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An Article From Ipoh Echo - Hotels Galore
The article depicts the proliferation of hotels in Ipoh during the early 20th century. As early as 1886 a rest house for Europeans was built while locals had their own hotels. The Rest House was consistently overcrowded which led an enterprising Hainanese company to open the FMS Hotel in 1906. The Hainanese were known as peerless chefs and the FMS Hotel's restaurant did as great business as the hotel itself. The hotel's rooms were full practically on a daily basis. Though there were many other applicants in line for hotel licences in Ipoh, the Government favoured a European player and offered established hoteliers, Messrs. Sarkies Brother, a choice site on a 99-year lease and very attractive terms. Frightened by Ipoh’s waves of recessions however, the brothers abandoned the project after half a year. This move left the door open to Pierre Z Creet, of the E&O Hotel in Penang, to establish Ipoh’s first European Hotel, the “Grand Hotel” on 1st December 1909. Attracting the former clientele of the Rest House, business there waned. The Rest House was then tendered by a “Hailam” who managed to turn it around thanks, in part, to his delectable dishes.
To read more about the FMS Hotel and Bar, click here.
To read more about the Grand Hotel (later known as Majestic Hotel), click here.
To read more about Pierre Z Creet, click here.