I have always wanted to stay here until I did. Sadly, it didn't live up to expectations. Now, I know why the Eastern & Oriental hasn't received nearly the publicity as The Raffles in Singapore or even The Strand in Burma.

1) Property is poorly maintained, outside of public spaces and even then not so much. Exterior of old building needs painting, especially on the side facing the pool. Sidewalks around pool and through the lawn were worn down. Heritage Wing (aka original building) rooms are classic but have a tired decor. Classic doesn't mean things need to be ancient and cheap.

2) Service was horrendous for what should be a 5-star international hotel. Many of the staff don't speak fluent English so when something goes wrong it is difficult to explain the situation. Management doesn't care -- there was zero follow-up to see if issues were resolved satisfactory. Moreover, staff doesn't do anything for you they just tell you where to go. So, instead of having umbrellas by the doors for dispensing by the doormen you have to go to the front desk to get one. Instead of having newspapers in the executive lounge you need to go to the gift shop, where they're not complimentary.

It's too bad. This could be an incredible property, particularly given its history.