Raffles Singapore is one of the world's most iconic hotels and the jewel in the Raffles crown. Come along as we visited the venerated hotel after its second restoration and see what the new suites. We also test out the food offerings at the Butcher's Block, breakfast at the Tiffin Room and drinks at the Long Bar and the Writer's Room.
The last time I was staying at Raffles Singapore it was to delve into the details for a behind the scenes look at how a 5 star hotel is run and for a Raffles Singapore hotel review. Today, almost 10 years later I am here to see what changes have taken place at the luxury hotel. Yet some things remain the same. Like the greeting from the tall, liveried Narajan Singh, the Sikh doorman of Raffles when the car crunches over the gravel to arrive at the hotel. "Welcome back," he says with a smile and a genuflecting nod. He and his fellow doormen wearing a smart Gieves and Hawkes military uniforms. In 1991 he responded to a job ad that was seeking a Sikh gentleman over 1.9 metres tall. Now his image is so inextricably linked to the hotel that it is immortalised in a plushie and a keychain.
The entrance way to the Raffles is spectacular with an enormous chandelier that anchors the creamy pale walls and the dark wood, a colour palette that echoes the hotel’s colonial past. A harpist is playing in one corner while the sound of teaspoons clinking against French Legle cups and the buzz of conversation surrounds. As the saying goes, if only these walls could talk - and with the range of celebrity, royal and political folk that have stayed here, there are several novels worth of tales. The anchor for the hotel is undoubtedly the Smith & Son Grandfather clock that has stood watch at the front doors ever since 1887. But as time moves forwards so has the hotel.
Ever since the Armenian Sarkies brothers bought the property in 1887 and made it a beachfront guesthouse with just 10 rooms, things have evolved and continue to. Now the beachfront is 2kms/1.2miles away due to the reclaimed land in the 1970s and 1980s but this has not deterred interest in the hotel as people queue to have the Raffles experience either as a guest or with afternoon tea or a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar.
Guests can also book a complimentary hotel tour with its resident historian Nazir Yusof where they will learn all about the secrets of the Raffles Singapore
The second restoration was led by interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud and supported by global architecture and design firm Aedas. The lobby has had a big update with sparkling new Italian Carrara marble floors but in the same design as the previous ones. The most eye catching detail is the new chandelier from the Czech Republic with 8,142 pieces of hand made crystals that weighs a total of 900kgs/or just under 2,000 pounds. It has 56 bulbs that dim or brighten according to the light outside. The lotus flower shape of each bulb is designed to draw attention to the glass roof. It is lowered every 6 months to be cleaned at midnight and sits above tables where people enjoy afternoon tea (but don’t worry, they check that the chandelier is secure once a month, Nazir assures me). The Corinthian palm trees in the lobby inspired the updated Raffles logo and many Chinese consider the unintentional "8" shape of the branches lucky.
The right hand side of the lobby where the Writers Bar and the Raffles Grill previously stood has now become an area for afternoon tea with comfortable tables, curved banquettes and chairs to sink down into and relax. The "rain shower" windows are also new and are made of galvanised steel and these lend a modern touch to the lobby and public spaces. The afternoon tea is still one of the hotel’s most popular ways to have the "Raffles experience" from 1-5pm daily.
Before the second renovation in 2019, a live pianist would play every evening between 6-9pm. At 8pm on the dot, he would stop playing and start playing the song "I'll See You Again" by playwright Noel Coward who was a regular at the hotel. Now the piano has moved to the second floor and the song is played on the speaker system. There are some things that are still in line with when it opened - the gravel driveway, while a challenge for heels, is designed to evoke the charm of the olden days when guests would arrive by horse and carriage and has the same sound even with modern vehicles.
The second renovation also created more rooms increasing the number from 103 to 115 suites. To achieve this, they converted meeting rooms and added some additional rooms in the shopping arcade. Gone are the pigeonholes and the reception desk on the right hand side when you walk in. Check in has been moved to the back of the lobby area to help create a more seamless check in where staff can walk guests to their rooms. This was formerly the private lobby for guests and features two enormous ceramic vessels made by a Hong Kong artist in China. The little red details are of old Singapore icons like rickshaws, angsana tree and the GPO (now the Fullerton Hotel).
Check-in is an easy process and we are greeted at the red carpet by the reception staff who enquire about our flight. They whisk us into the check in area where other guests are enjoying tea while their rooms are being readied. A few minutes later we are show to our Palm Court suite #118. The Palm Court is one of the oldest and original areas of the hotel with sun drenched cream buildings, tropical foliage and a perfectly maintained lawn.
Our room has the signature tripartite layout and opens out into a parlour sitting area where there is a tiered display of sweets and cups ready for tea with Singapore Sling teabags. There is a complimentary mini bar with soft drinks and snacks like Raffles branded gula melaka and pandan candied nuts. Everything but the alcohol is complimentary for guests and is thoughtfully curated for a perfect stay.
The four poster king bed is supremely comfortable with smooth sheets, downy pillows and a fan circling slowly above. Everything is thoughtfully designed so even though this still retains traditional designs, it also addresses modern needs like a table that opens up with an illuminated mirror so that you can do make up or hair.
