1. The Strand Yangon, Myanmar
Once billed as “the finest hostelry East of the Suez”, The Strand Yangon, built in 1901, has hosted many famous guests lured by the tropics, including author Somerset Maugham and playwright Noel Coward.
The property features original fittings such as polished marble floors, lacquer ceiling fans and Burmese teak furniture that add to its nostalgic allure, amid a backdrop of contemporary grey and off-white shades.
The hotel’s plush suites range between 55 and 200 square metres and come replete with deep-soaking tubs and butler service.
At The Strand Cafe which spotlights local cuisine, high tea showcases laphet thoke – a unique fermented tea leaf salad – while the atmospheric Sarkies Bar pours iconic cocktails like the Pegu Club.
2. Hotel Majapahit, Indonesia
One of Indonesia’s most historic properties, this Surabaya hotel opened its doors as Hotel Oranje in 1911, with a launch party attended by European nobility and celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard.
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, the hotel was requisitioned by Japanese forces and renamed Hotel Yamato, but this moniker did not last very long.
Soon after the war ended, the hotel was renamed Hotel Merdeka (Independence Hotel) owing to an incident in which pro-independence revolutionaries tore the blue bar from the bottom of the Dutch flag flying above the hotel, leaving only the red and white of the Indonesian flag.
Renamed Hotel Majapahit in the 1960s in a nod to the illustrious Javanese empire that once ruled much of Nusantara, this Dutch colonial property set in immaculate gardens is a portal to the past, with rooms and suites outfitted in period decor.
3. Raffles Le Royal, Cambodia
Opened in 1929 as the Hotel Le Royal, this historic French Colonial-style property has witnessed the evolution of Phnom Penh from its dazzling pre-Khmer Rouge years to its present revival.
Taken over by Raffles Hotels in 1996, Le Royal underwent extensive renovations including the restoration of the original building and the addition of three courtyard wings.
The airy rooms and suites feature gleaming hardwood floors accented by interiors done up in an earthy palette of beiges and browns, as well as nostalgic accents like brass rotary phones and, in some rooms, clawfoot tubs.
At the Elephant Bar, one of the city’s top watering holes, the list of tantalising tipples includes the Femme Fatale, a wild strawberry creme, cognac and sparkling wine cocktail inspired by former hotel guest Jacqueline Kennedy.
4. The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore
This Neoclassical landmark at the mouth of the Singapore River sits on the site of Fort Fullerton, built in the early 19th century to defend the fledgling British colony against naval attacks.
Completed in 1928, The Fullerton once housed the General Post Office, Chamber of Commerce, Inland Revenue Board and various government departments. It was also the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration during World War II.
In 2001, after a two-year renovation that cost $400 million, the building was reopened as a 400-room heritage hotel boasting views of Marina Bay and a stunning infinity pool framed by Doric columns.
The Fullerton Hotel is just a five-minute walk from Merlion Park, where you’ll find the Merlion statue, one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic structures.
5. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel, Hanoi
A blend of French colonial grandeur and Vietnamese hospitality, this icon in Hanoi’s historic quarter first opened in 1901 as the Grand Metropole Hotel. Over the next century, it would go through many changes up until 2009, when it became the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel.
All 364 rooms and suites in the historic Metropole Wing and the newer Opera Wing feature opulent boudoirs kitted out with plush Sofitel MyBed mattresses and luxury French toiletries.
The hotel’s art de vivre (art of living) philosophy is also replicated in its award-winning dining outlets that include Le Beaulieu, which dishes up French haute cuisine, and sophisticated bar-lounge-restaurant Angelina.
This storied hotel’s guest list includes former US president Bill Clinton and American singer-songwriter Joan Baez, who penned “Where Are You Now, My Son?” in the hotel’s bunker during the Christmas Bombings of 1972.
Guided tours of the bunker, which was only rediscovered in 2011 during renovations, are offered daily to hotel guests.
According to airasia.com
