FRASER'S HILL : YE OLDE SMOKEHOUSE HOTEL

Idyllic English Countryhouse Charm

A stay in Fraser's Hill would not be complete without savouring this beautiful little gem, nestled in the quaint little sleepy town. This colonial mock-tudor style hotel fits perfectly in the landscape, an idyllic English countryhouse in our very own Little England.

Ye Olde Smokehouse Hotel has been hosting guests since 1937, and until now retains its charming English vibes. Originally a Red Cross Rehabilitation Centre, the building has been around since 1924. Before it was converted into a guesthouse/hotel, injured soldiers were sent here to convalesce in the cool, fresh, and rejuvenating hill atmosphere.

If you are not staying at the hotel, you could also choose to dine at their restaurant where they serve English style dishes, though I personally think the price is a bit too pricey. But I am sure enjoying a hot cup of tea and some scones in their beautiful little garden would be an experience in its own right.

We stayed here last week over the Merdeka long weekend with a family friend. It was our first time there. I managed to grab their reopening promo and booked 2 Executive Suites, both come with bath tubs and a separate shower. We stayed in the lovely Scott and Ashley Suites and these are the only rooms in the Cottage building, separated from the Main House. This arrangement was very nice as we were with small kids, and it gave us some privacy from the other guests.

Ashley Suite is slightly bigger, with big windows overlooking the garden. The room is spacious with a sitting area, small dining table for two, and a fireplace adorned with bric-a-brac.

The Scott Suite on the other hand, is just slightly more compact than the latter but have views overlooking the mountain ranges and hillside. The suite also has a seating area next to a fireplace, and a 2-seater dining table. This suite faces the back of the hotel, so it offers more privacy than Ashley Suite.

As the building itself and I believe most of the decor pieces and furnitures are original, worn, vintage pieces, the whole place naturally exudes old world charm, and classic English countryhouse vibes without feeling manufactured nor pretentious.

An idyllic little English Garden wraps around the whole house, with classic wrought iron cafe tables and chairs dotted along the side of the house. Big, old trees looming everywhere around the vicinity with big vines trailing, rich with moss and ferns. The walls are covered with dark green creeper plants, roses in bright pink pops out here and there amongst the lush greens. Very lovely.

These were some of the photos I took on our morning there.

I mean, just look at this.

AND THIS.

Reviews on tripadvisor and google have not been subpar. So I was a bit worried at first. Especially on the food, as there were lots of unsavoury comments on the service and the food served here. 

But when we got here, we received a warm and friendly greeting by the reception staff. Lots of people were having lunch at the time and the whole place was packed. So far so good.

Our rooms were very lovely, and had just been cleaned right before we checked into them. Cleanliness was okay, though it could probably be improved. The rooms had signs of age, wear, and tear but I really didn't mind as I am very well accustomed with old buildings and houses. I grew up in a colonial-time KTMB staff quarters, so... hahaha. It kinda brought back some childhood memories.

We did not have dinner here as we wanted to try out a restaurant in town, also because it was a bit pricey. We had our breakfast here as it came with the rooms. We had their Tradional English Breakfast sets which included croissants and toasts with butter and jam (jam was very delicious), orange juice, tea/coffee, a choice of egg with beef ham and baked beans. It was very nice. The food arrived still hot, and everything tasted good. Also, the servers were very nice, friendly, and chatty. One was especially friendly and took his time to chat with the kids, and happily replaced the forks and spoons they occasionally dropped. We had a very lovely morning having breakfast together overlooking the beautiful garden and the rolling hills.

All in all I would like it very much to stay here again. I loved the peaceful, relaxed vibes here in the morning, the fresh air and cool climate, the charming English Countryhouse ambiance, and of course, the friendly staffs.

Here are more photos I took of the place.

The English garden outside:

The Cottage:

The interior:

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Fraser's Hill