CHEONG FATT TZE MANSION
Penang, Malaysia
Crazy Rich Asians is full of memorable moments that take place in incredible settings, but the most unforgettable scene might be the crucial mahjong showdown between Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh) and Rachel Chu (Constance Wu). Considered by director Jon M Chu as the most important scene in the (Singapore-set) film—one that doesn’t appear in Kevin Kwan’s book—it needed an exceptional setting: the courtyard of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Georgetown, Penang.
Built in the late 19th century as a home for tycoon Cheong Fatt Tze, the Blue Mansion, as it is widely called thanks to the distinct hue of its lime-plastered walls, has appeared on the silver screen multiple times. The ornate townhouse, now an 18-room boutique hotel, stands out timber beams. It’s also an excellent example of conservation work done right: from the terracotta floor tiles to the timber used throughout, everything in this century-old mansion is faithful to its roots. The six-year restoration period of the Grade I Heritage Building saw conservationists replacing unrepairable details with local materials applied using traditional methods. Each room, be it the ground-floor Ming Collection rooms with easy access to the pool or the more spacious Tang Suites with a Jacuzzi, features furniture or fixtures from the time of the Blue House’s creation, with memorabilia from Cheong’s own collection peppered throughout the building.
