Inside the recently reopened Raffles Hotel: raise a Singapore sling to the marvellous makeover
- Renovated all-suite hotel in Singapore combines 21st-century mod cons with 19th-century aesthetics
- Dedicated butlers and in-room iPads meet guests’ every need
And do we like the result? We do, indeed. The all-suite hotel had been in business for 130 years before it was shuttered for restoration, in 2017, and it was looking its age. The owners are being tight-lipped about how much was spent but it’s easily in seven figures and, on every front, it looks like money well spent.
Give me the highlights. Each of the 115 soundproofed suites (up from 103) is dressed in a slick palette of cream and chocolate hues, with an old-world four-poster bed smothered in thick clouds of white linen, plus acres of white marble and dark-stained eucalyptus floorboards.
The electronics have been overhauled with all the mod cons you can point an iPad at. From the lights and curtains to the television, the entire suite is controlled from the tablet, which guests can also use to reserve tables at in-house restaurants and to book spa treatments.
But what if I’m a Luddite and hate technology? Then let your dedicated 24/7 butler handle it.
Including directing me to the Long Bar? Yes, and like every corner in the hotel, the Long Bar has been freshened up with handsome dark timber, overhead fans and plush seats. You still get to casually drop your cracked peanut shells on the floor while sipping a legendary Singapore sling.
If crowds of tourists are not your scene – and the Long Bar pulls them in – have your butler bring a chilled glass to your suite.
I’m exhausted from all this inactivity. Time, then, for a massage in the spa, which has moved downstairs from the rooftop gym and pool levelto the retail arcade. If you’re into crystals, you’re in luck, because the treatments incorporate oil infused with crystal energy.
I’m glowing already. You’ll blend right in at the sexy Writers Bar, with its mood-lit backdrop of amber liquor, handsome leather-bound books and deep sofas. Just don’t be late for dinner at La Dame de Pic, a gorgeous outpost of French chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s three-Michelin-starred empire. She works magic with a lightly Asian-infused modern-French menu.
