Eastern & Oriental Hotel Hotel Eastern & Oriental 槟城东方酒店、槟城东家酒店 ஈஸ்டர்ன் & ஓரியண்டல் விடுதி | |
---|---|
![]() | |
General information | |
Type | Hotel |
Architectural style | Colonial |
Address | 10 Farquhar Street, George Town, Penang |
Town or city | George Town, Penang |
Country | Malaysia |
Coordinates | 5°25′24″N100°20′09″E / 5.423322°N 100.335923°E |
Opened | 1885 |
Landlord | The E&O Group |
Design and construction | |
Developer | Sarkies Brothers |
Website | |
eohotels | |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | ii, iii, iv |
Designated | 2008 (32nd session) |
Reference no. | 1223 |
Region | Asia-Pacific |
The Eastern & Oriental Hotel (popularly known as E&O Hotel) is a British colonial-style luxury hotel in George Town, Penang, Malaysia that was established in 1885 by the Sarkies Brothers. [1] The sea-fronting hotel is known for its luxurious accommodation and restaurants.
The Eastern Hotel was founded by the Sarkies Brothers in 1884. Within one year, the hotel had prospered and surged in popularity such that the brothers established another hotel, the Oriental Hotel, in 1885, leading to a merger of both hotels into the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in 1889. The success of the brand led the brothers to establish sister hotels, the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 1887 and the Strand Hotel in Rangoon, Burma, in 1901. Under the management of the brothers the E & O hotel would receive several major expansion works, culminating to the completion of the present hotel complex in 1929.
Having failed to adapt to competition following World War II, the hotel underwent several decades of decline, and in 1996 a decision was made by the management to temporarily close down the hotel for major reconstruction. Although the front wing of the hotel, which would later be known as the "Heritage Wing", received restoration work, the rest of the hotel, including the easternmost 1929 "New Wing", was either gutted and refurbished or completely reconstructed in the style of the hotel's older architectural design; the mid-century E&O shopping annexe, which occupied the site of the original 1884 Eastern Hotel building, was also completely leveled for the new central wing of the hotel, which prominently features faux-cast iron-framed verandahs similar in style to those at the Raffles Hotel. Under its new owner, The E&O Group, the hotel was reopened to the public in 2001.
In 2013, the old Victory Annex was demolished and replaced by a new, 132-room tower of the same name. [2]
Famous visitors and guests of the hotel include:
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles was a British colonial official who served as the governor of the Dutch East Indies between 1811 and 1816 and lieutenant-governor of Bencoolen between 1818 and 1824. Raffles was involved in the capture of the Indonesian island of Java from the Dutch during the Napoleonic Wars. It was returned under the Anglo–Dutch Treaty of 1814. He also wrote The History of Java in 1817, describing the history of the island from ancient times. Rafflesia flower was named after him.
Raffles Singapore is a historic luxury hotel at 1 Beach Road, in Singapore. It was established by Armenian hoteliers, the Sarkies Brothers, in 1887. The hotel was named after British statesman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore.
The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, referred to locally as the Armenian Church, is the oldest Christian church in Singapore, located at Hill Street in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area. The church was completed in 1835 and consecrated the next year. Originally a parish of the Armenian Apostolic Church, an Oriental Orthodox denomination, the last Armenian parish priest left in the late 1930s as Armenian population in Singapore dwindled. It was designated as a national monument in 1973. Armenian and Oriental Orthodox services are now regularly held at the church.
The architecture of Penang reflects the 171 years of British presence on the island, coalescing with local, Chinese, Indian, Islamic and other elements to create a unique and distinctive brand of architecture. Along with Malacca, Penang is an architectural gem of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Unlike Singapore, also a Straits Settlement, where many heritage buildings had to make way for modern skyscrapers and high-rise apartments due to rapid development and acute land scarcity, Penang's architectural heritage has enjoyed a better fate. Penang has one of the largest collections of pre-war buildings in Southeast Asia. This is for the most part due to the Rent Control Act which froze house rental prices for decades, making redevelopment unprofitable. With the repeal of this act in 2000 however, property prices skyrocketed and development has begun to encroach upon these buildings, many of which are in a regrettable state of disrepair. The government in recent years has allocated more funding to finance the restoration of a number of derelict heritage buildings, most notably Suffolk House, City Hall and historic buildings in the old commercial district.
