Carcosa : The Perfect Tea Party Setting (PART 1)

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Magnificent Colonial Architecture

The Carcosa Seri Negara is a luxury hotel on two adjacent hills inside the Lake Gardens park in Kuala Lumpur. It is owned by the Malaysian Government. The hotel includes two colonial mansions, one named Carcosa, the other Seri Negara.

Signage to direct you

Paveway leading to the great colonial mansion

The Terrace overlooking the garden

The Carcosa mansion was built in 1896-1897 as the official residence of Sir Frank Athelstane SwettenhamBritish High Commissioners in Malaya of the then Resident-General of the Federated Malay States. It was designed by Arthur Charles Norman a senior government architect of the Public Works Department in Malaya, at a cost of about $25,000. With the eclectic fusion of Neo-Gothic and Tudor styles, the residence has more than eight bedrooms including master bedroom and guest rooms; and eleven bathrooms.

It became a hotel in 1989.

The Seri Negara was originally known as the Governor's Residence when it was opened in 1913 as the official guest house of Governor of the Straits Settlement. It was later known as the King's House.The King's House was vacated by the British High Commissioner on August 31, 1957, and was returned to the Malayan Government. It was then opened as the Istana Tetamu or Guest's Palace, hosting many visiting dignitaries .In 1989, when it was combined with Carcosa into a luxury hotel, the building was renamed Seri Negara.

The name "Carcosa" was chosen by Sir Frank Swettenham and he revealed to the Editor of “British Malaya” the reason it was chosen:

SIR,

In the April magazine your correspondent in Malaya asks me, in courteous terms, to tell him why I gave the name “Carcosa” to the house that was designed and built for me at Kuala Lumpur by the late Mr. C.E. Spooner, assisted by Mr. A.B. Hubback – as he was in those days – and I have no objection to answer the question even though the simple truth may spoil a number of excellent stories. When this house was finished and occupied I read a book which interested me. It was called “The King in Yellow” and at the beginning of this book there were some verses with a note explaining that they came from Cassilda’s song in “The King in Yellow”, Act 1, Scene 2.

Pretty "Tudor" enterance

The Verendah Restaurant

The Drawing Room

Elegant dining

An English Afternoon Tea @ Carcosa Seri Negara is really a lovely experience .Personally ,I love every little thing about the English not to mention the English Gentlemen's accent ;)..I go ga-ga all the time. A scrumptious tea spread at Carcosa takes you back to scones and marmalade; English pudding and pretty tea cups; Kate Winslet and Gentlemen in top hats ; Pride & Prejudice and the Tales of Two Cities.

You know, for me , it's not just about tea and scones ...it's all about the experience .For information on the tea packages at Carcosa Seri Negara, Kuala Lumpur , please contact : reservation@carcosa.com.my