Claude D.

I spent three months housesitting for Joelle and Claude in Penang together with my partner Kwan, and we had a really lovely stay. I arrived two days before their departure, which gave them plenty of time to show me around, explain everything and introduce me to some people locally. Throughout the sit we stayed in regular contact and I sent them updates. They would also occasionally send us events and things happening around Penang through the app, which was really thoughtful. There are no pets to look after, but there is a balcony full of beautiful tropical plants - which turned out to be more of an adventure than expected! Getting the watering just right in a tropical climate can be tricky, and we also had a few different bugs to deal with along the way. Because of Penang’s humidity, it’s also important to air the apartment regularly and replace the moisture absorbers to prevent mould when they are full. There is also weekly housekeeping, which is a big plus. The apartment itself is very comfortable and has everything you need for a longer stay, including a well-equipped kitchen. Having a swimming pool and gym downstairs was great too. Penang is a wonderful place to spend a few months. There is beautiful nature, plenty of hiking, lots of culture and, of course, amazing food. It’s also a great base for exploring more of Malaysia. For future longer sits, a small plant guide with some “what to do if…” instructions could be helpful, especially when it comes to watering and tropical pests. It’s also worth keeping visa allowances in mind when coordinating dates for a longer international sit. My Malaysian stay ended just before Joelle and Claude returned, but as Kwan had arrived later, he was able to stay and welcome them home, so thankfully it all worked out well. One other little suggestion we made was having a separate (maybe plastic) set of everyday plates for sitters. The drying rack has a talent for swallowing plates 😄 and apparently we weren’t the first sitters to lose one that way! We replaced ours, of course. Overall, we really enjoyed our time here and appreciated Joelle and Claude’s warm welcome, regular communication and the trust they placed in us. Thank you both for having us!

Joelle & Claude were the best hosts we could have hoped for. They were responsive, kind & generous from the outset. When we initially arrived they showed us around the area & introduced us to some of their friends. This made settling in very easy. Their apartment is in a lovely development in a nice area 15 minutes walk from the beach. We were very comfortable during our stay. Claude’s balcony plants are very pretty & make the place feel very homely, they’re easy to take care of. Overall this was a house sit we thoroughly enjoyed & would highly recommend, we didn’t really want to leave 😆. Thank you Joelle & Claude

Claude et Joëlle sont vraiment extrêmement sympathiques et notre Tokyo a été chouchouté pendant notre absence. Pour notre première expérience nous sommes ravis d'avoir fait la connaissance de ce couple merveilleux. En espérant les revoir en Malaisie. A recommandé les yeux fermés. Merci Joëlle et Claude

Couple très agréable, un très bon contact, maison et animaux au top Information continue sur nos animaux Une très bonne rencontre avec des personnes très ouvertes À recommander sans hésitation