Carcosa Seri Negara
owned by the Malaysian Government. The hotel includes two colonial mansions,
one named Carcosa, the other Seri Negara.
An iconic luxury
boutique hotel, Carcosa Seri Negara is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
In 1896, Sir Frank
Swettenham, the then British Advisor to the Sultan of Perak started
constructing his official residence above the Lake Gardens naming it Carcosa,
probably a stylization of the Italian cara cosa or "dear place".
Integral to the
development and history of Malaysia and having withstood the World War II,
Carcosa has housed many personalities from Japanese Senior Army Officers,
British High Commissioners and in 1989, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II stayed
at Carcosa during the meeting of the commonwealth nations - Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
With Malayan
independence imminent in September 1956, the Chief Minister of Malaya, Tunku
Abdul Rahman, presented the deeds of Carcosa and its 40 acres (160,000 m2) of
land to the British Government as a gift, a token of goodwill. He moved a
resolution in the Federal Legislative Council which read, "That this
Council approve of the proposal to make a free gift of the house and buildings
known as "Carcosa", together with the gardens and land attached, as a
token of the goodwill of the Malayan people to Her Majesty's Government, for
use as the residence and office of the future representative of that government
in an Independent Federation."
Carcosa then became
residence to a succession of British High Commissioners. Carcosa was returned
to the Government of Malaysia in 1987
Seri Negara or
Beautiful Country in Malay, was originally known as the Governor's Residence
when it was opened in 1913 as the official guest house of Governor of the
Straits Settlement. It was later known as the King's House.
King's House was
vacated by the British High Commissioner on August 31, 1957, and returned to
the Malayan Government. It was then opened as the Istana Tetamu or Guest's
Palace, hosting many a visiting dignitary. In 1989, when it was combined with
Carcosa into a luxury hotel, the building was renamed Seri Negara.
Best of Malaysia Awards
2012 - Best Boutique Stay
p/s: Pictures and information credit to Carcosa Seri Negara facebook
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