Picture: The Old Harbour Hotel in Fort Cochin, Kerala. The best hotel in India according to TripAdvisor.
There are two good reasons to stay in a colonial hotel in Asia. Firstly, most of them are hard to beat for pure atmosphere and style and secondly, tourism today is an important force to protect historic buildings that might be destroyed otherwise. So here is my best-of-list (in no particular order):
The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Georgetown (Malaysia)
Entirely vast, UNESCO-awarded, designed according to Feng Shui and movie set. Hard to beat for charm, the manager, Eric, though is quite a character.
The Majestic Hotel, Malacca (Malaysia)
Old and new beautifully fused with a service that is right up there. A 1920s Chinese mansion got fully renovated by the Malaysian YTL group. They added a modern hotel complex that easily blends the two properties. Worth a mentioning are the hotel manager Mr. Ben and the chief guest relation officer Mr. Lim. It is rare nowadays to see hospitality industry employees who still believe in the customer is king philosophy. Mrs. Ben and Lim are such individuals. And yes, do not forget to try the Nyonya cuisine in the upstairs restaurant.
3 Nagas, Luang Prabang (Laos)
Situated in the heart of UNESCO protected Luang Prabang, wonderfully decorated and peacefully quiet at night.
Old Harbour Hotel, Fort Cochin (India)
Vast colonial mansion with lush garden with swimming pool. Join the owner for yoga every morning at 7am and relax in the generous rooms. A perfect break away from hectic India!
Angkor Village, Siem Reap (Cambodia)
Right in the old town center of ever busy Siem Reap. Relax in the Khmer style wooden bungalows or sip a fruit shake at the pool while watching the monkeys go by on the electrical wires.
Picture: The (now more expensive) 3 Nagas Hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos.
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