The Sarkies Brothers, Martin (1852–1912), Tigran (1861–1912), Aviet (1862–1923), and Arshak (1868–1931), were a group of brothers of Armenian ethnicity best known for founding a chain of luxury hotels throughout Southeast Asia. The brothers were born in Isfahan, Iran.
Temple Street is a one-way street in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. The road links South Bridge Road to New Bridge Road, and is intersected by Trengganu Street.
The first Armenians in Burma were merchants who arrived in 1612, and settled in Syriam, where the first Armenian tombstone is dated 1725.
The Armenians in Singapore are a small community who had a significant presence in the early history of Singapore. They were among the earliest merchants to arrive in Singapore were from the British Raj when it was established as a trading port by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. They numbered around 100 individuals at their peak in the early 1920s, but most have moved on to other countries or become absorbed into the wider Singapore community. Despite their small number, they had an impact in the commercial life of early Singapore and members of the community co-founded the newspaper The Straits Times and built the Raffles Hotel. The Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator on Armenian Street, the second church to be built in Singapore, is today the oldest surviving one.
The Strand is a Victorian-style hotel located in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma), built by Aviet and Tigran Sarkie, two of the Sarkies Brothers. The hotel, which opened in 1901, which faces the Yangon River to its south, is one of the most famous hotels in Yangon and Southeast Asia, and is managed by GCP Hospitality. The hotel is named after its address, at 92 Strand Road.
Swan & Maclaren Architects is a Singaporean architectural and industrial design firm. One of the oldest architectural firms in the country, it was formerly known as Swan & Maclaren and Swan & Lermit, and was one of the most prominent architectural firms in Singapore when it was a crown colony during the early 20th century. The firm has designed numerous iconic heritage buildings in Singapore as well as Malaysia.
The Hotel Majapahit is a historic hotel in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, opened in 1911. The hotel is currently managed by Accor through its MGallery chain.
The Kartika Wijaya, now éL Hotel Kartika Wijaya is a colonial-style hotel located in Batu, East Java. The address is at Jalan Panglima Sudirman 127.
Cheah Tek Soon was a 19th-century Penang businessman, and headman of the Hokkien in Penang, after whom Tek Soon Street was named. He was an active member of the Penang community and the bandstand that was erected near the Town Hall before the Japanese Occupation was his gift to the city.
Bilateral foreign relations exist between the two countries, Armenia and Singapore. Neither country has a resident ambassador. The Embassy of Armenia in Jakarta, Indonesia is accredited to Singapore. Singapore has no representation in Armenia.
Tunjungan is an area of Surabaya, Indonesia. It is home to the Plaza Tunjungan shopping area.
Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor is a historic hotel located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. First opened in 1932, it was established by French town planner Ernest Hébrard to accommodate the early explorers and tourists visiting the world heritage site Angkor Wat.
The Penang High Court, founded in 1808, is the birthplace of Malaysia's judiciary system. It is housed inside a Palladian-style building at Light Street, George Town, Penang. To this day, the High Court sits at the top of Penang's hierarchy of courts.
Farquhar Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Created in the late 18th century, the road forms part of the city centre's civic precinct, and is notable for the colonial buildings built under British rule. These include some of the most significant civic, religious, and commercial buildings of Penang, such as Penang High Court, Penang State Museum and Art Gallery, St. George's Church, Church of the Assumption, and Eastern & Oriental Hotel.
Armenian Street is a narrow street in the city of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Located within the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site, the road has gained popularity in recent years for its rich cultural offerings and street art.
The Crag Hotel, Penang is an abandoned hotel and former school building on the north edge of Penang Hill.