The Ambiance at the Sarkies

E&O Buffet is served daily at Sarkies, E&O Hotel, Penang. Modernized Sarkies presents a contrast between colonial charm and contemporary ease. One part of the Sarkies features the dark wooden furniture while the rest includes some lighter colonial style chairs. It is easy to navigate around the self-service zone from everywhere. In the center of Sarkies, all the dishes are neatly displayed on the countertop.

Actually, the majority of food is right in front of the open kitchen action. In case you want to keep an eye on the chef’s work, you have many tables that enable you to do so. But if you’d rather enjoy the ocean view, you should sit next to the large windows. In general, we can say the Sarkies is a bright and acoustic space.

The Food at the E&O Buffet

When we enjoyed our midweek Sarkies buffet lunch, we were able to choose from different local and international classics. On display, we found different soups, meat dishes with condiments, and vegetable dishes. If you are a huge fan of seafood, you can enjoy some of those as well. Before you get too excited about the all-you-can-eat luxury food, know that the focus of Sarkies buffet lunch is on homemade dishes. 

Soups

If you have a thing for soups, then you are in luck. On the Sarkies Buffet menu is even the local pride and joy; the Assam laksa! It was delicious, just as expected. We were hoping to revive the tasty memory from the Sarkies Corner. Here is a review of our lunch there from our first visit. Besides Laksa, we found another spicy soup with chili kiss. This sweet and sour soup is South Indian nutritious gold, the Rasam Soup.

What we liked the most about it, was its refreshing aroma coming from fresh curry leaves. Equally irresistible was also the thick tomato soup that screamed of real and well ripe tomatoes. Both of us loved it, especially with the fresh dose of crunchy bread croutons and a drop of cream. In addition to that, you can stop at the noodle station and pick your favorite noodles, vegetables, seafood, tofu…

Proteins

We loved the Asian Spiced beef with some extra black pepper sauce on the side. Although mushrooms with lamb also tasted delightful. However, the biggest demand seemed to be for the chicken tempura. Not surprisingly, since everyone loves fried food, especially kids.

In case you like a piece of meat, you can choose among the roasted duck, with roasted duck sauce next to it. On the other hand, you can also seize the opportunity for some omega intake. On one side of the open kitchen, you’ll find grilled Saba fish, Salmon, and Japanese Long Fish. But tuna and salmon sashimi are right next to four sushi varieties.

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Condiments

You really shouldn’t skip the crisp Peranakan style pickles at the E&O buffet. They are sweeter and more flavorful than the ones we know in Europe. Adding some fermented young mango or papaya fruit to all you can eat a meal is always a good idea. In case you want to stick with a healthy diet, you can choose among a few infused oils instead of dressings. Adding some sun-dried tomato to your salad also shouldn’t hurt. After all, some freestyling will only make your Eastern & Oriental buffet lunch memorable.

Vegetables

Meat-free dishes are scattered around the Sarkies buffet. You’ll find some at every corner of the buffet area. Besides the already mentioned soups, we also suggest a bit of tasty potato salad and delectable samosas. Walking around the Sarkies buffet will give you a few ideas to customize your Gado Gado. I tell you, the peanut dressing is to die for!

Desserts

Expect a beaming “sweet tooth” by the end of your lunch buffet at E&O Hotel. Really, it doesn’t matter whether you are after the shaved-ice or western treats. We returned to the table a few times, and every time we discovered something new. Here are our favorites that we warmly recommend.

Chocolate brownies deliver a proper choco bomb. If you feel the need to dilute the intense flavor, you have warm vanilla sauce right next to it. Still warm was also mixed fruit crumble filled with incredibly juicy pineapple and peaches. Combining it with coconut ice cream was mouth-watering. Our favorite pie had to be the nut pie with the pecan nuts being in abundance. It was perfect in between the unsweetened coffee sips. Yes, the pie was sweet, but what else should we expect from its caramel topping.

Critique

The first huge minus goes to the most annoying factor; the guests. Seriously where on earth are manners??? It’s not the first time we were disgusted on behalf of our neighbors. No wonder large dining rooms need buffer zones to catch the noise. Maybe this will be part of the E&O Hotel renovation as well, even though it would be better to look for the more important issue here. Naturally, behavioral problems aren’t in the hotel’s domain, but as individuals, we should think about our actions. We’ll write about a general lack of respect, some other time. Maybe that is why we prefer afternoon tea indulgence for its peaceful atmosphere.

It goes without saying that when meat is prepared in advance it becomes dry. Add to that the taste preferences of local people that favor the overbaked meat, and you’ll find yourself missing the juicy meat. To avoid that, we suggest you express your wish to the chef and return for your piece when it is ready.

Conclusion

Through the food, you can find yourself feeling home away from home and we’re not surprised that through the history Eastern and Oriental Hotel has been called just that. All the food we had was freshly prepared and comforting with mouth-watering sweets. Luckily the position of the E&O Hotel is right on the Coast of Pinang Island. We appreciated the open sea view and light breeze while resting our overly stuffed bellies. I hope you enjoyed our E&O Hotel buffet lunch review. See you next time.

E&O Buffet Review Card

• 9/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9/10
• 9.4/10
  FOOD OFFER – 9.4/10
• 9.1/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.1/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 9.2/10
  FOOD TASTE – 9.2/10
• 9.5/10
  VALUE – 9.5/10

Price and Location

E&O hotel buffet price lunch 2020 (Monday to Friday at 12:00 pm -2:30 pm) costs a little above 20 USD, while the E&O weekend buffet lunch is only 22 USD. Daily E&O buffet dinner (6:30 pm-10:00 pm) costs about 33 USD, but if you want to include wine, you can add an extra 24 USD. Honestly, it is a fair price for what you get! Here is a link to the location, for easier navigation.

