The Romance of E&O

I worked in Penang for a year, and my favourite place then was the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, more affectionately known as "E&O". I have never actually stayed at the hotel before but I used to hang out the hotel's cafe and lounge. That was a long time ago before the hotel was shut down, refurbished and reopened again at the turn of the millennium.

The E&O Hotel has a rich tradition: Owned by the reknowned Sarkies brothers (who also built the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore), during its heydays, it was advertised as "the premier hotel east of Suez". Famed guests such as Somerset Maugham and Douglas Fairbanks graced the hotel before.

I used to like sitting at the lawn cafe along the seafront ("longest seafront lawn in the world at 842 feet"). One could get a good view of the Penang harbour there; It was a joy being able to relax under the gentle caress of the sea-breeze and contemplate the comings and goings of distant ships. I also enjoyed listening to the two lady singers crooning oldies at the restaurant and lounge called "1885"--the year the place was opened. The E&O brought back to me the romance of a bygone era.

At that time, I used to wonder why Penangites did not appreciate one of their own treasures. It was considered rather unfashionable to hang out there; the young and hip preferred the more swanky hotels along Ferringhi Beach such as Mutiara and the Rasa Sayang.

But one of my colleagues, Karan, did share my fascination with the place. He told me that he even went there to read Somerset Maugham's novel, Of Human Bondage--a book which I also read, on his recommendation. I remember having happy drinking sessions with him at the cafe, downing one Manhattan cocktail after another.

When I left Penang, my colleagues gave me a farewell dinner at the "1885". I am happy that the hotel has been restored and its past glory preserved. One day I might make a trip to Penang again just to stay at the hotel and reflect back on old times.

Jakarta had its share of glorious colonial hotels too. One of them was the Hotel des Indes--it was even mentioned in Alfred Russel Wallace's classic on natural history, The Malay Archipelago. But alas, these hotels were not as fortunate as Penang's E&O or Singapore's Raffles. But that is another story for another posting.