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Raffles Hotels & Resorts
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About
Birthplace of stories and legends
A veritable oasis in the city
Raffles Singapore is at the heart of the vibrant business and civic district, a beacon of classic colonial architecture perfectly preserved among our modern-skyscraper neighbours. Within our walls, the Raffles Arcade is an exciting shopping destination in its own right; and we are walking distance to Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. It is a two-minute ride on the Mass Rapid Transit to the bustling Orchard Road shopping strip, and Changi Airport is 20 minutes away.
Explore Raffles Singapore
Become part of the legend when you stay at Raffles Singapore. Take a look around our hotel's exceptional facilities and services.
Raffles Spa
A refined sanctuary for holistic wellbeing, offering treatments, rituals and classes both to our guests and the community.
Fitness centre
Enjoy your personal workout on the latest Technogym treadmills, elliptical equipment, free weights, cardio machines and gym balls; third floor from 7.00am – 7.00pm daily.
Swimming pool
Take an invigorating dip in the pool, surrounded by lush tropical gardens on the third level of the main building; from 7.00am – 7.00pm daily.
Glamorous occasions
From grand balls to private dining and receptions on our elegant green lawn, we have the perfect space for your meeting or celebration at Raffles.
Raffles Romance
From the dream wedding to honeymoons and anniversaries, Raffles is where your fairytale comes to life. Start your lifetime of exquisite memories with a Raffles Romance.
In-suite dining
On your private verandah or at the dining table of your parlour, Raffles Butlers present you with a personalised gastronomic experience masterfully crafted by our talented chefs and sommeliers.
Resident Historian
Leslie Danker has been at Raffles Singapore for over 50 years, and is the keeper of many of its stories and legends.
Raffles Doormen
Distinguished and distinctive, our world-renowned Raffles Doormen are the first point of contact when you arrive.
Raffles Laundry Service
Top quality laundry, dry cleaning and pressing service for your suits, daywear and linens. Choose from regular, express or premium service and submit your order to laundry.singapore@raffles.com.
Raffles Boutique
At the Seah Street entrance to Raffles Arcade, the boutique reflects the illustrious history of Raffles, with souvenirs, home decorations and luxury gourmet products in a gallery setting; open daily 10.00am – 8.00pm.
Raffles Arcade
Breathing glamorous new life into our historic neighbourhood, the Raffles Arcade showcases new and world-renowned brands, elevating the shopping scene in the heart of the civic district.
All the fables of the exotic East
Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the British diplomat and founder of modern Singapore, the hotel quickly became a magnet for glamorous society globetrotters and culturalists from all shores, eager to experience its exquisite combination of grandeur and charm. Staying here became a rite of passage among adventurers, who saw it as a sophisticated gateway to the exotic East.
Life at its best
The birth of a legend 1887
From bungalow to hotel
On 1 December Raffles Hotel Singapore is opened by by the Armenian Sarkies brothers, Martin, Tigran, Aviek and Arshak, offering 10 rooms in an old bungalow-style building overlooking the beach and South China Sea. It soon becomes – and remains – the most fabled hotel in the Far East, with a guestlist that reads like a Who's Who of the world.
1888
Men of letters
Some of our earliest guests include distinguished men of letters: Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. They inaugurate the hotel's legendary literary tradition which continues today. The Writers Bar is named in honour of the literary luminaries who have written about or stayed at Raffles.
1890
Extending the hotel
A pair of two-storey wings, with 22 new suites, are added to the original hotel.
The expansion years 1892
Tiffin Room
The Sarkies expand their business, opening Tiffin Room in May at Commercial Square (now Raffles Place) which is later relocated to the hotel in 1910.
1894
Palm Court
An L-shaped extension, forming the Palm Court, is added, with another 30 suites.
1896
Bar & Billiard Room
Bar & Billiard Room opens in a raised building. Today this is the oldest standing bar still in its original location in Singapore.
1899
Main Building
The three-storey Main Building, in Victorian Italianate Revival style, with electricity throughout, a 500-capacity dining hall and 23 more guest rooms, replaces the original bungalow and immediately becomes a Singapore landmark. Raffles earns the status 'grand hotel'.
The traveller's destination 1902
A tiger in the bar
In August, the last tiger to be killed in Singapore is pursued at Raffles Hotel Singapore and finally shot while cowering under the raised Bar & Billiard Room.
1904
A magnificent establishment
The Bras Basah wing opens, making Raffles Hotel Singapore 'the most magnificent establishment of its kind East of Suez.' The hotel becomes the venue for numerous social events and plays host to travellers from all over the globe.
1907
Bar & Billiard Room
The two-table Bar & Billiard Room is brought down to street level, enlarged and remodelled to hold six tables. The building, which is transformed into guest rooms a decade later, becomes a landmark in the city.
A Singaporean icon is born 1910
The Raffles Post Office
The Raffles Hotel Post Office opens.
