About Raffles
Opened in 1887, Raffles Hotel became one of the most famous colonial-era hotels in Asia, attracting writers, dignitaries and travellers passing through Singapore. It’s also the birthplace of the iconic Singapore Sling, first created in the hotel’s Long Bar in the early 20th century.
Today the hotel remains a symbol of old-world elegance, with white colonnades, tropical courtyards and impeccable service. While Singapore has surged into the future around it, Raffles feels like a step back in time — refined, historic and still the perfect place for a leisurely cocktail. 🍸
Our suite
There are just over 100 suites at Raffles. This does allow them to personalise the check-in process much more than your typical chain hotels that may have 500 rooms. As your car pulls up a Punjabi doorman dashes to open your door; a porter helps the driver put your bags on a trolley (which you don’t see again until you are in your room), a receptionist welcomes you as you enter the hotel and takes you a discrete area, sits you down and starts the formalities and then takes you to your suite; within minutes a knock on your door and the butler has arrived to explain the workings of the suite. It felt as though we had met half the hotels staff already.
Each suite has 3 rooms – a parlour on entry, the bedroom with 4-poster bed and the bathroom, which has a walk-in shower and separate toilet. Everything is done to decadent colonial style; the mini bar looks like a massive trunk. Outside your door is the verandah, upon which 2 chairs allow you to sit and enjoy a peaceful drink or perhaps read a book.
We agreed our suite is the best hotel accommodation we have stayed in ever.
The experience
The hotel oozes cool vibes and warm charm. Everywhere you go, staff make sure to say hello and ask if you need anything. The “afternoon teas” in the lobby look decadent – we didn’t partake due to lack of time plus if you don’t like tea (Steve) all you have is an “afternoon”.
There are a number of bars and restaurants. The Writers Bar is by the lobby and is named after writers such as Rudyard Kipling; Somerset Maughan who used to frequent the hotel (and have suites names after them). The Long Bar is the bar made famous by serving Singapore Slings and is so named as it has a ….. long bar. There is also the Courtyard Bar equally aptly named because it is found in the courtyard, unsurprisingly. We tried all the bars multiple times and they each had a different but equally enjoyable ambience.
On arrival late afternoon, we both felt stuffed from all the food on our Singapore Airlines flight (we see why they win awards all the time and the stewardesses were all pretty bordering on beautiful). As such we didn’t need feeding, and just headed for the Long Bar. Our butler had to book it as there are always large queues of non residents trying to get in and as such we both enjoyed the walk past the queue and being ushered to our table. Very VIP.
It is actually a very simple room, with a long bar as advised previously. Servers dash about taking orders and bringing drinks and there is the constant chatter of shakers being shaken as cocktails are produced. Steve had to try the world famous Singapore Sling first, and while we awaited our drinks, heard a great commotion as a massive machine standing on the bar sprang to life by the hand of one of barman, and proceeded to shake about 8 shakers all at once. Very Heath Robinson but sometimes the only way the barman can keep up. The other legendary tradition at the Long Bar is peanuts. Every table has a small sack of monkey nuts, which customers plough through and simply, and in time honoured fashion, discard shells to the floor – which in places is ankle deep with the stuff. We assume they employ a peanut shell sweeper at the end of every night. We also wondered what they do with it all – compost maybe?
Our goal was to try and push through as far as possible, hopefully to 10pm which on our body clocks would be a very late night of 3am. We managed it though we were probably the only folks in the Long Bar whose eyes were drooping down to the shells on the floor by the time we left. Didn’t do much good as Steve then awoke at around 2.30am which to his body was 7.30am and a long lie in (he is in a run of waking between 4am and 5am most mornings)!
Our first breakfast was extraordinary. We sat by the Blue Fountain, and orders for beverages and cooked food are taken by very elegantly dressed servers. Nikki ordered poached eggs and bacon, and Steve went for Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (seen it called Eggs Royale elsewhere). The cooked breakfasts were as you would expect from a kitchen in such an establishment, ie perfect, but it was the buffet that truly sets this breakfast apart from others. We hope the diversity of the spread can be seen in some of our pictures, but it is very international with UK, European, American and Asian taste buds catered for. The thing with buffets like this you nearly always end up with dishes that are near empty and if you really want something have to ask for it to be topped up. That is not the case at Raffles – I don’t think we ever saw any dishes that didn’t look any different to when the service was set up at 7am (or whenever it is, way too early for us). We, well Steve, indulged so that he wouldn’t need lunch. And we have 2 more breakfasts to come!
