GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s architectural heritage gem, Cheong Fatt Tze, popularly known as The Blue Mansion, has made it into Canada’s Flight Network’s list of 100 Best Hotels in the World.
Cheong Fatt Tze comes in at number 18 on the Boutique Hotels list, and is the only property in Malaysia to be featured.
The gem was featured alongside other prestigious establishments including The Knickerbocker in New York, Hotel Eclat Beijing and Royal Mansour Marrakech.
Commissioned by Cheong Fatt Tze – an illustrious, self-made tycoon nicknamed the ‘Rockefeller of the East’ – the iconic Blue Mansion is the result of his incredible eye for detail and determination to use only the best artisans and materials for construction.
The first bricks were laid in the 1890s after detailed consultations with the era’s leading Feng Shui masters.
In its heyday, The Blue Mansion, so named because of the indigo hue of its walls, was the pivotal heart of the city.
The mansion gradually fell into disrepair after his death and was purchased by a group of Penang conservationists in 1989.
Its new owners restored it to its former glory by 1995, winning UNESCO’s Most Excellent Project in the Asia Pacific Heritage Award in 2000.
In 2001, it was turned into a boutique hotel, allowing guests to better appreciate its intricate qualities.
Lonely Planet also recognised it as ‘One of 10 Greatest Mansions in the World’ in 2011.
Flightnetwork.com is one of Canada’s largest online travel agencies, delivering hotel and holiday insights to millions of customers.
Its panel of esteemed travel experts and judges travelled far and wide, visiting some 1,000 luxury and boutique hotels, before whittling the list down to the top 100.
The list is categorised into luxury hotels, boutique hotels, luxury resorts, luxury lodges and inns.