theLOCATION | Gingerflower Boutique Hotel [Official]

the LOCATION

With its convenient location on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, or Heeren Street as it is more commonly known as, Melaka’s rich history starts right at the doorstep of Gingerflower Boutique Hotel. Though less bustling than nearby Jonker Street, Heeren Street has arguably more old world charm and boasts amazing sights and interesting stories.

Initially called Heeren Street, this narrow street was renamed Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock after its namesake passed away on Dec 13, 1960 to recognise the patriot’s contributions to Malaysia. It was once the choice neighbourhood for prosperous Straits-born Chinese in the mid-19th and early 20th century.

As with most houses on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Gingerflower Boutique Hotel is narrow yet long on the inside. This is because during Dutch rule, property taxes were based on the width of each house, instead of the total area. Other characteristic features include ornately decorated façades, open courtyards to provide ventilation and light and small wells to draw water.

A short walk from the Hotel will take you to the busy street of Jonker Street which is flanked on both sides of the road with heritage houses dating back to the 17th century. From there, learn more about the history of Melaka with a visit to the nearby places of interests such as the Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Dutch Square, Christ Church Melaka and The Stadthuys.

the LOCATION

the CITY

the LANDMARKS

the DELIGHTFUL STUFF

the CITY

Malacca is the capital of the state of Malacca, which is on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. The Malay name for Malacca is Melaka. Because of its Malay, Chinese and Indian origins, but also due to previous Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, Malacca is rich in history, culture, and of great architectural interest. It also offers a very satiating gastronomical experience.

The city center of Malacca was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in July 2008. Malacca was a simple fishing village inhabited by local Malays. In 1400, Parameswara, the last Raja of Singapura, founded Malacca when he came across this narrowest point of the Malacca Strait which served as a strategically located and accessible port for trade.

Relations between China and Malacca strengthened with the visit of Admiral Cheng Ho from China in the mid-15th Century. The Portuguese arrived in the early 1500’s when they attempted to seize the city. They built a huge fortress with cannons and other fortifications so as to try to fend off other European powers with intentions to share in the lucrative Southeast Asian trade.

Malacca grew from strength to strength with the increase of the power of the Malays, but an alliance between the Dutch and the Sultanate of Johor Bahru caused Malacca to lose much power. In 1641, the Dutch blockaded Malacca and seized the city, destroying much of it in the process. In 1795, the British took over Malacca after the Netherlands was conquered by the French. By then, Malacca had lost much of its former importance although it still remained an integral Asian trade route. The A Famosa Gate is all that remains of the European fortress.

One of the main cultures in Malacca is the Peranakan culture, an eclectic fusion of local Malay and Chinese cultures, a result of Chinese settlers from China marrying local brides of Malay descent and adopting the local customs. The men are known as Babas and the women as Nyonyas. There is also a small enclave of Eurasians of Portuguese descent with their unique native language of Cristao or Kristang.

Many of the turn of the century Peranakan townhouses in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Malacca boast of Dutch and Portuguese architecture with Peranakan influences. The Heeren Straits Hotel, along with its sister hotels under the Heeren Heritage Hotel Group, are housed in a variety of such Peranakan townhouses, all of which have been painstakingly restored and conserved. We still have an original 100 over year old water well in Gingerflower Boutique Hotel, which had served an important function to the Peranakan household that lived in this townhouse in the grand old days.

the LANDMARKS*

Jonker Walk Night Market

The best part of Jonker Street is the Jonker Walk Night Market which takes place from Friday to Sunday. Once the sun goes down around 6pm, the vendors will lay out their tables and start selling a wide range of goods including antiques, textiles, handicrafts, keepsakes and even delicious local food such as cendol and chicken rice balls.

A'Famosa Fort

A’Famosa Fort dates back to the 16th century when the Portuguese constructed this stronghold to defend against foreign invasion. What remains of the fortress is the crumbling remnants of a lone gate, Porta de’ Santiago. Nonetheless, it is one of the oldest surviving Portuguese architectural remains in Southeast Asia and is no doubt one of the main attractions in Melaka.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

Built in 1646, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is Malaysia’s oldest traditional Buddhist temple. Also known as the “Merciful Cloud Temple”, this Chinese temple is dedicated to Kwan Yin and features a prominent gold robed statue of the Goddess of Mercy within the main prayer hall.

Christ Church Melaka

With its distinctive white cross and red bricks, Christ Church is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city. Built in 1753 to commemorate a century of Dutch rule in Malacca, it is now the oldest Protestant church in the country.

The Stadthuys

As one of the oldest-surviving buildings built by the Dutch, The Stadthuys is possibly the most notable heritage site in Melaka. Known for its red exterior and nearby clock tower, it was once the local town hall and residence of the governor but is now a museum displaying traditional costumes and artifacts from Melaka’s history.

Melaka Sultanate Palace

The Sultanate Palace is a wooden replica of an original 15th-century palace and has now been transformed into a cultural museum surrounded by pretty gardens. This building is particularly remarkable as it was restored without using any nails to reconstruct it.

Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum

The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum is beautifully modelled after a typical 19th century Peranakan residence, illustrating the incredible history of the Straits Chinese. There are guided tours which give an insight into their colourful lifestyle and culture, going into detail about their traditional food, dress style, furniture and how they lived in the days of old in Melaka.