Exploring Asia’s Most Iconic Heritage Hotels: A Review

Asia’s heritage hotels, spanning from Yangon to Hong Kong, offer a window into 19th and early 20th-century history shaped by colonial expansion, maritime trade routes, and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, according to CNN travel reporting. These properties range from merchant-built grand hotels to palaces established by India’s maharajas and government preservation projects.

## Raffles Singapore

According to CNN, Raffles Singapore was originally opened in 1887 by the four Sarkies brothers and has welcomed celebrities and diplomats over the decades. The Singapore government declared the building a protected National Monument in 1987. The property is known for its wooden floors, courtyard gardens, afternoon tea, and the Singapore Sling, which was invented at the hotel’s Long Bar. International architecture firm Aedas led an ultra-sensitive renovation project to re-imagine social and dining spaces, update technology, and add soundproof bedroom windows while retaining the historic structure.

## The Peninsula Hong Kong

Opened in 1928 and overlooking Victoria Harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui, The Peninsula is one of the territory’s oldest hotels, according to CNN. The property features a fleet of custom Green Rolls-Royces and white-capped pageboys. During World War II, the building was requisitioned by the Japanese as headquarters and later used as a refugee asylum. The hotel combines Old World charm with contemporary venues such as the Philippe Starck-designed Felix restaurant, alongside traditional establishments like Gaddi’s, the Lobby Lounge, and Spring Moon, which opened in 1986.

## Manila Hotel and Hotel Continental Saigon

The Manila Hotel opened in 1912 as the city’s oldest luxury hotel and has historically hosted visiting dignitaries, offering modern amenities alongside the Champagne Room for afternoon tea and French pastries, according to CNN. In downtown Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, the Hotel Continental Saigon was founded in 1880 during French colonial times to attract upscale French travelers.