We had decided on our flight over that we would have a chill first day, and spend time around the pool. The pool is lovely and they have the best sunbeds ever (we kept using the term “best ever” throughout our stay) – they are wide, have a fitted bath sheet over them which is changed every time someone leaves and, of course, luxury towels. Brolley for Nikki; sun for Steve and waiters checking every time they pass if you need anything. A brilliant day and of course by now we are immune to sunburn.
We did scrape ourselves off the loungers for the tour by Raffles resident historian, open only to guests. It was fascinating to learn how the hotel was founded (10 rooms) and grew through the late 1800’s. On its 100th anniversary in 1987 it was awarded special protected status by the government, and underwent major refurbs in 1989 and 2017. After the latter, they re-opened late 2019, to be hit by Covid 6 months later and closure until late 2021. That must have been squeaky bum time after their $200m investment. Probably the highlight was seeing the Presidential Suite where most recently Angelina Jolie stayed, but also famous for hosting Michael Jackson back in the eighties (no this wasn’t the hotel where he dangled the baby, that was Berlin). Nikki even got to play an antique piano from the 1800’s which she now has in common with MJ.
We ate in the Tiffin Room that night, which because of our short stay would be our only dining in experience. The tiffin was used as a lunch box by Indian workers, and as you would expect this was an Indian restaurant. Unfortunately for Steve there was not a vindaloo in sight, but we both made lovely selections. The decision to share a starter was a mistake though as it was so big we left half of it and it also shrunk our appetites for main course. Still, food was terrific and we had a very pleasant evening.
The next day was our Singapore day, and is covered in another post.
As we have a very late flight out from Singapore, it gives us the bonus of a nearly full day to continue our Singapore exploration. To that extent we had bought a 2-day pass on the Big Red Bus to do so. However, when we woke up, and after our final magnificent breakfast, we both felt that another relaxing day around the pool would be far more preferable. So we did. Relaxing it certainly was. We finished with another booking in the Long Room.
Raffles did let us down in one thing. The bath robes are the best we have ever seen (there it is again). They are as you can imagine quite expensive so Steve decided he would buy us one each as a permanent reminder of our fantastic trip. The night before our departure we asked reception to get 2 sent across from the boutique. For sizing Steve ran back to the suite and tried the medium on. Unsurprisingly we wanted 1 medium and 1 large, order placed. Next morning we get a call that they only do intermediate sizes – XS, M, XL, 3XL. Why they did not know that when we ordered we can’t fathom. We then spend a whole morning of back and forth trying to get things sorted. First they said they would send an XL to our room to see if it would work (gotta be honest, Steve not Nikki). Is it there yet, no. It will be soon. Go and check still not there. It will be soon. So on. Finally try it on and although it is a bit big, its a bath robe so it doesn’t really matter. Confirm extra large and small please to reception – ok we will get boutique to send over. Despite a number of checks it does not arrive. We speak to and repeat the same story to receptionists, butlers, concierge and bottle washers that half the staff know us, we are on first name terms and we are in danger of being invited to their Christmas party! Sorry sir/madam, it will be sent to your room; we have just checked out of room so that won’t work. Finally, the robes are given to us around 3pm – we were on the edge of getting a bit arsey.
Hamish says ...
Since Steve worked in Edinburgh around 2008/2009 for the bank whose name we no longer say, he has always declared that Tiger Lily on George Street is his favourite hotel ever. It’s not big but a really classy boutique style that we both love. It has just been knocked into second spot as Raffles is, by a country mile, the best ever (and again) hotel we have stayed in. The tradition, the colonial style, the service (except when buying robes), the staff, the facilities, the breakfast, the bars and restaurants all combine to create a totally unique and unforgettable experience.
If our pension holds up, we 100% will go back, along with 2 friends who love the place as much as we do (you know who you are). If the pension let’s us down, Steve will get Nikki a couple of months work at PWC.
One Response
So glad you loved it as much as we do — fingers crossed the pension pot bounces back and we can plan a trip back xx