1913
New verandah
A cast-iron verandah, complete with stained glass, is added to the front of the Main Building. Here travellers imbibe the best of the hotel's offerings and enjoy the cool sea breeze.
1915
The Singapore Sling
Hainanese bartender Ngiam Tong Boon creates the iconic Singapore Sling to allow ladies of the time to enjoy alcohol in public.
A haven for distinguished guests 1920
The finest ballroom
The verandah is replaced by an airy ballroom at the front of the hotel, which quickly earns the reputation as 'the finest ballroom in the East.' This takes Raffles into a new era, to become the most popular place in town.
1921
Somerset Maugham's first visit
Somerset Maugham makes the first of his visits to Raffles Hotel Singapore, returning in 1926 and 1959. Legend has it that he works every morning under a frangipani tree in the Palm Court, writing the gossip and scandal overheard at dinner parties into his short stories. In 1956 he replies to a request from Raffles, giving permission to use his famous quote: ‘Raffles stands for all the fables of the exotic East.'
1922
Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward, Prince of Wales, dances at Raffles Hotel Singapore during a visit.
1930s
Notable personalities
British playwright, novelist and actor Noël Coward arrives at Raffles Hotel in the company of Lord Amherst. While in residence he plays the part of Captain Stanhope in the play Journey's End, which is being presented by a visiting dramatic troupe at the Victoria Theatre. Other notable personalities who visit the hotel include Charlie Chaplin, Maurice Chevalier, Frank Buck and Jean Harlow.
1941 War reaches Singapore
Second World War in Singapore
British families make their way down the Malayan Peninsula with the Japanese in pursuit and congregate at Raffles Hotel Singapore. The hotel is renamed Syonan Ryokan, incorporating Syonan ('Light of the South'), the Japanese name for occupied Singapore, and Ryokan, the name for a traditional Japanese inn.
1942
A silver beef wagon
A silver beef wagon is buried in the Palm Court to save it from wartime looters. It is later recovered and used at Raffles Grill.
Home to the stars 1953
The Elizabethan Grill
Raffles Grill is renamed the Elizabethan Grill to mark the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
1950s
Hollywood royalty
The 1950s see Hollywood royalty, such as Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor, among the famous guests who visit Raffles Hotel Singapore.
The Swinging Sixties 1960
Long Bar
The Long Bar begins life as a counter in the Raffles Ballroom in the 1960s. It remains there until the hotel closes for its first restoration in 1989. After the reopening, the Long Bar finds its new home in the Raffles Arcade.
1960
Pretty Polly
Pretty Polly, starring Trevor Howard, Hayley Mills and Shashi Kapoor, is filmed at Raffles Hotel Singapore.
Grand cuisine tradition 1976
Tiffin Room
Raffles Hotel Singapore has been serving tiffin curries since 1910. Recognising that enjoying a tiffin curry on a Sunday was a colonial tradition in the early 20th century, the main dining room is officially named Tiffin Room in 1976.
Years of change 1986
Celebrating 100 years
Raffles Hotel Singapore celebrates her centenary a year early to coincide with the Year of the Tiger. A live tiger is photographed on the first day of the year – on top of the hotel's billiard table.
1987
National monument
Raffles Hotel Singapore is officially declared a National Monument by the Singapore government on her 100th anniversary.
1989
The first complete restoration
The hotel closes to commence a multi-million dollar project to return it to its elegant look of the 1910s and 1920s and reinforce its status as one of the world's grand hotels. An exciting shopping arcade is added to the existing structure along North Bridge Road.
1991
The Victorian Theatre
A charming Victorian-style playhouse seating 388 guests, Jubilee Hall, debuts as an elegant cultural venue for repertories and ceremonies. Notable productions staged here include The Vortex, starring Jane Seymour, and several opera performances by the Chinese Theatre Circle.
1991
Long Bar
Long Bar finds its new home at the Raffles Arcade along with Raffles Courtyard, an alfresco restaurant nestled amid swaying tropical palms. Other notable dining establishments to open after the restoration include Empire Café, Seah Street Deli and Doc Cheng's – all since closed.
1993
Michael Jackson
The King of Pop stays at Raffles during his Dangerous world tour, accompanied by his good friend Elizabeth Taylor. At Michael Jackson's personal request, Singapore's tourism icon, Ah Meng the orang utan, is brought to the hotel to spend some time with him by the pool.
1996
The Bras Basah wing
Built in 1904, the Bras Basah Wing is re-established as Raffles Inc, housing 18 of the most commodious state rooms in the East. Raffles Hotel Singapore is the scene for Paradise Road, a US$20 million production starring Glenn Close and Jean Simmons, directed by Bruce Beresford.
The Raffles empire 1997
Expanding out of Singapore
Raffles expands, beginning with the restoration and opening of two landmark hotels in Cambodia, Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, and Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Siem Reap.
1998
James A Michener
A suite is named in honour of James A Michener, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, who had a lifelong love of travel and Raffles.