The post E&O Buffet: Another Reason to Stay at the E&O Hotel appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

We were in high spirits all throughout the afternoon tea, where we admired the chef’s tendency to keep the well-established sweets alive. That contributed to the use of quality ingredients, creating the finest of flavors and a stunning presentation.

Scones at E&O High Tea

The scones at E&O high tea were simply the best! Tender, not flaky, with clotted cream and two yummy jams. With the plain scones, we liked the homemade strawberry jam which still had whole strawberries in it. The pineapple jam, seasoned with cloves, had a heartwarming taste and was reserved for raisin scones. You could also just eat it by itself, by the spoonful!

Savories

Since we were by the sea, we had to have a try of the juicy Pullman crab, served with radish on top and wrapped by seaweed belt. This only opened up our appetite even more. Among the savories, there were another two fish sandwiches. One was beetroot based bread topped with seasoned smoked salmon and lemon aioli.

The tuna sandwich was served on charcoal bread and topped with a cherry tomato and cucumber slice. The bread’s coloring agent, charcoal, gave the grounding note to the tender tastes. We can’t say which was our favorite because even the egg bun was special since it has truffles in it and we have a weakness for that! We were also served a crunchy curry puff, where the curry masala complimented the soft potato and green pea filling – absolutely delicious!

Tea Selection at E&O High Tea

We needed a sip or two before getting to the seductive sweets and Jungpana Darjeeling was the right pairing in this sophisticated tea occasion. The muscatel flavor and floral aroma were well-developed thanks to the uncrushed leaves. A perfect tea with all confections was also the large-leafed Fancy Sencha, which was slightly sweet with refined tartness. It was the right move to stop for a moment, to enjoy the ocean view and soak in the atmosphere of the graceful surroundings.

Sweets

E&O high tea was elegant all the time. The elegant appearance and color abundance was present for the pastries as well. We started with the Sicilian cheesecake, its rich taste and creamy texture were spot on. We tried the raspberry cremeux, where the melting cream enabled the raspberry taste to get in touch with the taste buds. Ian continued with the exotic fruit tartlet, he liked it so much that I decided to leave it for the end.

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Saving the best for the last was my strategy, but there were a few that could share that title as well. For example, the Belgium Marquise would easily be among them: rich dark chocolate mousse coated in tender chocolate jelly melted away but left us blissful. Only the pandan kaya didn’t make it to the list of those we could have saved for last. The jelly was too compact and it lacked flavor. Neither of us has grown fond of pandan so far and we aren’t fans of jelly, to begin with.

To finish the celestial E&O afternoon tea session with the exotic fruit tartlet was the right decision. It even had a surprise in the middle: a piece of juicy mango! The sweet and sour topping along with the shortcrust pastry crumbled away at the touch of the teeth. Yes, that was a scrumptious finish.

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Conclusion

The chef of the restaurant did an outstanding job with tasty and noble-looking bites. The afternoon tea was a pleasurable experience that kept food conversation happening all the way to the very last bite. Everything we saw was very creative, but it was taken to another level in the pineapple jam. The perfectly cut cubes of pineapple weren’t just pretty but also nicely crunchy.

We are sure that the Duchess of Bedford would be delighted to attend the afternoon tea here at Restaurant 1885, but to make a royalty happy, they would have to find the matching tea set with the sugar bowl and serving plates. Everything was simply perfection, including service!

If you are looking for the best high tea in Penang, don’t miss out on our article and find out which is the best afternoon tea in Penang in our opinion.

E&O High Tea Review Card

• 9.4/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.4/10
• 9.8/10
  SERVICE – 9.8/10
• 9.1/10
  TEA SELECTION – 9.1/10
• 9.4/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.4/10
• 9.2/10
  BITES – 9.2/10
• 9.7/10
  VALUE – 9.7/10

Price and Location

Having afternoon tea at 1825 is a real bargain. It will cost you only 17,50 USD per person. However, if you decide to indulge yourself in this heritage building, here is a location link for easier navigation.

The post E&O High Tea Review – One of the Best in Penang appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Ambiance

But there are some of us, who are slightly nostalgic and come here simply to enjoy the character of the old times. The dark wooden interior is perfect for a gentleman’s club, all made from hardwood, including the open bar. The outside area is completely different, full of plants and providing an ocean and pool view. – drinks are even served there, in the pool area.

Both sides of Farquhar’s bar are to our liking, that is why we divided our time in this bar and first enjoyed our drinks inside and then moved outside.

Legends

Besides the well-known cocktails, they have also a few signature ones. Two are made in honor of Robert Townsend Farquhar, the Lieutenant-Governor after whom the bar is named. He earned the honor with a pursuit to improve roads, water supply and fortification of this town.

The honorable mentions are an excellent reminder that people with a vision made the foundations for future development. Naming a cocktail or a street, for example, is a nice way to tease curious ones as to why he or she deserved that honor. I can only imagine how good is to have a good Governor, who is trying to improve the resident’s lives.

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Drinks

The choice of drinks is diverse and ranges from wines to spirits, bubbly, cocktails, virgin refreshments and much more. Despite all the options, my choice was Farquhar’s cocktail. The base for the cocktail was vodka and Triple Sec, and then nutmeg, orange juice and cream were added. The cream made the alcohol less obvious but the nutmeg and orange were easy to taste.

