Since 1885, the longest sea frontage of any hotel in the world — 232 all-suite rooms across a Heritage Wing and Victory Annexe, built by the same Armenian brothers behind Raffles Singapore.
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Overview
Built by the Sarkies Brothers
Established in 1885 by the Armenian Sarkies brothers, whose landmarks also include Raffles Singapore and The Strand in Yangon, the Eastern & Oriental — the 'E&O' to generations of travellers — remains the only hotel with sea frontage inside George Town's UNESCO World Heritage core.
Martin and Tigran Sarkies opened the Eastern in 1884 and the adjoining Oriental in 1885; combined, they became the largest hotel in Penang, later adding a grand ballroom and, in 1922, a Victory Annexe that brought the total room count higher still. Advertised in 1927 as 'the premier hotel east of Suez,' the E&O counted Charlie Chaplin, Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Herman Hesse among its guests through Penang's most storied decades. Today, the original Heritage Wing's soaring echo-dome lobby and 100 suites sit alongside the 2013-built Victory Annexe's 132 sea-fronting suites, together forming a 232-suite hotel that remains, in the words of one long-time visitor, 'the grand dame of heritage hotels.'
An all-suite hotel since 1885. Every room at the Eastern & Oriental is a suite — there are no standard rooms — a distinction the hotel has maintained since its earliest incarnation under the Sarkies brothers.
232
All-Suite Rooms
1885
Hotel Established
2
Wings, Heritage & Victory Annexe
1
Longest Hotel Sea Frontage, Historically
Suites
Heritage Wing or Victory Annexe
The original Heritage Wing carries Moorish minarets and colonial charm; the newer Victory Annexe adds contemporary space with the same sweeping Andaman Sea views.
Victory Annexe Suite — Sea View Balcony
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Heritage Wing Suites100 elegant suites in the hotel's original building, with round-the-clock butler service and the unique 'his' and 'her' hand basins found throughout the property.
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Victory Annexe Studio SuitesAt roughly 55 square metres, polished wooden floors, fine rugs and huge marble bathrooms with claw-foot bathtubs and Malay-style silk sarongs.
03
Victory Annexe Corner SuitesDual-aspect suites with a separate living room and a wraparound terrace overlooking the Straits of Malacca and George Town's skyline.
04
The Largest SuiteLocated on the Heritage Wing's second floor, the hotel's grandest suite carries a distinct Malaysian interior across a master bedroom and generous living and dining area.
Experiences
Chaplin, Kipling & George Town's Street Art
The E&O's position inside the UNESCO World Heritage zone puts George Town's colonial architecture, temples and street art all within a short walk.
Heritage
George Town UNESCO Core
A five-minute walk brings guests to George Town's colonial villas, Chinese shophouses and celebrated street art, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
History
The E&O Gallery
A dedicated gallery within the Victory Annexe retail arcade tracing Penang's social and cultural history through the hotel's own story.
Nearby
Fort Cornwallis
The historic British fort that once housed the ornamental cannon now standing in the hotel's oceanside garden.
Evenings
Farquhar's Bar
A vintage cocktail bar named for Penang's first Lieutenant-Governor, resembling the private members' clubs of old London.
Leisure
Two Pools, Two Wings
A classic garden pool at the Heritage Wing and a sleek sixth-floor infinity pool at the Victory Annexe offer two very different settings.
Culture
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
A grand 1880s Chinese merchant's mansion turned boutique museum, a short walk from the hotel.
Dining
The E&O Sling, at Sarkies Corner
Dining ranges from the storied Java Tree's classic European dishes to Palm Court's traditional afternoon tea and Sarkies' international and Penang specialities buffet.
01Java Tree, for classic European dining, Wednesday to Saturday
02Palm Court, for traditional three-tier afternoon tea
03Sarkies, for buffet dining featuring Penang specialities
04Farquhar's Bar, for the signature E&O Sling cocktail
Farquhar's Bar — The E&O Sling
Location
George Town's Only Seafront Hotel
The Eastern & Oriental sits at the corner of Lebuh Farquhar, in the heart of George Town, the only hotel within the UNESCO World Heritage Site with direct sea frontage.
Located at 10 Lebuh Farquhar, within George Town's UNESCO World Heritage core.
A five-minute walk to George Town's colonial villas, Chinese shophouses and street art.
Roughly 30 minutes, or 17km, from Penang International Airport.
The only hotel in George Town's historic centre with direct Andaman Sea frontage.
Fly
Penang International Airport is roughly 30 minutes from the hotel by car.
Ferry
The Penang ferry terminal connects to the mainland, a short walk or taxi ride from the hotel.
Explore
George Town's UNESCO heritage sites, street art and hawker food are all within walking distance.
A Living Legend
140 Years of the Premier Hotel East of Suez
From Charlie Chaplin to today's travellers, the E&O has spent nearly a century and a half as Penang's most storied address — and its only true seafront hotel.