8 Evocative Southeast Asian Colonial-era Hotels That You Can Still Visit

1. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Thailand. The Author’s Wing is the only remaining part of the original hotel, which opened in 1876.

2. Hotel Continental Saigon, Vietnam. Built in 1880, it is said to be the oldest hotel in the country. 

3. Raffles, Singapore. Established by the esteemed Sarkies brothers as a 10-room hotel in 1887, this newly refurbished 117-suite property is arguably the most iconic colonial-era hotel in the region. 

4. Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Georgetown, Malaysia. This is an amalgamation of the famous Sarkies brothers’ first two hotels, which were established in 1884 and 1889.

5. The Strand, Yangon, Myanmar. This was one of the most luxurious hotels in the British Empire when it opened in 1901.

6. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam. This elegant French colonial–style establishment, which opened in 1901, is where Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American and Somerset Maugham wrote The Gentleman in the Parlour.

7. Hotel Majapahit, Surabaya, East Java. Founded in 1910 as Hotel Oranje, this elegant hotel has become a historic landmark.

8. Hotel Majestic, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Built in 1932, this establishment offers a delightful combination of neo-classical and art deco styles.