Ian’s choice was the Glenlivet 15 years old, single malt Scotch Whisky. This scotch is very nice on the nose with fruity notes and sweet spice along with some almonds. To the taste, it is easy to find raisins and some winter spices like cinnamon and cloves. In the first place, he liked the dry, slightly minty finish with remaining on oak.

Conclusion

The offering at this bar doesn’t stop at drinks. The finger food is also perfect for the intense match when you are nervous, and some comfort food is a much tastier option than biting off your nails. If your appetite rises, they have also à la carte menu, where you can satisfy rising hunger.

Our bellies were still full of the amazingly delicious afternoon tea at restaurant 1825, so we enjoyed “just” the drinks and the atmosphere. We had a lovely time there, the staff was very kind and willing to exchange a few words. Indeed, we loved looking through the window towards the sea, where is a nice contrast to the darker inside. In our opinion, this is exactly the kind of bar that every heritage hotel should have.

Farquhar’s Bar Review Card

• 9.2/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.2/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 9/10
  DRINK SELECTION – 9/10
• 6.7/10
  PRESENTATION – 6.7/10
• 8.9/10
  OUR DRINKS – 8.9/10
• 8.9/10
  VALUE – 8.9/10

Price and Location

Cocktails here are about 10 USD and you have a happy hour from 6 pm to 7 pm, when the price is half off. It is not hard to find E&O Hotel, but here is the link to a location anyway.

The post Farquhar’s bar in E&O, Penang is an amazing place for having a drink appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

There we got the legit historical charm with modern necessities. Our reviews aren’t just the description of our experience, but much more. Here you can read the history of this luxury heritage hotel. Why? Because you will understand the whole picture and meaning of this heritage hotel. After all, hotels in which we like to spend our time have some interesting stories that deserve to be told over and over again. With all this in mind, the Eastern&Oriental Hotel review is our first in the outstanding hotels’ section.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel is Breathtaking

What is most important when you step into the heritage hotel? For us, it is the feeling of respect and humbleness, and the moment we entered this magnificent lobby featuring an echo-dome, we felt it. The 100-year old lift definitely added to the ambiance and the fact that it is still working is delightful.

Nice Welcome

But there is more! On the left side is a magnificent staircase that could be a centerpiece by itself. The lobby will take your breath away and you can easily forget why you are here. Oh right, check-in. The friendly staff at the reception helped us with our heavy bags and check-in was quick and fluid.  They had an answer to all our questions and we had no problems communicating, as everyone speaks great English. Before they showed us our room, we got a delicious mocktail and a lemongrass scented cold towel, both were very welcome in the hot tropical weather.

The porter helped us with our luggage and took us to our room. We stayed in the heritage wing, which was built in 1885, and you can just feel all the history around you. Later on, we explored the hotel and found out that even the new building from 2007 has its charm. Rooms are sophisticatedly designed in colonial style, just like in the heritage wing.

 For a moment we forgot we weren’t in the elegant heritage section but rather in the new addition. We liked the spacious hallways, the wooden decks and the great photographs of Penang on the walls. The designer deserves praise on the job well done.

Room

In the Heritage wing, we were staying in the Georgetown Suite. We will admit, the old rooms need minor renovation, but it isn’t critical. After all, this is a patina and it goes great with this heritage building. We had a spacious master bedroom with an extra lounge and luxury bathroom in a nice colonial style.

Furniture has elegance and a genuine feel with the cabinet that hides LCD TV, which is a clever touch and quite convenient. The bathroom is nice, but we are among those who cry after notorious old legged bathtubs from the Sarkies brothers’ times. The cleanliness of the room is adequate, it could be a bit better but is far from being obtrusive.

The only downside was a welcoming fruit, it looked somewhat sad on the plate. It is completely different than the in-room tea and coffee selection. Is the E&O Hotel Review too much hair-splitting? 🙂

Food and Beverage at E&O Hotel

The pitiful fruit we received as a welcome gift wasn’t a sign of bad food in this hotel – quite to the contrary! They have six drink and dining options. Self-service breakfast was served in Sarkies: you enjoy your big meal on a nice airy terrace where you can watch the sea and enjoy morning delights. Even when the hotel was busy, breakfast ran smoothly in a relaxed atmosphere with great service.

Breakfast

The waiter seated us and offered coffee or tea. We also got a quick introduction to the current offer and our mouth was already immediately salivating. The offer is huge, and you would be extremely picky if you couldn’t find anything you like. There was a station with Indian food, where you could even get freshly made Roti Canai by your preference and it was perfect with Dhal Curry.

On the other side was Japanese sushi with tuna carpaccio. There were a lot of cold cuts, which were great with their cheese selection as well as dried fruits and nuts.

Of course, there was fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juices. We loved that we could mix fruit for the juice to our liking, but our favorite was pastries. There was more to it than delicious croissants and Danish rolls. Here we had the best butter pudding we ever tried. I think English breakfast is essential at hotels, and Eastern and Oriental is no difference here…

As this is an Asian hotel, it is typical to find a noodle station and congee with all the toppings. Even century eggs! The offer at breakfast is extensive and we ended eating way too much and still not trying half of it. The only thing we were missing in a hotel like this is some homemade yogurt.

Breakfast at a Swimming Pool

If you are a more discrete person and you don’t like too much commotion in the morning, you can have your breakfast in The Planters Lounge (the new building aka Victory Annexe) or in a privacy of your room. At Planters Lounge the breakfast is simpler but still offers enough choices for affluent guests. Here you can take your plate to the pool terrace and enjoy the morning peace with a great view.

