Good hotels may be looked at as a cornerstone of some neighbourhoods, but Eastern & Oriental is the cornerstone of Malaysia’s history.

Founded in 1885 by the famed Sarkies Brothers (who also, later went on to establish the iconic Raffles Hotel of Singapore), E&O fast became an exclusive haven for socialites, dignitaries, and adventurers to seek refuge in its colonial splendor. It was a time where Malaya was considered to be a playground for the colonial elite, where opulence and extravagance juxtaposed in sharp contrast against the harsh realities of poverty, disenfranchisement, and the struggles of local communities – and to walk through the corridors of Eastern & Oriental today, is to walk through hallowed grounds; its historical significance so palpable in every nook and cranny that it’s impossible to miss it.

There is an old more-than-a-hundred-year-old scissorgate electronic lift right there by the corner of the main hotel lobby, maintained in working condition though not put to use today. There are meticulously archived ads and headlines, hinting of the War and what must have had been a haunting era of its past. And in both wings, there is an impressive lobby backdrop, made up of an entire display of room keys – the very first sets the hotel ever made (yes, all the way back from the 1880s)- that its impeccably trained staff would be more than happy to bring to you for a closer look, if you ask.

There is even a portrait wall featuring past esteemed guests, and this is a sublime list that includes the likes of Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Charlie Chaplin – even Queen Elizabeth II… … because here, no detail is too tiny nor any attention spared – and it makes total sense. Any establishment that finds so much of its character deeply embedded in the past should take this amount of effort to preserve traces of its history and turn it into its identity.

And no one can aruge that Eastern & Oriental hasn’t excelled perfectly at that.

HOW DO YOU GET HERE?

Two words: Just Grab*.

Grabbing is so exceedingly cheap on Penang Island that it will embarrass you into rounding up the fare to the nearest dollar because you cannot even begin to comprehend.

For reference, the distance from the airport to Eastern & Oriental is about forty to forty-five minutes – and the fare would cost you an approximate RM26 (approx. USD6).

Very quickly into my time here, I formed the habit of rounding up my fares to the nearest RM5.

*Grab is the largest ride-hailing app in Malaysia.

WHAT ARE THE AMENITIES?

A hundred and twenty eight years after the original E&O was established came the Victory Annexe, a newer, modern wing lined with standard rooms and suites so that the nostalgic E&O experience could be made more accessible for a wider demographic.

Interestingly, this means you get two of almost everything: two hotel lobbies, two swimming pools, two ballrooms (if you ever need them), and a whopping total of 5 full-service F&B establishments – although, if you’re here for the food, my bet is that you’ll be out there tearing your way through the streets of Georgetown.

Panpuri, the hotel’s wellness spa, is consistently rated as one of the city’s best; and coupled with unparalleled views of the Straits, might just be worth its pricetags.

WHERE IS THE CROWD?

WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN PENANG?

Oh wow. Where do I begin?

Penang is every travel research addict’s wet dream come true. Whatever itinerary you are toying with, expect to find a tsunami of listicles just waiting for you to explore.

Because of that, I will not be wasting your time with my own version of the Top 10 Things to Do/See/Eat/ in Penang (I am pretty sure there are at least a hundred more comprehensive lists out there for all the things I haven’t even thought about thinking about).

Though, once all that’s said and done you have room for a slower, more inspired take; you can read about my Penang Travel Journey here.

I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION THIS…

If you have chosen to splurge on a stay in Eastern & Oriental, chances are you’ve probably already done your own digging on the hotel’s aesthetic and glimpsed a snippet of this pool above.

Take note that the hotel actually has two – one located in the Heritage Wing, and another in the newer-built Victory Annexe.

tldr, the Heritage Wing is the original, historic structure of the hotel, and it is where the main lobby and everything that had ever existed in the hotel is. The most expensive rooms and suites are located here, as is their main ballroom, bars, restaurants, the original scissorgate lift… you get the drift.

Needless to say, the poster child pool that you see fronting every E&O’s ad campaign (that probably cemented your booking decision without you realizing it), is also located in the main Heritage Wing. The one in the Victory Annexe, though pretty in its own way, is consolatory at best, and – you probably already guess where there is going: if you stay in the Heritage Wing, you have full access to both pools. But, if you have a room in the Victory Annexe, you can only access the one lesser than; and you will not have access to this pool that, let’s face it, is the only one we all have in our minds.

WHAT I LOVED MOST

Stepping into Eastern & Oriental is like entering a time capsule; every corner echoes with the whispers of its rich and storied past.

And I felt it in every corner of my heart.

Being so inextricably tied to Raffles Hotel – which in turn, is inextricably tied to Singapore’s pride and heritage, I cannot imagine if, at any point, Eastern & Oriental had decided to do without. Do without the burdens of living up to its illustrious past. Do without the painstaking details of maintaining an antiquated service standard. Do without the hassle of oiling a hundred-and-forty-year old building that, by any measure, certainly does not sound to be an economic feat. What’d have happened if it’d decided to just, get on with the times? Modernize? Progress? Replace bits and pieces of its past with more financially sound decisions?

Even as both hotels no longer share anything today apart from its storied history- if Eastern & Oriental had chosen to lose itself; as a Singaporean, it would still have felt like losing a sister. Personally, E&O’s intrinsic value lies in its ability to serve as a living testament to the intertwining narratives of both establishments, and exists to me as more than just a “5-star colonial hotel“. These siblings are, more critically, custodians of memories, and they bridge the gap between past and present, between borders; perhaps, reminding ourselves every once in a while that once upon a time, Singapore & Malaysia were both one and the same.

And for that, I loved E&O, and I loved it immeasurably.

IS IT WORTH WAKING UP HERE?

Oh yes, without a doubt. E&O was such a delightfully soothing counterpoint to Penang’s high-octane outdoors that was, literally, right at its doorstep; I absolutely love it when hotels find a way to be front and centre of the hub and yet somehow remain at the fringe of it all.

Of course, there is also the matter of its ‘History’ – a term that is, sadly, often bandied about frivolously in the lexicon of travel these days; but here, E&O has a history that actually resonates, and it’s raw and it’s authentic… and for that, it gets my winning vote; yesterday, today, and tomorrow.