By Willy Wilson | Nov 23, 2010
Penang’s Yeng Keng Hotel revives its former glory
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| Passionate: Former chairman of REHDA Penang branch, Datuk Ong Gim Huat restored Yeng Keng Hotel |
A love for heritage building led former chairman of REHDA Penang branch, Datuk Ong Gim Huat, to restore a budget hotel in George Town into a luxurious boutique hotel. Situated at Chulia Street, Yeng Keng Hotel is a 150-year-old property whose period architecture has been influenced by a few different cultures.
“Architecturally speaking, this property is the epitome of cosmopolitan Penang. The pillars are influenced by European architecture, while the vibrant colours hint at Indian influence. When it was turned into a hotel, a traditional Chinese entrance gate was constructed,” Ong explains.
The property had initially been built as a private residence of a prominent Anglo-Indian figure, Shaik Eusoffe bin Shaik Latiff. However, in 1897, a group of Chinese businessmen, who were trustees of the Cantonese Club ‘Yin Han Pit Shu’, took over the ownership of the property. The property, which was donated to the trustees of Straits Chinese British Association in 1939, had been leased to a tenant who then ran it as a budget hotel since the early 1900s. This is how Yeng Keng hotel came about.
“Converting a residence into a budget hotel was the prevailing trend along the street at the beginning of the 20th century, as the traffic in the port got busier,” Ong explains.
Ong’s family bought the 20-bedroom property in 1985, and continued leasing it to a tenant who ran it as a budget hotel. In March 2009, Ong decided to take a drastic measure. Together with architect Laurence Loh, who is the current owner of Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Ong was determined to restore Yeng Keng Hotel into its original look and run it as a heritage boutique hotel. The rest, as they say, is history.
StarProperty.my explores the nostalgic charm of this beautiful hotel with the proud owner.
You are a veteran property developer and investor with numerous successful projects under your belt. Why did you decide to venture into the hospitality business? What motivated you?
As a property developer and investor, I always believe in getting maximum value out of my investment. It may seem odd that I decided to venture into a new business at age 57, and considering how much I have invested in this property – financially and emotionally – some of my friends actually consider me foolish (laughs). But I beg to differ.
How much did you invest into this property?
The initial budget was RM1 million. But the budget ballooned to RM5 million during the renovation. But I still believe it’s a worthwhile investment.
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| Before-and-after: Budget for the renovation ballooned to RM5 million, but as you can see, it is money well spent. |
That’s a bold move. Wouldn’t a modest renovation be good enough for an old hotel?
Well, this property has been running as a hotel since early 1900s. And by the time my father took ownership of this property in 1985, he leased it to a tenant who continued running it as a budget hotel all the way to 2008. Unfortunately, due to rent control act, which forbade landlords to increase rent fee or evict tenants, the return of investment didn’t justify the value of the property. I then realised that renting it out to a budget hotel management was never going to be gainful.
Therefore you decided to restore the property and run it as an exclusive boutique hotel?
Well, the initial plan was to build an eight-storey apartment and five-storey commercial building. But when George Town was listed as UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, I soon realised that this property has business potential (as a boutique hotel).
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| Impressive: There's a good mix of old and new when it comes to furniture |
When did you start the restoration and how much work went into it?
The restoration work took 15 months, from March 2009 until June 2010. Laurence Loh (the architect) suggested that we explore the original layout of the building by knocking down layers of plasters on the walls, and digging deep into the floors. We soon learnt that the original colour of the wall was lime-wash, and that the original tiles were terracotta.
Determined to maintain its originality, we insisted on finding the right mix of colours for the walls. When we finally got the colour composition right (it was yellow ochre), we mixed the paint with glue so that the paint wouldn’t get saturated easily. The same precision was given to the flooring as well, as we laid the terracotta tiles according to the original pattern.
There are modern elements such as glass, granite and steel found here. Was this intentional?
Admittedly, we have added new elements to this property due to the lack of original material and other unavoidable circumstances. For example, we built alternate staircases near the reception to comply with the general regulations by fire department. When I visited Italy in 2009, I remember seeing old buildings with new staircases, which were made of steel and timber slabs. I brought it up with Laurence Loh, and we both agreed that we shouldn’t be afraid of adding modern elements. We even added glass partitions in certain corners of this property!
What has been the real challenge during the renovation?
Getting the right colour for the walls was a real challenge. Another challenge was to keep this premise free of flood. To counter the frequent flood, we had to increase the level of the ground in the courtyard, which isn’t easy to do when it comes to old buildings. Therefore, when you walk into this building, you step down.
Tell us about the impressive furniture and painting.
Similar to the design elements, there’s a good mix between old and new when it comes to the furniture here; modern weaved rattan chair and bold red sofa on one end, and antique furniture from Rajasthan (India) on the other. We installed vintage Belgium-made crystal lamps, which are similar to those in Suffolk house, to bring about that nostalgic feel. Adding grandeur to this property are two chandeliers and colourful paintings by Tay Mo Leong on the first floor.
Lastly, what does this place mean to you?
Yeng Keng Hotel is an explorative and passionate project, which I believe has a great business prospect.
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