Peace Hotel

History

The Peace Hotel is reported by the Taiping Municipal Council as originally the residence of a wealthy Chinese trader named Cheah Cheng Hooi and was built in 1928. The Cheah family was a wealthy family in Taiping and Penang, and Cheah Cheng Hooi’s father, Cheah Boon Hean was a pioneer and prominent figure in Taiping’s very early tin-mining days. Taiping’s iconic and historical market was erected by Cheah Boon Hean at his own expense, and the British allowed Cheah Boon Hean to collect rent from the market’s tenants to recoup expenses borne by him in the market’s construction. Upon his passing, the family business was taken over by Cheah Cheng Hooi. Cheah Cheng Lim, one of Cheng Hooi’s younger brothers, rose in prominence to become an important figure in British Malaya, most notably in Penang.

In the 1970s the hotel enjoyed much popularity, as the surrounding area was Taiping’s entertainment district, with the city’s busiest cinema located right across the street.

The building has been excellently preserved, though the paint is chipping off in some places. The original façade and colonial architecture, dubbed the “Straits eclectic” style by several publications, is still very much visible. It is truly one of the more unique buildings in Taiping, and would please any architecture aficionado. It is a large, square building the size of four townhouses on each side, basically a city block in itself. The ground floor has been sectioned off into shop lots that correspond to the size of an individual townhouse, and is occupied by various traders. It is one of the few complete city blocks in Taiping that still preserves its original style and architecture.

The Peace Hotel Today

Today, the top floor of the building still serves as a hotel, but the location is most popular as a Chinese restaurant that serves excellent fried kuey teow and loh bak (i.e. Chinese pork rolls) in one of the sectioned shop lots on the ground floor. It is a non-halal restaurant, and its official business name is Kedai Kopi dan Rumah Tumpangan Peace. It is usually packed with patrons during lunch hour, so timing your visit is crucial.

References:

Wright, Arnold. Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources, Ithaca, New York, Cornell University Library, 1908, pp. 904–06.