The Raffles Hotel

The hotel has just underwent an extensive restoration.

Raffles Hotel is colonial-style luxury hotel in the downtown core district of Singapore. The hotel was named after British statesman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of colonial-era Singapore.

Opened in 1887, it is one of the few remaining great 19th century hotels in the world. It started as a ten-room hotel. Its proximity to the beach and its reputation for high standards in services and accommodations made the hotel popular with wealthy clientele.

Later, a pair of two-story wings added, followed by the Palm Court Wing. The hotel continued to expand over the years with the addition of wings, a veranda, a ballroom, a bar, a billiards room, as well as other building sand rooms.

“In 1989, the hotel closed to undergo an extensive renovation that lasted two years and cost $160 million. The hotel reopened on September 16, 1991. While the hotel was restored to the grand style of its 1915 heyday, significant changes were made. All guest rooms were converted to suites. In addition, Long Bar, which was a favorite spot of celebrities such as Somerset Maugham, was relocated from the lobby to a new adjoining shopping arcade. Long Bar is also where the national cocktail, the Singapore Sling, was invented by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon.” - Wikipedia

The hotel underwent another major renovation in January 2017. The rooms were refurbished and soundproofed, and the number of suites increased from 103 to 115. 

The hotel reopened on 1 August 2019. The hotel won the award for the renovation and restoration from the AHEAD Asia awards.

Fun fact - The Raffles Hotel was the first hotel in the region to have electric lights.

Only dignitaries, and the rich can afford to stay at The Raffles Hotel.

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