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Lunch at Sarkies Corner

You can have lunch and dinner at Sarkies corner as we did. For lunch, we had Mushroom Cappuccino and Thai Seafood Bisque. First had a rich mushroom taste and creamy texture with roasted eggplant tartine, while the second had the sweet-sour-spicey combination.

Asam Laksa and Chicken Curry Kapitan were our main dishes. Laksa is a specialty in this city and those food stalls that have only this soup on their menu have perfected it. But even there we couldn’t decide which one we liked the most.

For sure this one won the beauty title and even the taste was better than we expected. The Kapitan’s chicken was nicely done, if the gravy would be more intense it would be even better. On the side was pandan flavored rice which came with nice additions the pickles and crunchy tortilla. Our desserts were nice looking and tasty. Pecan brownie cake had vibrant decoration and rich chocolate flavor while Coconut Gula Melaka had nice creamy mousse on top with coconut biscuit at the bottom.

E&O Hotel High Tea at 1885

Another option is Sarkies for the best buffet in town. E&O buffet lunch this time wasn’t on our list, but when we visit Penang next time, it certainly will be. If you are looking for haute cuisine the restaurant 1885 is the right place. In this graceful part of the hotel, we had the traditional afternoon tea.

Tea time was right on the spot, the attractive restaurant and the ocean view from behind the palm trees was the first thing that kept us occupied, but then the tea set came to our attention. It was one of the best afternoon teas ever, the tea selection was sizable and the bites were celestial.

The Farquhar’s Bar

The Farquhar’s Bar which exudes an exclusive private club room atmosphere is on cue for an afternoon drink. There we found great signature cocktails right beside all times classics. The ambiance here is nice, it’s a colonial bar with long dark wood chairs and a massive bar. No problem if this is not your thing, as you can be served also outside by the pool in the beautiful garden.

To conclude, we would like to point out a thing or two. Regarding the food, we can say that it is tasty with a lot of choices and at a great price range. So if you are in a city just for errands or are afraid to eat on the street, E&O brought some street food like Asam Laksa into their menu. It won’t be the best laksa in Penang, but still a full-flavored one.

The only downside is Sarkies Corner, even though it gets a vintage look from the old tiles and massive dark tables. Back in the days, the huge dining room was perfect, the place was full of tables and it worked like a charm, but nowadays, there are fewer tables and the dining room looks odd.

E&O Hotel Penang Buffet

E&O Hotel Penang buffet is something you should attend while staying there or just coming around. This might be the best buffet in Penang and there is no secret why. An extended selection of freshly made food, good service, and delightful desserts. E&O Hotel Review has its extension – E&O Buffet Review. If you would like to know more details, be our guest.

Facilities and Amenities

We had everything we needed for our pleasurable stay there at the E&O Hotel. The complimentary toiletries were pleasant and we appreciated the small sewing travel pack. When we were packing for this trip, the thought of taking a sewing needle with us didn’t cross our minds, so you can imagine that after few months traveling we were more than happy to finally repair the ripped tripod bag.

The mini-bar in the room was well equipped and drinking water was always available. With our work and running around we didn’t watch TV, but as we checked there were some main programs in the English language. All the facilities at the hotel were great, especially their Panpuri Spa where we had a relaxing massage after a workout in their well-equipped gym.

Vivi wrote a special post about this massage, so you can get a feel of why we liked it so much by clicking here. In the Victory Annexe, we found one of the nicest boutiques for souvenirs, accessories and books we have seen so far.

This shop was well stocked and nicely organized. There is also a  boutique tailor shop, a small museum of the E&O Hotel, where you can get insight into the rich history of this building, and the Ernest Zacharevic Gallery. Ernest Zacharevic is a famous artist who is well known for street art we can see all over George Town.

Conclusion

The management of the E&O Hotel is doing a great job! They are well aware of the meaning of this hotel and their move to keep the hotel classy and luxurious is well repaid. Happy guests, especially those like us – tradition and heritage lovers, who appreciate the preservation of history.

On the other side, this hotel will please the most demanding guests and gourmand like us. We also heard rumors about E&O haunted situations. Apparently, there is a ghost of the youngest Sarkie brother who was in love with this hotel. Our E&O Hotel Review is without ghosts, we didn’t see any, only happy faces of the hotel staff.

I hope you liked our E&O Hotel Review and we didn’t get too much in detail. have a nice day and see you next time. Maybe at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, another Legend!

The Eastern & Oriental Hotel Review Card

• 9.2/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.2/10
• 8.0/10
  CLEANLINESS – 8.0/10
• 9.0/10
  ROOM – 9.0/10
• 10/10
  FACILITIES AND AMENITIES – 10/10
• 8.6/10
  FOOD AND BEVERAGE – 8.6/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 8.5/10
  VALUE – 8.5/10

Price, Location and Reservation

Our suite cost about 220 USD, but room rates start at 138 USD. If you consider staying in this hotel, here is a link to the location and our affiliate link. It won’t cost you anything, only we will earn a small commission if you decide to book a hotel through it. Thank you.

Disclaimer: E&O Hotel Review is written on our experience in the E&O Hotel and it wasn’t sponsored or paid in any way.

The post E&O Hotel Review – Eastern & Oriental Since 1885 appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

This is our E&O Hotel history part 3. If you miss the first two parts here is a link to the first and second part.

The E&O Hotel building survived World War II. However, there was no crockery, glassware, cutlery, silver or linen left. Also, the furniture looked tired, but considering the war, it was in decent shape. To cover the expenses of repairing the Runnymede, Eastern & Oriental Hotel, and Crag, the new owner claimed a 409,431 Malayan-dollar. This claim was settled in 1955 with only 69,000 Malayan-dollar, which was a huge disappointment.

