I enter Raffles Singapore via a red carpet. People are enjoying a traditional afternoon tea in The Grand Lobby while a harpist plays softly. A sparkling 900-kilogram chandelier (installed during the 2019 renovation) hangs in pride of place, marrying the past and the present.
This iconic all-suite hotel dates from 1887. It was last renovated in 2019. Acclaimed interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud, who led that meticulous renovation, wanted “The Past and Present (to) walk together.”
I stay in a Palm Court King Suite – I have a Parlour (!!). This is the oldest Wing of the Hotel, but given the luxe look of the room and the modern comforts, you wouldn’t know it – another nod to the past and present.
Finding Nirvana
My room, and Raffles generally, are an oasis with bowling-green standard lawns and lush, tropical gardens – a six-acre sanctuary surrounded by the hubbub of a cosmopolitan city of six million people.
In 1899, Raffles was the first hotel in Singapore to hire a French chef, introducing travellers and Singapore to authentic French flavours. Fast forward, and Raffles remains at the culinary forefront, presenting well-loved culinary traditions (think curry in the legendary Tiffin Room) combined with contemporary dining.
At Butchers Block, I try the IMUA (Hawaiian for “moving forward with strength and spirit”) Summer Tasting Menu. Chef de Cuisine, Jordan Keao, is Hawaiian and believes in zero-waste so butchery is done on-site. Indeed, the first thing I see as I enter the restaurant is the Larder, where whole animals are hanging. Beside the Larder is an Open Kitchen with a wood fire.
I start with a glass of Ruinart champagne, the oldest Champagne house in France, and I finish with a 1977 Colheita Port from Porto. Food is delectable portions of such delicacies as Ahi Tuna, Blackmore Farms Wagyu Beef and W.A. Marron. Course after course comes out, beautifully plated and delicious. The service is exceptional. What a meal to remember!
The next day, I float through a massage at the Raffles Spa. As a guest, I am free to use the hydrotherapy facilities of the Spa whenever I like – there’s a Vitality pool filled with mineral-rich Peruvian pink salt, an aromatherapy steam room, a herbal sauna and an ice fountain. Bliss!
Fully relaxed, I arrive at Yì by Jereme Leung and walk into the restaurant through the most magnificent art installation. Comprising one thousand pieces of paper shaped into hanging flowers and birds, it takes my breath away.
I choose one of the Set lunches (you can order à la carte) and, plate after plate, I am served refined, modern Chinese cuisine. A standout for me are the stir-fried Iberico Pork and the house-made “Shao Xing” wine ice cream with wild honey, walnut and tangerine peel. Again, the service is exceptional. It is another meal to remember.
Stories of the Past
Raffles’ Resident Historian, Roslee, takes me around Raffles, sharing stories. Apparently, Raffles was not going to be called Raffles. One of the owner brothers, however, insisted that the hotel should be named after Sir Stamford Raffles, widely regarded as the father of modern Singapore. A sliding doors moment.
Another story was of Raffles in the 1920s, when dinner was routinely served in the Grand Lobby. After dinner, the tables and chairs were cleared away, and dancing was in the very same space.
Cocktails are a Must
My stay at Raffles would not be the same without drinking the Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. Clearly, I am not the only person wanting to do this as there is a walk-up queue. Apparently, the queue starts at 11am every day when the Long Bar opens.
There is a bag of unshelled peanuts on my table. I am encouraged to peel and drop the shells on the floor. Given that littering is heavily fined in Singapore, this feels naughty!
I am not a cocktail fan, but I really like the taste of the Singapore Sling, which was invented in 1915. It is fruity without being sickly sweet.
Another day, I sit in the Writers’ Bar in the Main Wing of Raffles and, at Roslee’s suggestion, order a Million Dollar Cocktail. It’s served in a coupe glass and has a large dollar sign stencilled on the top. Very cute.
I discovered that the same Raffles bartender, Ngiam Tong Boon, invented the Million Dollar Cocktail and then a simpler-to-make version – voilà – the Singapore Sling.
The Past and Present Walk Together
Raffles’ past is celebrated by the immaculate condition of the building, from the elaborate plaster cornicing to the polished teak verandahs and by the retention of the Butler system.
But what about the present? By “walking with the past,” Raffles is most definitely a symbol of Singapore’s present. The Hotel has every modern comfort – iPads in the rooms that control all manner of things, sitting alongside an analogue clock, excellent air-conditioning alongside the white colour scheme, copious amounts of cool marble and shaded colonnades.
Above all, this beautiful hotel has a team of people working there who are proud of its past and its present and want to share their pride with guests. So many times during my stay I am asked with a smile, “How is your Raffles experience?” The team genuinely cares.
So, as Singapore celebrates its sixtieth birthday, where to for Raffles? There is a restaurant under the direction of celebrated Chef André Chiang coming with brand new dining concepts. There is the new Heritage tour too, opening up some Raffles stories.
The future gleams as white as this legendary hotel because, at Raffles, “The Past and Present Walk Together.”
Raffles Singapore is an all-suite hotel. There are 115 suites and all have access to a Butler. Suites start at approximately AUD$1850 per night. For further information or bookings, visit www.raffles.com/singapore
The writer of this article was hosted by Raffles Hotel Singapore for a complimentary stay. All opinions expressed are based on the author’s personal experience.
