1 Raffles Hotel Singapore
It’s hard not to tip your hat to Singapore’s Raffles Hotel as the top heritage hotel in South East Asia. Dating back to 1887, with the main building and rooms completed in 1899, it is entirely authentic and dripping with history.
2 The Caravelle Hotel Saigon
More significant for its history than heritage values, The Caravelle Hotel tells the story of modern Saigon. At one point, resident journalists claimed they could cover the unfolding war without leaving their bar stools. The renovated hotel retains the signature frontage.
3 The Peninsula, Hong Kong
“I’d feel rich here even if I hadn’t a dime in my pocket,” an American woman is reputed to have said at the opening in 1928. The 300-room Peninsula Hong Kong is one of Rolls-Royce’s largest customers, having bought 70 cars since opening.
4 Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
For 150 years, authors and writers have walked through the doors of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok. The ghosts of Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward and James Michener still wander the authors’ suites, and the hotel still bathes in literary glory.
5 Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
In 1902, the magnificent French colonial Grand Hôtel Métropole Palace first appeared, and having survived both WWII and the B-52s of the 1970s, its 364 rooms now carry the prestigious Sofitel Legend brand atop the newly-restored palace. You can even tour the old bomb shelters.
6 Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh
The landmark hotel was designed in the 1920s in Khmer, Art Deco and French Colonial styles. In the heart of Phnom Penh. Raffles Hotel Le Royal has 175 rooms, including four suites dedicated to previous guests Jacqueline Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, Andre Malraux and Somerset Maugham.
7 The Strand, Yangon
The Strand Hotel in Yangon was built in 1896 by British entrepreneur John Darwood and later acquired by the Sarkies brothers and is a colonial-era landmark featuring elegant rooms, a swimming pool, and fine dining options. Its central location and warm service make it a popular choice for travellers.
MORE: Back to Burma
8 The Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Dating back to 1932, the Majestic Hotel was designed by the Dutch firm Keyes and Dowdeswell, initially catering to colonial elite and prominent visitors. After World War II, the hotel declined but was later restored by YTL Hotels and reopened in 2012 with 300 modern rooms in a new wing.
9 Sofitel Luang Prabang
MORE: Touring Luang Prabang
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