The Choong Family

The life in Penang was getting back into old lanes. Peace and guests returned to the city and hotels did notice some profit. In 1951 The Choong family (Rich family in Penang) who had a major stake in Runnymede offered to pay other shareholders and took over the hotels. Their only counterweight was the biggest individual shareholder Frank Duxbury. After a few meetings, the offer was positive and Choongs paid around 1.7 million Malayan dollars to shareholders. Around 3000 shares remained untraced, owing to the loss of records during the Japanese occupation.

The Malaysian independence and the fact Eastern & Oriental Hotel was now in local hands was pride for Penang’s’ people. For Choongs that was a jewel in a crown of their family business. E&O was getting a more oriental touch, but European management was still important. However, the need to emphasize European standards in the hospitality trade was still alive. In the first place, the hotel restaurant became famous for its Chinese food, as well as the grill with both Chinese and western-style food. Equally important, the weekly dances were again on the repertoire and some of the rooms got a new improvement – air condition.

Workers Strike

Penang became a hot tourist spot again and income from foreigners was getting higher. That was good news for owners, but there was a new problem – A strike of hotel workers. Choongs saw a huge chance to turn this into a business – sell the Eastern & Oriental Hotel and pour cash into the family business. After a 10-days standoff with the striking workers, Choongs made the announcement to sell the hotel. On 1 August 1965, the E&O fell silent in dark. Some described this even the bigger catastrophe for a hotel than Japanese occupation.

Back on the Track

In late September 1965, the businessman Chan Eng Hock bought the hotel from Choongs for just under three million Malayan dollars. The decision for selling wasn’t related to money problems. To emphasize that Chan Eng Hock had to borrow one-third of the money from the company belonging to Choongs. Just as a statement that this sell wasn’t driven by desperation. They re-hired old staff, and the swimming pool on the seafront lawn was in the plan. Very quickly the hotel settled back into a routine. Soon there was a three-week waiting list for a table in the restaurant. The hotel was very popular also for wedding celebrations, couples got married there every weekend. Almost everyone on Penang island can remember their celebration in Eastern & Oriental hotel.

Competition

The tourist boom brought more competition. New more modern hotels opened in the city, so the E&O hotel desperately needed some improvements. Chan Eng Hock struck up an alliance with the cash-flush Jack Chia-MPH Ltd group, which later in 1973 controlled 87.5% equity in the E&O. The deal was heavy seven million Malaysian-dollar. One of refreshment is a new casual coffee house, Sarkies Corner, operating 24 hours. In 1981 Victory Annexe, once Arshak Sarkies’ pride and joy was demolished. There was a brand new “the biggest ballroom in Malaysia” boarded up. Extensive renovations to the hotel began in 1982 under Chan Eng Hock’s chairmanship. This action was more restoration than a renovation. Due to the recession, the huge development plans went to pending. The reviews were bad and the hotel fell into red numbers. This accommodation was described as a nostalgia lover’s place.

Jack Chia got a lot of mail from interested buyers. They were all denied, only one found its place – it was an offer by a local consortium led by property developer Terry Tham. After though negotiations he bought a 90.7 % stake in the E&O hotel. Today it looks like a good investment, but at that time he got a lot of questions about this seemingly mad decision. But luckily Tham believed in long-term investment and he saw a much bigger picture.

Renovation in 1996

In 1996 E&O hotel closed its doors for a major renovation. An anticipated 18-month restoration program becomes a painful 5 years project. There was no extension planned, due to their vision of a smaller boutique hotel. Among heritage lovers, a renovation was a big concern. They were afraid the hotel will become a modern one and they will dispose of the valuable old pieces of furniture. Somehow, they were right. Management decided to sell original bathroom fittings, pattern floor tiles, teak doors and casement windows, crockery and so it was rumored, even the grand lobby staircase. Hotel management also shows some generosity, as they gave the hotel’s Yamaha organ in recognition of personal contribution to a couple of entertainers, who were playing and singing in the hotel for 47 years.

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UNESCO Heritage Site

Penang at that time was fronting to some amazing title – UNESCO heritage site. This title they got later in 2008 and E&O hotel is positioned in its buffer zone. Francesco Bandarin a former director on UNESCO World Heritage Centre said: ”Buffer zones are an important tool for conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. All along with the history of implementation of the World Heritage Convention, the protection of the “surroundings” of the inscribed properties was considered an essential component of the conservation strategy, for cultural and natural sites alike”.

Reopening in 2001

In early 2001 the hotel finally opened its doors again and it came out more than fantastic. From now on it’s positioned as a “luxury heritage hotel”. The gardens and the coconut palms were still there only the swimming pool got bigger. In the reception lobby missing centerpiece, the grand staircase, has been replaced and the dome looked younger. The rooms got new furniture. New reproduction, but genuine antique pieces. The style of rooms was declared as “East-meets-West” and was decorated perfectly.  All 100 rooms are in fact suites, offering the largest average room size available in Penang.  A true elegance was preserved also in the ballroom with its timbered wood floor, concert stage, upper gallery, and royal box. The modern approach was related to the business center. Boardroom to accommodate groups of 20 to 150. In all aspects, they managed to preserve history and style!

