Ye Olde Smokehouse, Cameron Highlands
The Smokehouse originally opened around Christmas 1937 by an Englishman named Douglas Warin. It was built in traditional Tudor style and is one of the original structures in Cameron Highlands after the newly developed Cameron Highlands Hill Station. It originally had six rooms for those homesick English expats who then only returned home every eight years.
The hotel did very well until the Japanese occupation when it was turned into an officer’s mess for the Imperial Japanese Army. At the end of the war the Warin family brought the hotel back into use for a short period of time. The Warin’s eventually sold the hotel to a Scotsman, Mr. McDonald and again it was sold to another Englishman, Mr. Cowling. Cowling expanded the hotel but due to lack of funds it wasn’t satisfactory and he sold it after five years to another English man, Lt. Col. Stanley Foster who improved on the recent expansions and brought the hotel to fame.
Foster ran the hotel for ten years and sold it in 1977 to a Malaysian family headed by Mr. K.H. Lee. Lee was not trained in Hotel management, he was the Regional Director of Warner-Lambert / Parke-Davis Asia. Lee and staff continued to upgrade the hotel putting the finishing touches of old England. The restaurant has excellent food.
The hotel has been featured on BBC, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The Herald Tribune of New York rated it as the Foreign Correspondents favorite secret place. It’s also been in the European edition of ‘Elle’. The company bought the adjoining property to add a library, Conference room, jacuzzi and spa, plus four additional suites. The building and expansion is on going.
Mr. Lee was later invited to refurbish five other hill station properties, Fraser Hill, Penang Hill, Strawberry Hill overlooking Georgetown, and the Convalescent, and one more property name escapes me. These are all being refurbished as part of the Heritage Trail. Penang Hill Station is the oldest hill station of the colonial era.
Penang Hill development is being run by the Penang Hill Hotels and Restaurants Sdn. Bhd. and Mr. Lee is the chairman.
The hotel rates vary from 400 RM all the way up to 2380 RM. The 2380 RM consists of two executive suites, living room with fireplace, and a great view of the golf course. It accommodates 10 people. The 400 RM accommodates 2 people and is furnished with all the English charm. Today 3 Ringgit Malaysia equals 1 USD. Its a nice break from a place like KL.
www.davidcdagley.com