Milestones and memories 2000
Long Bar Steakhouse
A steakhouse with a difference opens, combining steakhouse dining with the nostalgia and simple honest flavours of early plantation fare.
2007
120th birthday
A memorable gala reception is graced by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
The grande dame of Singapore 2010
Leslie Danker
Memoires of a Raffles Original is published, featuring the story of Resident Historian Leslie Danker and his unique 45-year relationship with the grande dame.
2011
Katara Hospitality
Raffles Hotel Singapore becomes part of Katara Hospitality, a leading global hotel developer, owner and operators based in Qatar, adding to its rich portfolio of hotels worldwide.
2012
125th birthday
Celebrating 125 years of Raffles Hotel Singapore's illustrious history.
2013
Karl Lagerfeld
Celebrating the centenary of its first ever boutique, Chanel debuts its Cruise 2014 collection in Singapore. Its Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld stays at Raffles.
2015
Centenary of the Singapore Sling
To celebrate this milestone, a new bespoke gin is created in partnership with Sipsmith: the Raffles 1915 Gin. Sipsmith founder Sam Galsworthy is descended from the family of Sir Stamford Raffles.
2016
Johnny Depp
The American actor, producer and musician is the latest in a long line of prominent personalities to stay at Raffles.
130 years of Raffles Hotel 2017
A new restoration
To keep Raffles moving with the times, adapting to the changing needs of the well-travelled and Singapore's community, a new restoration is instigated under the stewardship of Katara Hospitality.
2018
Crazy Rich Asians
Set in Singapore, the first Hollywood movie to feature an all-Asian cast since Joy Luck Club in 1993 is partly filmed in the Presidential Suite and Grand Lobby at Raffles.
2018
Long Bar returns
The newly restores Long Bar returns with a refreshed Singapore Sling. Jason Crawley, one of Australia's most respected bar professionals, custom makes a new Raffles Sling Shaker – a cast-iron hand-cranked machine that can shake up to 18 Slings at a go.
2019 A triumphant return
The reopening of Raffles Hotel Singapore
After a sensitive restoration, the hotel reopens in August 2019 – mindful of preserving its charming ambience and legendary service. Newly opened bars, restaurants, courtyards, shops and social spaces ensure that Raffles will remain the place to meet, spend time, shop and celebrate long into the future.
An icon reborn
The 2019 restoration of Raffles Hotel breathed new life into our storied building, enhancing its regal elegance and old-world appeal while retaining its special ambience and charm. New bars, restaurants, courtyards and social areas were opened to enhance Raffles' reputation as the place to meet, spend time, shop and celebrate. In a vibrant city where modern buildings compete to touch the sky, this authentically preserved colonial-style treasure – declared a National Monument in 1987 – takes pride of place. Intricately woven into the hotel are lush tropical gardens which occupy more than a quarter of the estate, providing a soothing contrast to the urban hustle and bustle. It is not uncommon to hear birdsong beyond your verandah and the rustle of palm leaves in the breeze. You are in an oasis of exquisite tranquillity.
Our guest book
Raffles has welcomed a cavalcade of legendary names throughout its history. Writers, movie stars, dignitaries and journalists all found inspiration and conviviality here, among them Rudyard Kipling, Elizabeth Taylor, Somerset Maugham, Ava Gardner and Noël Coward. At a time when global travel was a luxury available only to a select few, the stories these personalities shared – both facts and fables – contributed to Raffles’ renown. Thanks to them and myriad other guests over the decades, the Long Bar, the Singapore Sling and the legendary welcome from our Raffles Doormen and Butlers became famed the world over.
Ways to arrive
Singapore is linked by two land crossings to the Malaysian peninsula. The Causeway is a popular and often congested entry point connecting Woodlands in the north of Singapore directly into the heart of Johor Bahru. A second, faster crossing, known as the Second Link, has been built between Tuas in western Singapore and Tanjung Kupang in the western part of Johor state. It is used by some of the luxury bus services.
Singapore is one of the few countries that you can enter or leave by taxi. While normal Singaporean taxis are not allowed to cross into Malaysia and vice versa, specially licensed Singaporean taxis are permitted to go to the Kotaraya shopping mall, while Malaysian taxis, which can go anywhere in Malaysia, can be taken from Rochor Road. In the reverse direction, towards Singapore, you can take taxis from Kotaraya to any point in central Singapore or Changi Airport.
Ferries link Singapore with the neighbouring Indonesian province of Riau Islands and the Malaysian state of Johor. Singapore has four ferry terminals handling international ferries: Harbour Front, formerly World Trade Centre, near the southern part of the Central Business District, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal on the East Coast, Changi Ferry Terminal and Changi Point Ferry Terminal, at the eastern end of the island.
Award-winning Changi International Airport is served by over 100 airlines with about 6,300 weekly scheduled flights to some 220 cities in 60 countries worldwide, with Singapore Airlines as the national carrier of Singapore.
Awards & Accolades
Celebrating some of the recognition gratefully received over more than a century.