Relics of Asia's colonial past revived to host today's elite

Luxury hotels in heritage buildings aim to stand out in crowded market

20190918N Eastern & Oriental Hotel

The Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Penang, Malaysia, is situated in a neighborhood that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Photo courtesy of Eastern & Oriental)

MAYUKO TANI, Nikkei staff writer

SINGAPORE -- The famed Raffles Hotel here reopened in August after a two-year renovation, meticulously restored to the 1920s-era splendor that fascinated the likes of British playwright W. Somerset Maugham, down to the carvings on its columns and the teak floors.

The building dates back to 1887, when Singapore was a British colony.

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