Another Wing in 2013

The business is good, and not only for the hotel. In Penang, the tourist industry is having a blast. In 2000 there were around 10 million arrivals of tourists, while in 2012 around 25 million arrivals. The E&O Hotel didn’t want to stay without a share, so the new investment was planned. In 2013 they opened a new wing called Victory Annexe, after once Arshak’s “parade horse”. This new 16-story building (without 13 and 14 floors as those are unlucky ones) has 117 Superior rooms and five Corner Suites. On the 6th floor is rewarded Panpuri SPA, Planters Lounge private lounge exclusively for guests and its poolside terrace with infinity pool.

There is Still an Old Part – Heritage Wing

The rooms are equipped with all modern conveniences yet in great colonial style. The corridors are wide, just like in the old building. And when you are walking in this new building you easily got deceived about its age. Only a few drinks and you will think you are back in colonial time. All furniture is made in a similar style as it is now called Heritage wing. The bathroom is floored with the same black and white colonial tiles and equipped with four-legged English style baths – an imitation of those controversy sold in the first renovation. With all this effort, I think they did make up for those baths.

As true historic place lovers, we stayed in the Heritage wing and reviewed our staying there. So please feel free to read how is to stay in this iconic hotel today. As a true high tea lovers, we also tried E&O afternoon tea at their 1885 Restaurant. All I can say is this is one of the best high tea experiences we ever have had.

The post E&O Hotel History PART 3/3 – A new start appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Here is our second Eastern & Oriental Hotel History article. Please, click here for the first part od E&O Hotel History, in case you have missed it. Anyway, the 1920s were golden for the E&O Hotel. The guests weren’t just wealthy locals and tourists from around the world, but also movie stars and celebrities. At that time the hotel had a tole of a social hub. Georgetown’s white elite gathered there on Fridays to greet the new arrivals. The new American tourists were constantly arriving in town. Those tourists were dear to the E&O Hotel staff, thanks to their tipping habits. At the same time, other guests were amazed by their style and appetite to party. Those that were home-sick also found refuge at the hotel. In other words, it was presenting some sort of home-remedy for those who were living out of England for a long time.

England is Far

Years passed and the bond with their homeland cooled down. On the other side, they didn’t connect with Malaysia either. Drinking Gin & Tonic and reading the daily newspaper is not a habit that gets you accustomed to the new environment. Up the road was a true rival the Runnymede. They had expanded and refurbished the building in 1930, under the management of Messrs Poster and Parker. They added a nice ballroom on the ground floor, pairing to one in the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

Debt

Behind the gaming tables, huge danger appeared. There were no guests paying with cash, their word was as good as cash. They would simply sign ‘chits’ for their bills, which would be collected up within three to six months. Only then they sent them for a final settlement. One regular guest owed as much as 9,000 Straits dollars (today that would be about US$60,000). Later when the rubber and tin recession broke out, the ‘chit’ credit system turned out as a terrible debt trap. However, by 1930 the owner Arshak Sarkies had accumulated to some 14,000 Strait dollars (almost US$99,000) debt for his own entertainment at his hotel. Sometimes he would forget what hotels purpose is and would simply invite his friends to stay at the E&O Hotel for free.

Another Expansion in 1927

In 1927 were new plans for expansion presented. There would be another ultra-modern, three-story, 68-room wing on the eastern side of the hotel. As a matter of fact, this site was owned by fellow Armenian Thaddeus Paul. The deal Arshak had made with Paul was that the new block would be built on Paul’s land with 50 years lease. Paul as the landlord would hold the freehold and leasehold titles. This new block would then be leased from Paul, while Paul would also lend some 250,000 Straits dollars (about US$ 1,7 million) towards overall reconstruction costs. The chosen architects for this new block were French architecture firm Messrs Brossard Mopin Malaya Ltd, led by W. Herman, who was a notable architect at that time. The work was completed two years later and concluded with a big masked ball.

Novelty – Passenger Lift

The new dome was positioned where the former central drive-through open courtyard had been. Linking the old and new wings together. The dome was almost 16 meters in diameter and was declared as ‘’the most striking feature of the new extension and the biggest dome in the East’’. There was also new Palm Court, lately known as Goldie’s which became a favorite for rendezvous. On every Sunday the orchestral concerts were also featured there. The novelty was the personal electric lift, which was one of Malaya’s earliest passengers lift.

This lift is still working today, after all these years. At the sea-side, they connected gardens and made 305-m continuous promenade. Sadly, the cost was the shadow from huge trees, which were removed. In fact, the hotel now had a total of 71 sea-view rooms and around 30 others. Every room had an English-style long bath with running hot and cold water, two large beds and a telephone. On the positive side, international reviewers conceded that E&O was one of the finest “East of Suez”. The investment was huge and there were suggestions that the hotel books weren’t in good order.

Financial Collapse

As the inevitable collapse approached, Arshak quarreled over the bookkeeping with his 50 per cent-partner and fellow Martyrose Arathoon. Desperate Arshak turned to Indian moneylenders in 1929, which was a sign of a catastrophe for this hotel. Arshak died on 9 January 1931 at the Penang General Hospital, of liver failure. His funeral was the largest and best-attended Penang had seen in decades. After all, Arshak died in debt of half-million Straits dollars (US$ 3.6 million) to his own hotel company, and for another 40,000 (US$ 290,000) to the moneylenders, who had exacted interest rates from him ranging from 8 to 15 percent. Under those circumstances, the hotel was almost unoccupied and incapable of paying the monthly rent to the creditor Thaddeus Paul. He had lent Arshak about 400,000 Straits dollars (US$2.9 million).

