Raffles Hotel Singapore

The Queen Mother of luxury hotels in Singapore is as legendary as ever.

Undoubtedly one of the world’s grandest dames. This all-suite hotel is home to fine dining and legendary drinking, a spa that will restore you from the most tiring of journeys, a rooftop pool, and gorgeous gardens, all in the middle of a city that has plenty to explore over a few days.

Raffles’ luscious gardens are a big part of what makes it so unique, offering a real sense of retreat from the metropolis beyond its doors. Lawns are bordered by vast palms and tropical flowers; birds and insects provide a soothing soundtrack. A refurb in 2019 saw a huge chandelier from the Czech Republic added to the imposing marble lobby, speaking to the brand’s expansion into the international luxury market to include 27 hotels across the world. An antique grandfather clock and gramophone sit alongside plush contemporary-classic seating.

The 137-year-old property is maintained to an extremely high level; I don’t recall seeing a single sign of wear and tear anywhere. The clever use of technology to modernise period features is impressive – for instance, the palm-shaped fans in the Long Bar, once manually operated by a person pulling a lever, but now electric.

The hotel’s popularity with Britons dates back to Singapore’s past as a British colony, but happily, these days it welcomes a more diverse crowd. This history is clearly still a draw for some guests, but it is how the hotel imagines itself for the future that I found interesting. See the appointment of the first female and first Singaporean writer in residence, Madeleine Lee, to whom the opening section of the Writer’s Bar menu is dedicated. Or the commissioning of local artist Alvin Mark Tan to paint a new mural on the side of the Long Bar. Then there’s Magic Hour, a series of free public live music performances on the hotel’s lawn. Toiletries in suites are by Omno, a brand that describes itself as “Singapore born, Asia raised, green based, nature bound”. It is good to see forward-thinking initiatives such as these.

Website Raffles Hotel Singapore