since forever. we left the boys with my in-laws – ALL OUR THREE boys – and headed to PENANG for a one-night trip.

i don’t have to worry about packing diaper bags. no shouting out my kids’ names every 2 seconds. no strollers to push. no cutting out a shopping outing short because one of them throws a tantrum. we went for nasi kandar at 3am, and midnight movies too – no boundaries!

i love my kids, but this brief *freedom* was just priceless. you guys understand, right mommies?

 

 

..and because we were holidaying without our kiddos, mr. khairul the adventurous traveller decided to go unconventional and booked us a room at ‘moontree47’ – a homestay situated in a traditional penang shophouse – built in the 1920s!

(believe me, if we were with the kids, i would insist on the typical 4-5 star hotels across penang. space, comfort and housekeeping! however, since it’s just the two of us – anything goes!)

it’s in georgetown, in between some other charming homestays as well. ‘moontree47’ takes its name from the street name – muntri street. smart, eh? the concept of ‘moontree47’ is 3-fold – a homestay, a cafe, and an art gallery too!

 

 

this is the sight that greets you once you enter ‘moontree47’ – vintage furniture give a sudden feel of stepping back in time! really reminded me of my opah’s house in teluk intan!

personally, i was overwhelmed with the sight of the antic collections of 50 year old dumex dinner set, the old cameras, black and white photographs on the wall and many more vintage items.

 

 

 

 

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‘moontree47’ also has a cafe, serving drinks and sandwiches. the coffee corner is nice and clean too, with orders stuck to a thread with cloth pins. cute.

 

 

the seating is very lepak too. just wooden benches, wooden stools, and another few vintage furniture. this area is like a courtyard, so you’ve got plenty of sunshine in a very comfy setting, amidst greeneries. simple, yet positively pretty!

the morning after, i hung out here to use the wi-fi, and the general feel was really relaxed. i was surprised at the song-choice – classics by sinatra and the gang reverberated through the air while i blog at that quirky little homestay. nice. should’ve ordered a cup of hot choc or something!

 

 

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now let’s check out our room for the night!

the owner, dickie led us past the cafe at the courtyard, through a backdoor and to this front door. really quirky setting – transporting me back to homes in kampung or old penang!

 

no view, no doorbells nor key-cards – but i just can’t wait to see what’s in store for us at this charming little homestay in georgetown!

 

open the door, and i saw this – another vintage sofa, with old-dulang with classic flower pattern. but it’s the stairs that captured my attention the most! the first thing on my mind was – MY BOYS definitely CANNOT be in this room, climbing those precarious-looking stairs! haha.

 

our homestay ‘room’ at ‘moontree47’ turned out to be a double-storey unit. the ground floor is a rather spacious area to put our luggage and what-not. the bathroom is there too on the ground floor. there’s also an old-looking cupboard that both of us recognized as belonging to our opah! hihi. THAT old-looking.

i just love that the place is so simple, with minimal amenities, but big on ideas and decor using simple items too that looked great.

 

checking out the room upstairs took real guts as i had to slowly climb up the stairs! man, never in a million years have i thought i’d be experiencing staying at a place like this! fun, exciting, new, and unique!

 

upstairs is just a really small, tight space for this double bed, and just enough space to walk around it. simple but has a cosy feel to it too. really a backpackers’ room! it’s air-conditioned, and even has a sun-roof – which was really awesome! hihi. i also love the sweet kelambu over the bed!

 

the cool sun-roof!

 

the classic wooden windows – cute!

there are some reviews at some websites saying that the walls were too thin that they can hear people coughing and all – well, if you want real sound-proof room, go to a proper hotel lah! you get what you pay for, right?

but for us, the only other unit that’s occupied was the one at the front. yang kat belakang ni, kami je yang stay. so the night can be REALLY quiet…

 

haven’t seen this flask for so long! a nice touch, to add to the retro feel.

 

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mr. khairul with one of the owners – dickie. a nice guy, friendly and helpful too.

 

overall, our experience staying at ‘moontree47’ was a pleasant one, and it serves all our purpose – a clean bathroom, a comfy room, a pretty ambiance and even a wi-fi at the cafe. all the vintage stuff and retro feel are a bonus.

wanna check out ‘moontree47’ on your next visit to penang? walk down the street from the opposite junction of cititel, pass by modern hotel on your right. walk further down and look for ‘moontree47’ on your right.

have a nice stay!