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Raffles Singapore
Singapore · Raffles · Apex Luxury
Armenian hoteliers the Sarkies Brothers opened a ten-room Raffles Hotel on 1 December 1887; Regent Alfred John Bidwell's 1899 main building brought the region's first hotel electric lights. A tiger escaped from a nearby circus was shot under the Bar & Billiards room in 1902. Bartender Ngiam Tong Boon created the Singapore Sling at the Long Bar. Gazetted a National Monument in 1987, it reopened in 2019 with 115 suites after a Thierry Despont restoration.
- 115 rooms
- Opened 1887
- Neighborhood: Colonial District / Downtown Core
- Architect: Regent Alfred John Bidwell (Swan and Maclaren)
- Interiors: Thierry Despont
About Raffles Singapore
- The Sarkies Brothers opened Raffles on 1 December 1887 in a former Beach Road beach house.
- Architect Regent Alfred John Bidwell of Swan and Maclaren completed the main building in 1899; it was the first hotel in the region with electric lights.
- In 1902 a tiger that escaped from a nearby circus was shot beneath the upstairs Bar and Billiards room.
- Long Bar bartender Ngiam Tong Boon invented the Singapore Sling, now treated as the national cocktail.
- During the Japanese occupation it was renamed Syonan Ryokan; staff buried the silver, including the beef trolley, in the Palm Court.
History
Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 as a ten-room hotel leased by the Sarkies Brothers at the site of a former beach house and later Emerson’s Hotel. The property expanded in stages through the 1890s and early 1900s, with the landmark main building completed in 1899 and the hotel becoming one of the region’s most famous luxury addresses. It was renamed Syonan Ryokan during the Japanese occupation, restored after the war, and declared a National Monument in 1987. After a major two-year renovation in 2017–2019, the hotel reopened with 115 suites, refreshed public spaces, and updated dining venues, while preserving its colonial character and legendary butler service. The hotel is especially iconic for the Singapore Sling at the Long Bar and for hosting royalty, writers, and film stars across its long history.
The setting
Raffles Singapore stands at 1 Beach Road in the historic Colonial District, on a site where the Armenian Sarkies Brothers opened their legendary hotel in December 1887, gazetted a National Monument in 1987. The hotel anchors a neighbourhood shaped by colonial civic ambition: St. Andrew's Cathedral, the National Gallery Singapore — housed in the restored City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings — are nearby, with the National Gallery a nine-minute walk, Clarke Quay 20 minutes along the river, and City Hall MRT providing instant connections across the island. 2 km from casino at Marina Bay Sands. 8 km from Sentosa island.
Restaurants and bars
- Long Bar — Bar
- Tiffin Room — Restaurant · Tiffin curries
- Elizabethan Grill — Restaurant
- Long Bar Steakhouse — Restaurant · Steakhouse with plantation-style early flavours
- Raffles Courtyard — Restaurant
- 1887 by André — Restaurant · Contemporary French (heritage gastronomy through a French le · Two MICHELIN Stars
- 藝 yì by Jereme Leung — Restaurant · Chinese (voyage around China's diverse cultural regions) · Chef Jereme Leung
- Butcher's Block — Restaurant · Wood-fire cuisine · Chef Jordan Keao
- The Grand Lobby — Café · Afternoon tea
- Writers Bar — Bar
Experiences
- Butcher's Block IMUA tasting menu — Multi-course wood-fire, whole-animal tasting menu by Chef Jordan Keao, with a zero-waste philosophy.
- In-suite Dining — Personalised gastronomic experience served on the verandah or parlour table by Raffles Butlers, crafted by chefs and sommeliers.
- Resident Historian — Leslie Danker, who has been at the hotel for over 50 years, keeps its stories and legends.
- Raffles Spa — A refined sanctuary for holistic wellbeing, offering treatments, rituals and classes to guests and the community.
- Fitness Centre — Latest Technogym equipment on the third floor, open 24 hours daily.
- Swimming Pool — Pool surrounded by tropical gardens on the third level of the main building.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Steam room
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Butler service
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2026)
- World's 50 Best Hotels (2026)
- Asia's Leading Luxury Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Singapore's Leading Heritage Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Condé Nast Traveler Gold List (2023)
- La Liste World's Best Hotels (2023)
- Travel + Leisure World's Best Hotels (2023)
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