Images courtesy of the E&O.
THE “GRAND TOUR of Asia” at the turn of the 20th century until World War II brought American and European travellers to the Far East, where the exotic landscapes and sceneries were waxed lyrical about in books like Bradshaw’s Through Routes to the Capitals of the World, and Overland Guide to India, Persia, and the Far East (1903).
The invention of steamships and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 made travelling for leisure possible, albeit this was limited to the upper classes, and for travellers who could afford it.
Their arrival to Asia gave rise to the demand for lodging houses and hostelries in major townships, particularly those which were already connected by extensive commercial shipping lanes and railway networks. But over time, there would only be one hotel in any one location that discerning travellers considered a prime address fit for their accommodation.
These hotels are known today as the “Grand Dames of Asia”, and include the Oriental in Bangkok, the Peninsula in Hong Kong, the Le Royal in Phnom Penh, the Continental in Saigon, the Metropole in Hanoi and in Penang, the Eastern and Oriental (E&O).
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