The Sarkies were 4 brothers of Armenian ethnicity, born in Iran. They are famous for setting up a chain of luxury hotels throughout Southeast Asia. These hotels are The Eastern & Oriental Hotel (Malaysia), Raffles Hotel (Singapore) and Strand Hotel (Burma/Myanmar).
The Eastern & Oriental Hotel , George Town, Penang, Malaysia - 1885.
My first visit to Penang was 1988 but I don't think I went to the hotel. The first time I actually went inside was in 2015.
Raffles Hotel, Singapore - 1887. Originally it was a tiffin house then became a hotel and was taken over by the Sarkies in 1887. By 1915 the Long Bar was famous for the Singapore Sling.
My first visit to Raffles was in 1988. I had a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar, it came with peanuts and it was the done thing to throw the shells on the floor.
Raffles then closed for renovation and reopened 16 Sept 1991. I had a Singapore Sling in the 'new' Long Bar on 18 Sept 1992.
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| Raffles statue |
And the outside in 1994
Strand Hotel, Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (Myanmar) - 1901. Sold by the brothers in 1925.
In 1996 I stayed in the Strand Hotel. It was wonderfully run down, and I remember the bathroom which had a bath tub on legs. Unfortunately I don't have/can't find the photos apart from these -
In 2009 I was back in Burma, now called Myanmar, and had high tea in The Strand (and The Star article).
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