If the walls of these heritage hotels in Asia could talk, they'd tell the tales of A-list guests, significant moments in history and more
From a personal tropical hideaway lovingly crafted by a Sri Lankan architecture legend to an old ryotei turned boutique hotel, these properties are more than a room for a night but a stylish portal to the past.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Crazy Rich Asians is full of memorable moments that take place in incredible settings, but the most unforgettable scene might be the crucial mahjong showdown between Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh) and Rachel Chu (Constance Wu).
Considered by director Jon M Chu as the most important scene in the (Singapore-set) film—one that doesn’t appear in Kevin Kwan’s book—it needed an exceptional setting: the courtyard of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Georgetown, Penang.
Built in the late 19th century as a home for tycoon Cheong Fatt Tze, the Blue Mansion, as it is widely called thanks to the distinct hue of its lime-plastered walls, has appeared on the silver screen multiple times. The ornate townhouse, now an 18-room boutique hotel, stands out for juxtaposing eastern and western elements: Scottish cast-iron balusters meet Cantonese timber lattices, and Chinese calligraphy art is set against trompe l’oeil timber beams.
It’s also an excellent example of conservation work done right: from the terracotta floor tiles to the timber used throughout, everything in this century-old mansion is faithful to its roots. The six-year restoration period of the Grade I Heritage Building saw conservationists replacing unrepairable details with local materials applied using traditional methods.
Each room, be it the ground-floor Ming Collection rooms with easy access to the pool or the more spacious Tang Suites with a Jacuzzi, features furniture or fixtures from the time of the Blue House’s creation, with memorabilia from Cheong’s own collection peppered throughout the building.
Trunk House, Tokyo, Japan
Imagine a hotel with only one room and where all resources are devoted to you, its sole guest. This is what awaits at Trunk House, a sister property of Tokyo’s most popular boutique hotel, Trunk in Shibuya. Located in Kagurazaka—a district nicknamed Little Kyoto because of its winding streets and proliferation of historic buildings—Trunk House took over an old ryotei, a restaurant that only accepts diners by referral, that also once served as a geisha dancing school.
The 70-year-old structure was restored by Trunk Atelier, the hotel brand’s in-house designers, and local design practice Tripster with the goal of crafting a “creative salon”. The space is minimalist, yet feels like a home, with a well-stocked kitchen, a long oak dining table looking onto a pocket courtyard and a spacious bathroom fitted with a hinoki ofuro, or traditional cypress bathtub.
See also: Tokyo Boutique Hotels for Travellers Who Are All About Aesthetics
A stay comes with a personal butler, dressed in Yohji Yamamoto, no less, and a kitchen team that cooks Michelin-worthy kaiseki dinners but can also whip up a delicious bowl of ramen if that’s what you’re craving. Eagle-eyed art and design connoisseurs will spot plenty of cool pieces, including Stephen Kenn tan leather sofas in the living room and a geisha-inspired artwork by American artist Alex Dodge hanging above the spartan bed.
Although every space features covetable objets d’art, if guests remember only one room, it will probably be the secret karaoke bar hidden behind soundproof doors disguised as a wall. Tokyo’s tiniest karaoke-slash-disco is the place to enjoy a whiskey highball and sing your heart out. And you’ll be in good company: if you look at the doodles on the walls, artist Kaws left his mark.