The bathroom has dual sinks with a comprehensive amenity kit, a separate shower and luxurious soaking bathtub. The robes are luxe but still light enough for the humidity of Singapore. Products are by local brand Omno with scents like bergamot, ginger and rosemary.
After surveying our room, there is a knock on the door. It’s our butler Luqman who welcomes me back to the Raffles Singapore. Each suite has 24 hour butler service and Luqman shows us how to use the iPad to call for him for anything or to have a peek at the menus at the hotel’s many restaurants. He then returns with our welcome drinks - Singapore Slings plus the requisite peanuts. This is another guest perk so that you can skip the long queues at the Long Bar.
He also comes bearing a wooden box full of chocolates. This is a collaboration between the Raffles Singapore and Mr Bucket, a local Singaporean chocolatier. The kaya and browned butter chocolate truffles are expressly made for them and can only be had here. The idea behind this chocolate tasting is that people can pick the chocolates that they want in order to reduce waste. We are curious to try them all and they are absolutely delicious from the pistachio kataifi, jasmine apricot, mango passion fruit, cookies & cream, golden yaytime (based on the gaytime ice cream), the 72% Sulawesi and the most popular sea salt caramel. In fact they all have a strong salty element that balances the sweet nicely.
The Raffles Singapore is not just for overseas visitors. To celebrate Singapore’s 60th Birthday they have a SG60 package where local residents can stay at the hotel for 2 nights for the price of 1 with a $160SG hotel credit.
When we return to our suite after dinner, our butler has performed a turndown and there are eye masks, a room spray and slippers laid out for us with mood lighting.
Writer’s Bar
Raffles Singapore has 7 restaurants and bars plus over 40 retail outlets in their shopping arcade. And in exciting news, Chef Andre Chiang is set to open up a new restaurant in late 2025 taking up the space where La Dame de Pic by Chef Anne-Sophie Pic used to sit.
One of the hotel's best kept secrets is the Writer's Bar, the little sister of Long Bar just on the right side of the hotel's entrance. The Raffles Singapore has a storied history thanks to the numerous writers that have stayed there from Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad, W. Somerset Maugham and Noël Coward. Today they continue this tradition with a writers in residence program with writers such as Pico Iyer and Madeleine Lee.
Enjoy your cocktail amongst the books, busts of writers, ceramic elephants and shadow boxes of butterflies. All guests are given a welcome drink made with a clarified milk punch with calamansi, soursop and brandy. Cocktails are broken up into flavour profiles that mirror different writers.
While the Singapore Sling has been part of the Raffles lore ever since its inception, the Million Dollar cocktail was created by the same bartender Ngiam Tong Boon and is made with Raffles 1915 gin, Mancino Rosso, pineapple, Grenadine, gum arabic, lemon, pasteurised egg whites and Scrappy's aromatic bitters. I have a Private Lives cocktail with Hendrick's Cabinet of Curiosities Gin, watermelon, Mancino Secco, Aperol, Cocchi Rosso, Genepsy, goji, raspberry and lime. All of these are washed down with cocktail snacks like garlicky, split olives and crunchy pretzels. Our dinner after this is at the hotel's amazing Chinese restaurant Yi by Jereme Yeung (a separate review to come of that!).
Tiffin Room
Breakfast is a highlight at Raffles Singapore and consists of a sumptuous spread of local and Western offerings. We take a seat outside next to the blue fountain, one of the most popular areas to take photos. This fountain was gifted to the hotel anonymously in 1989 and is the oldest fountain in Singapore. It was made in Glasgow by Walter MacFarlane and was originally a rusty green shade. It was painted blue so that it could be prominently seen in the evening.
The a la minute buffet is made up a generous amount of fresh, sweet fruit from huge bowls of fresh raspberries and blueberries and juicy lychees. The vinoisserie selection has local flavour with dainty pastries and cakes like kueh lapis, and pork floss donuts. Breads tend to be more European in selection. Mr NQN has a big bowl of fresh fruit while I fix myself a plate of blinis with sour cream, salmon roe, chives and chopped egg.
There is also an expansive selection of a la carte eggs, pancakes and made-to-order hot dishes including some healthy selections like acai bowls, avocado toast or egg white omelettes. When I dither between getting the signature pancakes or the omelette our waiter says with a smile, "Why not try both?". All of the staff seem genuinely invested in making sure all guests have a wonderful time as we overhear similar conversations throughout our stay.
We start with the dim sum selection with tasty siu mai, char siu bao, spring roll and bbq pork pastry as well as a local Singaporean specialty: kaya toast with coffee. The kaya toast is spread with kaya or coconut jam and wedged with a slice of butter. You add the soy sauce to the soft egg and mix it around and dip it in for a sweet and salty delight. Stir the strong coffee to mix it with condensed milk at the bottom and enjoy it with the toast.
The signature pancakes are similar to soufflé pancakes and soak up the maple syrup perfectly while the Raffles signature omelette is filled with masala, mozzarella, cheese, onion, coriander, red chilli and tomato and is perfectly turned out.
