The Best Historic Hotels in Asia

On a continent with thousands of years of history, you can throw a stone and hit a historic monument or UNESCO site pretty much anywhere you travel in Asia (but, please, don’t actually throw a stone). You can even stay the night in historic hotels steeped in lore and cultural significance, hidden down lantern-strewn alleys and set inside opulent former royal palaces.

You know the saying, "If these walls could talk?" Well, in Asia's best historic hotels, they’d tell stories of celebrity trysts and evenings of indulgence in Jazz-era bars. Staying in one of Asia's top heritage hotels offers the chance to immerse yourself in history while sampling the good life.

But which hotels should you choose? Well, we can give you a few recommendations. When you’re scrolling through booking sites, skip the cookie-cutter hotels and embrace the unique character and centuries-old heritage of these six incredible historic hotels in Asia.

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1. Raffles Singapore

Best for all-round opulence

The grand dame of Singapore hotels is not just the city’s swankiest place to stay; it's also one of its most famous landmarks. Built in 1887 by the Sarkies Brothers, an entrepreneurial family of Armenian hoteliers, the glamorously revamped Raffles Singapore started with just 10 rooms that, over the past 140 years, have morphed into 115 luxury suites.

History flows through every square inch of the hotel, from the heirloom grandfather clock that sits in the lobby to the antiques scattered throughout its hallways.

Public visitors and hotel guests can learn all about the history of Raffles on a complimentary daily heritage tour led by the hotel’s resident historians. Be sure to stop into the hotel's Hall of Fame, lined with photos of the countless celebrities, authors and dignitaries who have stayed there, from Rudyard Kipling to Elizabeth Taylor and Johnny Depp.

Planning tip: Stopping in for afternoon tea in The Grand Lobby is a fantastic way to experience the glitz and glam of Raffles without shelling out for a suite. Alternatively, stop by the Long Bar for a Singapore sling, invented here in 1915.

2. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam

Best for walking in famous footsteps

When this French-built hotel opened in the center of Hanoi in 1901, rooms cost just US$6, with all meals included. Now, more than 125 years later, guests can multiply that by a factor of 50 for a heritage stay at the Metropole Hanoi, in rooms steeped in style and heritage.

Opened by French businessmen during France's colonial occupation of Vietnam, the hotel became the place to stay in Hanoi. French wines and Chinese opium were said to be mainstays among guests of the time.

The hotel was converted into a prison for French military officials during the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in WWII, beginning its reputation as a meeting place for world leaders. Decades later, during the Vietnam War, anti-war celebrities like Jane Fonda and Joan Baez stayed here, taking refuge in its air raid shelter during US bombing raids.

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Planning tip: Modern-day hotel guests can get a glimpse of the hotel's storied past by signing up for a daily tour of the bomb shelter, where the song Where Are You Now, My Son? – written by Joan Baez at the hotel – plays as the soundtrack to this mini-history lesson.

3. Imperial Hotel, Kyoto, Japan

Best for a sense of drama

It’s all about preservation at this new hotel, set inside the Yasaka Kaikan – formerly one of Kyoto’s most beloved theatrical venues. This multi-story, traditional Japanese structure was constructed in 1936 in the same complex as the still-working Gion Kōbu Kaburenjō theater, and geiko (the Kansai term for geisha) and maiko (apprentices) once frequented its stage.

While you may still see geiko and maiko practicing for the traditional spring dance performance held at Gion Kōbu Kaburenjō, the Yasaka Kaikan is now an enticing 55-room luxury hotel. The same company that constructed the building 90 years ago was also responsible for its painstaking refurbishment, preserving more than 16,000 original exterior tiles, and simultaneously making the building earthquake-proof.

While staying in a prime location in the heart of Gion, guests can enjoy exclusive access to centuries-old tea ceremonies performed by geiko and maiko, as well as special admission to Miyako Odori, the city’s premier spring event, held every April.

Planning tip: Spring is the jam-packed height of the tourist season in Japan, but grin and bear it; it's hands-down the most magical time to stay at this cultural gem, coinciding with the cherry blossom season.

4. Amangalla, Galle, Sri Lanka

Best to understand colonial military history

Inside the UNESCO-listed city of Galle in Sri Lanka, the elegant Amangalla hotel was originally built in 1684 by the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch commander and military staff used the mansion as a base to monitor Galle Fort during the Dutch colonial occupation of this historic port city, before it was seized by the British Army as accommodation for soldiers from the 83rd Regiment.

In 1863, the property was reinvented as the New Oriental Hotel. Among the clientele were aristocrats and colonial businessmen traveling to Galle’s port. The hotel joined the Aman portfolio in 2005, and guests can still walk on original teak flooring and admire 19th-century mosaic tiles, arched windows and antiques such as the 1800s military safe that decorates the airy, light-filled lobby.

Planning tip: Afternoon tea here is worth a visit all by itself. The spread features sweet coconut cakes and warm scones with homemade strawberry jam from Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands. While you'll likely want to order some fine Ceylon tea, also consider the hot chocolate, flavored with local spices.

5. The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace, Khajuraho, India

Best for royal splendor

Pack your most regal outfits for a stay at this former fortress turned palace – a lavish 65-room retreat in the hills of Madhya Pradesh in India. Originally built more than 350 years ago as a sandstone fort by the rulers of the Bundela dynasty, it was transformed into a palace with courtyards and ballrooms as the region's political upheaval died down. 

The grandeur of the Oberoi Rajgarh Palace lives on today, thanks to a three-decade-long restoration project by the Oberoi Group. While staying in lavish comfort, guests can marvel at hand-carved pillars, ornate frescoes, ancient trees and centuries-old shrines dotting the palace complex.

While many come here to experience one of India’s grandest hotel stays, the Oberoi Rajgarh sits close to Panna Tiger Reserve – one of central India's most important tiger habitats – and the UNESCO-listed temples of Khajuraho. Guests can go from tracking tigers to admiring intricately carved temples in the same day.

Planning tip: Panna National Park is closed to tourists from July through September during the monsoon; if seeing tigers is a top priority, come during the cooler winter months, or in the hot spring, when tigers come out into the open.

6. The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok, Thailand

Best newly opened historic hotel

Arguably Asia’s most exciting hotel opening of recent years, The Langham, Custom House in Bangkok will welcome its first guests in December 2026, serving up boatloads of history in a commanding location along the Chao Phraya River. Constructed in 1888, this stately neo-classical building was the first port of call for merchants, sailors, diplomats and travelers arriving in what was then called Siam.

During its long life, Custom House has hosted important diplomatic meetings, royal celebrations and one of the country’s first post offices. This protected national monument has now been carefully restored as part of its conversion to a five-star hotel. Conservators have raised its sinking foundations, dived to retrieve antique pottery preserved on the riverbed, and restored the exterior to its striking original yellow.

A new, contemporary wing has been added at the side, housing 75 rooms and suites that make subtle nods to Thai patterns and colors. Its dining venues, set in the historic wing, are set to include a branch of Hong Kong's triple-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, T'ang Court, and a surprise celebrity-chef outpost.