In 1884, the Sarkies Brothers had a vision for building grand accommodations along 900 feet of George Town’s waterfront. The first was the Eastern Hotel. In 1885, the adjacent Hotel de l’Europe was acquired and renamed the Oriental Hotel. They became the Eastern & Oriental Hotel four years later. The Armenian brothers experienced such huge success that they became hoteliers in Singapore, Rangoon and Burma in Myanmar plus Batu in Indonesia. Visiting the E&O in George Town is like stepping back into the height of luxury during the colonial era, especially after extensive renovations and additions where concluded in 2013. The hotel typically receives a five-star rating.