‘Because it is there’: rekindling a distant past at Ye Olde’ Smokehouse

A TWO-NIGHT stay at Ye Olde’ Smokehouse in Cameron Highlands with my other half, Marilyn, during the Christmas holidays last year was a little dream realised.

To have finally vacationed at Ye Olde’ Smokehouse was an accomplishment – it being a dear wish lying dormant on my bucket list since 1981. That was when I first set foot to the Cameron Highlands and got a first glimpse of the beckoning Tudor-styled hill resort nestling on the slopes of Girdle Road.  

Ask me, why Ye Olde’ Smokehouse, and I would say “because it is there” – borrowing the words of British Everest climber George Mallory who famously told a reporter “because it is there” when asked why he attempted to climb the world’s tallest mountain. 

The same words were echoed by Sir Edmund Hillary when a similar question was posed to him, after he had successfully conquered Everest, beating Mallory in the race.

Certain places do evoke a definite sense of awe and there is a myriad of reasons why people desire to visit them. For most of us, it could be a sentiment of romance, a reminiscence of a historical event, or a simple desire for the vintage. 

Others might just want to immerse themselves into a hometown-like place in order to re-live a fond childhood experience of the distant past – just like me.

Ye Olde’ Smokehouse still loudly retains the English genre of 1937. It was established in that year as a highland resort for homesick British expatriates – mostly planters and miners serving in the booming rubber and tin-mining industries of old Malaya.

For me, the hill resort largely lends a nostalgic nod, reminiscent of my childhood when I grew up in similar-looking colonial-styled bungalows in rubber estates owned by British companies.

Though these bungalows in the estates mainly were made of timber on the exterior and not of solid masonry unlike Tudor-styled manor homes – somehow they hold a close resemblance to Ye Olde’ Smokehouse.

This is especially reflected by the steeply pitched triangular roof in front and an elegant façade with French-styled composite glass pane windows. The bungalows also had a hood in the kitchen and an adorable chimney from where smoke wafted out from the fireplace resembling English country manors.

Fireplace? Yes, the bungalows had their own “fireplace” where a wood fire was used for cooking meals on specially designed concrete stoves. This was in the ‘50s and ‘60s before cooking gas and gas stoves arrived to light up the home fires.

Needless to say, on cold rainy nights we gathered around the fireplace, enjoying the quaint Jane Austen-type storybook ideal. 

Lure of English charm  

Since its beginning, Ye Old Smokehouse has never failed to serve up the best of English charm in its ambiance, in the cuisine it offered, in the décor it showcased, and in the many gimcrack curios and memorabilia adorning its timber interiors.

Save for the war years when it was turned into an officers’ mess for the Imperial Japanese Army and the more recent movement control order (MCO) in the country to thwart the Covid-19 pandemic, Ye Old Smokehouse has never ceased to provide a country-like sanctuary for both local and foreign tourists alike.    

Though in Malaysian hands since 1977,  the mountain resort has retained its homespun allure and is envisioned as a retreat for the weary.

Beautiful English-styled gardens provide just the right extent of space, symbols, and silence for the jaded traveller seeking soulful recreation.  

Generally, the gardens feature a breathtaking assortment of flowering plants presented in natural disarray, sometimes with clear pathways, and sometimes without. 

In a casual chat, the resort’s “just call me Joe” floor manager says: “We continue to offer our guests a glimpse of what first drew travellers to the Cameron Highlands. Ye Olde Smokehouse says it all in its lush gardens, well-appointed rooms, and refined English cuisine. For breakfast, we offer a full English breakfast or the light English breakfast, consisting of eggs sunny side up, poached mushroom, bacon, and red beans with toast as well as Cameronian tea. Guests can also have a choice of eggs, either scrambled or egg-white omelet.”

He adds: “For lunch and dinner, guests can choose an assortment of meals from the menu like Wellington Beef or Maryland chicken among others.

“Our Tudor architecture is the hallmark of our identity and heritage, but we also do not compromise on our standard of service and the best of creature comforts for our guests. We have come a long way since being first established as a six-room outfit. Today we have 24 rooms with 100% occupancy.

“Within this old resort, we provide high-speed wireless and smart TVs as well as luxurious bedding and bathroom amenities,” says Joe, adding: “Serving our guests well is a priority and it is for this reason that I rather have six alert and diligent waiting staff than 20 of them who are dreamy and lost.”    

At any time of the day, Joe is seen on the premises acting as the typical floor manager to make sure everything is rolling out well and supervising his waiting staff made up of locals as well as Myanmar, Nepalese and Indian imports.  

Before dusk sets in, guests take time to enjoy the traditional English tea served in elite Devonshire tea sets in the lush gardens. Joe makes his presence here as well – where freshly baked scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam is a “not-to-be-missed” evening colloquy. 

And just before dinner, Joe is seen busy at the bar next to the fireplace which lends a warm and intimate glow creating dancing silhouettes of people walking past.

Here, Joe is seen preparing and setting up his cache of wines, beers, liquors, and post-dinner liqueurs – and at the same time playing the PR man for guests, suggesting the wine types that match with red and white meat and according to the manner they are prepared.

Joe serves me whisky and sherry for Marilyn then steps closer to the fireplace to add more timber when the fire slightly dimmed. Chatty and effervescent, Joe says: “These logs we chopped down during the MCO. We were closed for business, but we painted the interiors and exteriors because there is always something to do.”

We clutched our glasses, chilling out while listening to Joe. Life is green, calm, and unhurried here.

I catch a glimpse of the figurine of St Francis of Assisi in the dining hall. Francis is a thirteenth-century mystic better known as the apostle of peace and tranquility.

None of the hotel staff nor Joe could tell us how the statue came to be there, but still, we cherished the time with Joe and the Italian saint, wishing the evening will last forever. – The Vibes, January 14, 2023