Sarkies Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Sarkies Brothers were a group of brothers of Armenian
ethnicity. They created a dynasty that has influence throughout the region.
They were best known for founding a chain of luxury hotel
s throughout Southeast Asia
. The brothers were:
In chronological order, the hotels founded or run by the brothers were:
In addition, the brothers' cousin Arathoon Sarkies (1882–1932) managed the Adelphi Hotel
in Singapore from 1903 to 1908.
Arshak, the last of the brothers, died on January 9, 1931. On June 10 of the same year, a bankruptcy case was filed against the Raffles Hotel, eventually resulting in the Sarkies family losing control of their hotels in Singapore and Penang. The hotel in Surabaya, however, stayed in the hands of the Sarkies' descendants until 1969.
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
ethnicity. They created a dynasty that has influence throughout the region.
They were best known for founding a chain of luxury hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The brothers were:
- Martin Sarkies (1852–1912)
- Tigran Sarkies (1861–1912)
- Aviet Sarkies (1862–1923)
- Arshak Sarkies (1868–1931)
In chronological order, the hotels founded or run by the brothers were:
- April 15, 1884: Eastern Hotel, George Town, PenangGeorge Town, PenangGeorge Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
, Malaysia - 1885: Oriental Hotel, George Town, PenangGeorge Town, PenangGeorge Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
, Malaysia. Previously the Hotel de l’Europe. - 1 December 1887: Raffles HotelRaffles HotelRaffles Hotel is a colonial-style hotel in Singapore, and one of the world's most famous hotels. The hotel was established by the famous Armenian Sarkies Brothers. Opened in 1887, it was named after Singapore's founder Sir Stamford Raffles. Managed by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, it is...
, SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... - August 1889: Eastern Hotel sold, Oriental Hotel renamed as Eastern & Oriental HotelEastern & Oriental HotelThe Eastern & Oriental Hotel is a colonial-style hotel in Penang that was established in 1885 by the Armenian Sarkies Brothers. The sea-fronting hotel is known for its luxurious accommodation and restaurants. The address is at 10 Lebuh Farquhar.The Eastern Hotel was founded by the brothers in 1884...
- 1891: Kartika WijayaKartika WijayaThe Kartika Wijaya is a colonial-style hotel located in Batu, East Java. The address is at Jalan Panglima Sudirman 127.It was founded in 1891 by the Armenian Sarkies Brothers, who were also the founders of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Penang.Located around the...
, BatuBatu (city)Batu is a city located in East Java, Indonesia. Formerly, It was a part of Malang regency; but in 2001, Batu became an independent city legalized by Act of 11, 2001, when it became a municipal town with its own city mayor and council....
, JavaJavaJava is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... - 1901: Strand HotelStrand HotelThe Strand is a Victorian-style hotel located in Yangon, Myanmar , built in 1896 by Aviet and Tigran Sarkie, two of the Sarkies Brothers. The hotel, which opened in 1901, which faces the Hlaing — or Yangon — River to its south, is one of the most famous hotels in Yangon and Southeast Asia, and is...
, Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (Myanmar). Sold by the brothers in 1925. - 1910: Hotel MajapahitHotel MajapahitThe Hotel Majapahit is a historic luxury hotel in Surabaya, Indonesia. Located at 65 Jalan Tunjungan, the hotel was founded in 1910 as Hotel Oranje by Lucas Martin Sarkies. It was named after the historic kingdom of Majapahit. It was formerly operated by the Mandarin Oriental group.During the...
(as Hotel Oranje), SurabayaSurabayaSurabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, founded by Martin's son Lucas Martin Sarkies (1876–?) - 1923: Sea View Hotel, Singapore, originally built in 1906 and operated by the Sarkies Brothers under lease until 1931.
- 1929: Crag Hotel, Penang HillPenang HillPenang Hill is a hill resort comprising a group of peaks in Penang, Malaysia. It is located in Air Itam, which is from the city centre of George Town. The hill stands out prominently from the lowlands as a hilly and forested area...
, Malaysia.
In addition, the brothers' cousin Arathoon Sarkies (1882–1932) managed the Adelphi Hotel
Adelphi Hotel
The Adelphi Hotel was a hotel based in the city centre of Sheffield, England. It was notable for the founding of three major sports teams; Yorkshire County Cricket Club , Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United...
in Singapore from 1903 to 1908.
Arshak, the last of the brothers, died on January 9, 1931. On June 10 of the same year, a bankruptcy case was filed against the Raffles Hotel, eventually resulting in the Sarkies family losing control of their hotels in Singapore and Penang. The hotel in Surabaya, however, stayed in the hands of the Sarkies' descendants until 1969.