Despite not being a chain hotel, the Eastern and Oriental (E&O) Hotel in Penang needs no introduction. It is to Penang as the Raffles is to Singapore and the Strand is to Yangon. And rightfully so. These 3 hotels were built by the same folks – the Sarkies Brothers – with the E&O actually being the oldest of the three. Part of a larger list of Southeast Asian heritage hotels that also includes Manila Hotel and Sofitel in Hanoi, the E&O as locals call it, brings a colonial touch to the already laidback and historical air of the UNESCO World Heritage town of Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia.
I stayed at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Penang following a short sojourn to Perlis and Alor Setar. As my last visit to Penang was some 6 years back, I wanted to spend some time to check out the new attractions in the old town, particularly the 3D art works that are scattered around the heritage area. The Eastern and Oriental Hotel is located at Lebuh Farquhar and is conveniently in what is considered the “buffer zone” of Georgetown. It’s also a short walk to some of the major sights such as the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion and the colonial-era municipal hall right by the padang.
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