Paul died soon after Arshak and the Bankruptcy procedure was on Arshak’s partner Arathoon. E&O was in 1933 subsumed under the new Raffles Hotel Ltd company, created that year. However, the hotel remained a nonviable drain on this company and so in 1938, the decision was taken to sell it. The buyer was Arshak’s rival and neighbor Runnymede Hotel. The E&O was a bargain buy, at only 120,954 Straits dollars (about US$1 million). Anyway, that wasn’t the biggest fall of this mighty hotel.

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World War II

The Japanese were about to extend World War II to Asia. Controversial British evacuation in the face of the Japanese, left locals alone to shift for themselves. Evacuation of the city was ordered only for ‘pure’ British residents. When the Japanese arrived, they found the hotel empty. The authorities’ instructions were to make sure that there was no liquor left around the hotel for the Japanese. The surroundings of the hotel were on fumes for a few days, due to all the buzz running down the drains and smashed bottles.

Penang’s civilian suffered terribly from Japanese bombing raids. During the Japanese occupation of Penang, military officers used the hotel as their own private club, now renamed The Penang Haitan Ryokan. The military HQ was right next door to the hotel. Allies started their air raids on Penang and the hotel was in big danger due to the Japanese HQ on this location. Luckily there was no big harm. For Japan, everything changed when the ‘A-bomb’ was dropped on Hiroshima.

Conclusion

As you can see Eastern&Oriental Hotel had a turbulent history. Financial problems were just a drop in the Ocean to this what was on the horizon. However, World War II affected all East Asia and Penang was no difference. This E&O History part ends with a dark era, but don’t worry next one will be more optimistic. Golden times for Eastern and Oriental Hotel Penang are coming again.

E&O Hotel History Part 1

E&O Hotel History Part 3

Source: Ilsa Sharp: The E&O Hotel: Pearl of Penang

The post E&O Hotel History PART 2/3 – Golden era appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Colonization of Penang

The British flag was raised on Penang, on 11 August 1786. At first, the British didn’t show much interest in this island. However, the businessmen of the island were mostly Chinese immigrants. They were the leading industrious and entrepreneurs. Even today the Penang is the only Malaysian state with a Chinese majority. This localized Straits-born or Peranakan Chinese were referred to as Baba (males) and Nonya (females).

Nonyas are also crucial for the birth of the Nyonyas kitchen, which is still very popular. Among the tenacious new migrants were Armenian merchants. Part of their community were also the Sarkies brothers, the founders of the E&O Hotel in 1885.

Sarkies Brothers

At first, they bought Penang’s former Hotel de l’Europe and named it Oriental Hotel. Not so far from there was already operating Eastern Hotel, whose landlord was Khaw Sim Bee. He was also the landlord of the new Sarkies Brothers hotel – Oriental Hotel. Sarkies presented to Mr. Khaw a vision of luxury hotel in Penang. Back then the luxury accommodation was not an option, even though tourism was more and more attractive, due to the Suez Canal (1869). Sarkies subsequently took over both buildings.

In 1889 they completely refurbished Oriental and surrendered the Eastern at this point. The refurbished Oriental Hotel was known now as Eastern and Oriental Hotel (E&O). At this point, E&O was a 30-bedroom lodging house with a dining room holding about 12 tables. At that time Sarkies brothers had another bigger project – Raffles hotel, Singapore.

Expansion

Eastern Hotel, was run by Sarkies Armenian fellow Gregory Mackertich Seth Nahapiet. The youngest brother Arshak was in a restless search for constant improvements and upgrading. To stay ahead of the competition was crucial as tourism rapidly became a booming industry in Penang. In 1901 he refurbished the hotel with teak furniture. The bedrooms were reckoned by the standards of those days. Only six years later he made a new two-story block housing 45 bedrooms, as the hotel’s north wing. There was a new seawall, a dining room, dance floor, a bar, fans and electric light throughout. In 1908 he expands across the road. Leasing adjacent building, his one-time competitor, the old International Hotel.

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Sarkies Pride – Annexe

International Hotel morphed into a luxurious annexe with the roller-skating rink, marble-floored dining room, and motor garage. He connected annexe to mother hotel E&O with Moorish arches veranda and a similarly domed garden gazebo. In 1910 the new E&O was the 70-room establishment, but not for long. Only three years later Arshak decided to buy the neighboring Penang Hall for further extensions. Now was E&O equipped with 100 rooms and a 200-seat dining hall. In this action, he also enlarged the bar, made a front driveway and new porch, including the first ladies ‘cloakroom’. Not so far from E&O was Runnymede Hotel, which was fast becoming E&O’s most serious competitor. The answer to this was a new E&O’s Victory Annexe, which was built at the conclusion of world war one in 1918. Sadly Victory Annexe no longer stands today, it was demolished in 1981.

E&O Hotel is a Luxury Hotel

E&O was titled as the luxury class hotel in 1923. However, the new three-story, 40-room Victory Annexe with its domes and minarets of British India was the icing on the cake for Arshak. The annexe had a commanding sea view for every bedroom, and it was attached to the bathroom with English long baths. There was also hot and cold running water, telephone in every room, electric fans and private balconies. For this renovation, they choose Keys and Dowdeswell architecture firm from Singapore.

Since that time, this hotel claimed to be the largest and the best hotel in Penang. By 1927 guidebooks were describing it as “The Premier Hotel East of Suez”. After all, it has the longest seafront, of any hotel in the World, at 256 m of a seawall. In front of the seafront, a wall was the most beautiful garden. E&O’s novelties were also a billiards room, hairdressing salon, curio and jewelry shop, post and telegraph office. The hotel was operating with about 130 rooms and a 300-seat dining hall. The biggest pride of E&O hotel was a new ballroom, generally reckoned to be on a par with this one at Singapore’s Raffles.