Long Bar
For the quintessential Raffles Singapore experience head to the Long Bar for a classic Singapore Sling but be prepared to queue at times as it is a very popular bar. The Hainanese bartender Ngiam Tong Boon invented the Singapore sling in 1915. The cocktail wasdesigned to resemble a fruit punch because in those times, women could not consume alcohol in public. This is probably the only public place in Singapore where littering is encouraged as each table has a bag of peanuts and you're supposed to drop the shells on the floor. We sit and enjoy the respite from the heat with air conditioning as the fans move back and forth in military style unison.
A Singapore Sling is a must order but don't go past the signature cocktails like the Three Sisters with London dry gin, nutmeg, mace, fresh lemon juice, mandarin orange and curry leaf. It's a pitch perfect cocktail with intriguing aromatics and a good balance of sweetness and tart.
Butcher’s Block
The Butcher’s Block is the hotel's steak restaurant but with a twist: Chef Jordan Keao hails from Hawaii so they also have a Hawaiian IMUA tasting menu that encapsulates the idea of "moving forward with strength and spirit".
When entering you walk past the dry ageing fridge filled with dry aged steaks, sausages as well as duck used in their signature dish. Service is deferential and they match wine with the food for Mr NQN and offer me a sparkling tea from Copenhagen. The Imua menu is $228SG per person and there is also the option to pair it with wine or a Dom Pérignon selection through their collaboration with the champagne house.
We start with the complimentary bread, a house made shokupan paired with seaweed butter and a housemade furikake that straddles sweet and umami perfectly. The shokupan is a judicious choice over the oft offered brioche as it is lighter and less rich that makes it perfect for pairing with rich meat.
We also order an extra course because we had heard that it was spectacular. The New Zealand Lumina lamb shoulder tacos are served as soft pulled meat with chermoula on endive leaves. Again it is well balanced so that the rich meat is lightened with the accompaniments. It's easy to eat two of these per person.
We go onto a series of snacks, all with Hawaiian themed ingredients. The first is their take on snack style poke. The big eye tuna ahi is paired with steamed rice in a crisp nori tart shell. This comes with one of my favourite bites, a crispy beef fat fried rice topped with wagyu beef that has been air dried in the restaurant fridge for six months. This is best approach just one luscious bite.
Then follows two more snacks. The sand carrot is a carrot that is grown entirely underground and it gets three treatments here: grilled, fermented and puréed with a hint of jalapeño and brown butter. This comes with a smoked ahi shaped into a croquette and served on top of a nori tortilla with hot chilli and avocado sauces.
The next course is lomi lomi done with cross cultural influences. It is slices of big eye ahi tuna cured with kombu and served with a delicious tomato sorbet and agua chile poured at the table with tiny wedges of cherry tomatoes.
The next course is one of my favourites. Saimin was a popular food in Hawaiii brought over by migrants working the sugarcane farms as it was tasty but inexpensive. Nowadays it is usually is made with instant noodles, broth and luncheon meat. Here they serve up an elevated version with fine soba noodles, a chicken lemon verbena broth with house made SPAM and lobster fish cake. It’s divine and rich and the broth and the spam are particular highlights.
Then we come to the house specialty, their take on the Hawaiian huli huli chicken but with a 21 day aged duck. They present us the whole duck breast nestled in a bed of smoking curry leaves. They serve 2 slices of the duck breast with a pan fried confit duck dumpling with fermented and pickled Palermo peppers and a black garlic purée. It’s tasty and an upmarket version of Huli Huli chicken and I'm glad that I got to try this in a small portion as I don't know if I could finish a larger one.
Our fish course is a Basque country line caught meagre fish that has been air dried for seven days. It is served with cherry tomatoes, preserved black bean and shiso froth. On the side is a delicious little morsel of sashimi meagre fish in a shiso leaf.
Then comes our final savoury course. The Blackmore Farms dry aged wagyu short rib is paired with a bone marrow custard square, a beef financier ring, corn purée and an English pea purée with chimichurri. It's a dish with sweetness from the two purées although admittedly I’m probably too full to completely appreciate it. Overall this is a very generously portioned tasting menu.
It is time for a pre-dessert. The torch ginger or ginger flower is paired with strips of sweetened lemongrass agar noodles, diced celtuce and the flavour of pandan. It's a complex flavour and texture combination that is all about tropical flavours.
Our dessert is a condensed milk flan with purple sweet potato ice cream, a Singapore sling flavoured mochi and fresh lilikoi or passion fruit. It has a contrast of sweetness and textures from the soft, jellied flan, chewy mochi lightly flavoured with Singapore Sling cocktail and the tangy passion fruit at the end.
And in a lovely gesture they package up some jars of their seaweed butter for us to take home and a copy of the menu (or to have breakfast the following morning!).
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever stayed somewhere that felt like stepping into history? What’s the one luxury hotel you dream of experiencing at least once?
NQN and Mr NQN were guests of the Raffles Hotel but all opinions remain her own.
Raffles Singapore
1 Beach Rd, Singapore 189673
Phone: +65 6337 1886
https://www.raffles.com/singapore/
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