During our visit to Singapore, we had a chance to stay at the iconic Raffles Hotel and we were blown away by how gorgeous it was and the whole history behind it.
History of the hotel
Raffles Hotel Singapore history stretches far back from 1887 when the hotel opens with only 10 rooms with a prime location in front of the beach. The history continues up to this day,
There are many popular celebrities, and royalty who have visited this hotel. This includes Queen Elizabeth II, Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jackson, Rudyard Kipling, and many, many others. You can also visit the 'Hall of Fame' at Raffles Hotel Singapore to see all of the pictures of whom have visited the hotel in the past.
The hotel went through 2 major restorations, and the most recent one was in 2017. Raffles Singapore recently opened its door again in 2019, welcoming guests from all around the world. The recent renovation still keeps the hotel's charm and heritage, whilst bringing new technology to your stay. With the new renovation, the hotel brought in new boutique stores, coffee shop and new bars.
Arrival and Check-in Process
We had the most seamless check in procedure at Raffles Hotel. Upon arrival, the staff greeted us and we got to check in early. The whole check in procedure took just under 5 minutes before we got escorted to our room. Shortly after, our personal butler came to introduce herself, as well as showing us the room features and amenities that the hotel offers.
All guests at Raffles Singapore also get a welcome drink, the iconic Singapore Sling which originated from this hotel! The staff also took a commemorative picture for us at the lobby, which later was printed and framed as a welcoming gift. We thought this was super sweet and was a nice touch to our stay.
Accommodation
Raffles Singapore consists of 9 different room/suite types and we stayed the Court Palm Suite, which is a little higher end and it is one of the historical suites. Our suite was named after the famous writer, Joseph Conrad, and the suite is located close to the main entrance, with a beautiful view of the water fountain.
The new renovation brought in new features to the suites at Raffles, such as automatic blinds, room temperature control, hotel information, all at the touch of an iPad.
We loved the double sinks, nice pressure shower and a large bathtub. The bed was really comfortable, which helped us ease in our sleep much better and provide quality sleep.
Staff
The staff at Raffle Hotel was very attentive and professional. We never had to worry about the luggage, and they always checked in with us to make sure our stay was comfortable. The staff opened and held the door for us even when we went to the bathroom, and waited for us outside just to reopen the door. We were also in a hurry to the airport and the staff did everything they could to speed up our check out process, as well as communicating with our driver to make sure we get to the airport on time.
Amenities
The hotel provides with all the amenities that you need for a comfortable stay, such as complimentary coffee, tea, fruits, personal toiletries and bathrobes.
The pool and gym are located on the third floor of the hotel. Even though the pool and the gym are on the smaller side, we actually really like how beautiful and boutique it is. Both of the gym and pool were not busy during our stay, and we mostly got the whole stay to ourselves.
What to do at Raffles Hotel Singapore
1. Shopping
Raffles Hotel is one of the rare hotels that has on-site shops. Here you can find the most luxury and exclusive shops such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, bringing you an exclusive shopping experience unlike any other places in Singapore.
2. Restaurants
Dining at Raffles Hotel was definitely a huge highlight for us. Raffles Hotel has 5 restaurants and 3 bars which will keep you busy during your stay. These are not just regular hotel restaurants, but indeed outstanding restaurants which are ranked among the top restaurants in Singapore.
Tiffin Room
Tiffin Room is a high end Indian restaurant. It was my first time trying Indian food and the food here didn't disappoint. Everything felt very home-made and was absolutely delicious!
Yi by Jeremy Leung
This one was our favourite place for lunch and we loved how aesthetic the whole restaurant is.
The entrance was filled with hand made white paper flowers, making a tunnel straight to the dining area. The chef, Jeremy Leung, was inspired to bring in both taste and aesthetic to Chinese cuisine, which makes dining experience more exciting and memorable. Our favourite was the perking duck.
La Dame De Pic
Our most favourite restaurant and dining experience up to date, not only in Singapore but also in the world! (And that is saying a lot!) We tried the elegance dining menu with wine pairing option and it was an incredible treat. The portion was the perfect size in our opinion, and everything was outstanding!
3. Bars
There are 3 bars at Raffles Hotel: Raffles Courtyard, Long Bar and Writers Bar. We had the pleasure of experiencing the Writers Bar and loved the cozy ambience and the drinks offered there. My personal favourite was the 'Million Dollar cocktail'.
Raffles Hotel is the birth of the famous cocktail - Singapore Sling hence it's definitely something you need to try when visiting Raffles hotel.
4. Spa
After some shopping and walking around the hotel, we went for a couple's massage at Raffle's Spa which is located on the back of the hotel lobby. Here you will get a chance to relax at the vitality pool, take a hot shower. The spa area comes with separate lockers, slippers, robes and underwear for you to change into. The whole spa is quite spacious and it wasn't busy during our visit so we got to really enjoy the space to ourselves.
Quick note: Make sure to arrive as least 15 minutes early to your appointment time to fill out the forms and take advantage of the amenities that the spa has to offer.
5. Coffee Shop
We got to check out the charming Singapore Coffee, which is located inside of Raffles Hotel. The coffee shop has such a nice ambience, and is a perfect location for any date during the day.
6. High Tea
The high tea experience at Raffles Hotel is a must-do and it's usually available.
We personally thought that the sandwiches were absolutely delicious and the cakes were very light as well. I usually can't eat heavy or cakes that are too overly sweet, so I really appreciated the mini bakeries that came with the high tea.
Note: there is a dining window, which is 90 minutes so make sure you book a table in advance and arrive on time to maximize your high tea experience.
7. Historical Tour
We loved the historical tour hosted by Mr. Leslie Danker. Mr. Danker has been working at Raffles Hotel Singapore since the very beginning, and just celebrated his golden jubilee at Raffles Hotel this year, 2022.
We learned so much about the hotel, and honestly appreciated our stay with Raffles so much more after learning about the whole history behind the hotel. The tour took around one hour and we enjoyed so many stories that Mr. Danker told us, including the last tiger that got shot in Singapore.
8. Wandering around
We were surprised by how big Raffles Hotel Singapore was, and you can actually spend a lot of time exploring around the whole property, admiring the architecture and the beautiful surrounding.
9. Reading
Raffles Singapore is perfect place to spend sometime reading as the property provide with many books inside the room, as well as Writers Bar. The living room is designed for comfortable reading environment, with a large sofa and a soft reading lamp.
10. Relax
Last but not least, it's the perfect place for you to wind out, relax and enjoy yourself at the most comfortable bed. You can definitely sleep in, watch a movie, or take an afternoon nap to recharge after a long day of exploring around. We really enjoyed the complimentary fruits in the room and the personal touch to the amenities including the embroidered slippers.
Our final thoughts
Raffles Hotel Singapore was such a treat and is definitely a must visit for your next trip to Singapore. Not only do they have one of the best dining menus in all of Singapore, but the service and staff's attentiveness far exceeded our expectations and made our stay all the more memorable.