The 1920s Were Golden

In the 1920s, the hotel business was booming. E&O hotel was hosting the main social events of the year. There you could see as many as 500 people mingling around at the same time. Every Tuesday and Friday night there were dancing events with various musicians. At that time the new dances like the Black Bottom and the Charleston were on the horizon. Let me just add that dance wasn’t an easy task in Penang back in time. To point out, the dress codes were still elaborately formal. For men clad in boiled, starch-stiff shirt fronts and short mess jackets were in order. If that wasn’t an option the alternative was black dinner suits. By that time E&O was Penang’s premier social venue.

E&O Hotel History

I hope you liked our article. If you are interested, here you can read our E&O Hotel Review. Anyway, the E&O Hotel History has two more parts. If you are interested, please check the sequel of this article and know more about rich E&O Hotel History. However, WWII left a big scar and there was also a big question if this hotel will ever operate. Luckily it got in the right hands and today is Eastern & Oriental Hotel one of the finest hotels in Malaysia.

E&O Hotel History Part 2

E&O Hotel History Part 3

Source: Ilsa Sharp: The E&O Hotel: Pearl of Penang

The post E&O Hotel History PART 1/3 – THE RISE appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

The Rise of The Sarkies Brothers

In 1885 there were already millions of Armenians outside of the Armenian homeland. Many of Malaya’s Armenians came from the country around New Julfa, Isfahan. Isfahan was then Persia, today’s Iran. Armenians proved valuable allies for the British. They followed the British East India Company and mostly work for them.

The Armenian community established a strong presence in British colonial Calcutta, where they founded their college. This college had been also a station for Sarkies brothers before they came to the Malaya. There were four Sarkies brothers, Martin, Tigran, Aviet, and Arshak. They founded, owned and managed a series of hotels.

Sarkies Brothers or Ter Wosnian

Their full name is Sarkissian, but they shortened it, to make it easier to pronounce. But there is also another theory, accorded to research by Nadia Wright, the Sarkies’ real family name should have been Ter Wosanian. Later they adopted their father’s first name, Sarkies Martyrose Ter Woskanian, as their surname.

Penang Was Sarkies Start Point

Tigran was first of four brothers Sarkies, who settled in Penang. His new Company, auctioneers, and commercial agents were opened, when he was only 21 years old. He also had a sideline in renting and selling real estate. In 1884 Tigran fell in love with a new hotel with an extensive view of the Straits of Malacca — so-called Eastern Hotel. Only one year later his brother Martin, then about 33 years old, joined him. Together they formed Sarkies Brothers. Soon they jumped at the chance to buy Penang’s former Hotel de l’Europe which was near Eastern hotel.

Thailand Connections

The landlord of both hotels was Khaw Sim Bee, a Thai tin and rubber magnate with extensive land holdings in Penang as well as a considerable political power in Thailand. His family had the Koe Guan Company in Penang, where a manager was one of Sarkies brothers. Khaw Sim Bee liked their idea of establishing a high-quality new hotel in Penang. In 1885 the Sarkies established the Oriental Hotel, later renamed and refurbished E&O Hotel. In 1886 their 24-year-old brother joined them from Calcutta’s College, serving first as an assistant at Eastern Hotel and later manager.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel Was Only a Start

The Eastern was raised for rent and options for expansion were null. The Sarkies Brothers decided to find a new better location for their luxury hotel. Tigran let to set up Singapore’s famous Raffles Hotel in 1887. In 1889, they completely refurbished Oriental and surrendered the Eastern at this point. In late 1890 Martin Sarkies returned to New Julfa, where he remained a sleeping partner in his brothers’ hotels for some years to come. At the same time, Aviet became a partner and was put in a charge of E&O and the youngest brother Arshak, 22 years old, joined the business. At first, he was understudying Tigran at the Singapore Raffles.

Burma

In 1892, when Arshak got the hang of things, Aviet left for Rangoon, Burma. Arshak was only two years later managing the E&O, while his brother Aviet ran the Railway Refreshment Rooms, later opened Sarkies Hotel, and the Bodega&Billiard Saloon, finally establishing the famous Strand Hotel in 1901. In Penang, there wasn’t only E&O under their management. They took over the Crag in 1905. The Crag was located against the backdrop of a George Town on an 830 meters summit of Penang Hill. This 25-room hotel was marketed as a health resort. Later in 1914, they renovated this hotel, but only six years later sold it to Federated States Railways.

Bad Times for Sarkies Brothers

1912 was a bad year for Sarkies Brothers. In February Tigran died in England, while only two months later Martin passed away in New Julfa, Persia. After Martin’s and Tigran’s death Arshark had free hands from a more conservative older brother. His expensive nature came out. E&O has received major renovations and enlargements. Aviet after brother’s deaths took over the Raffle until his ill health forced him to leave Asia in 1918 and later in 1923 passed away in Paris. The same year Arshak opened a new hotel in Singapore — The Sea View, which is the only one not existing today. Well, the Crag on the Penang hill is in ruins, but there are still some colonial memories of this once neat hotel.

Death of the Last Sharkies Brother

Arshak managed Sarkies Hotels until his end. He died on 10 June 1931, the same year when a bankruptcy case against Raffles Hotel ran. This case was only the start of the largest bankruptcy affair of that time. The firm of Sarkies Brothers, hotel proprietors, had total liabilities of 3.5 million owing to 195 creditors. This was a bitter end of the Sarkies legacy but luckily hotels remain today under different owners. Well except The Crag on Penang Hill and Singapore’s The Sea View.

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