Back in April, we made our combined 9th visit to Singapore. I have long adored the country, and it truly has a piece of my heart. It’s a place I feel safe, at home, and it fills me with happiness. On this particular visit, Mr Travelling Han (MTH) was working again, so I flew out to meet him ready for the weekend.
We decided to book a 2 night stay at the only hotel in the world I’ve dreamed of staying in since I was little – Raffles Singapore. Standing outside as a teenager with my Mum and Dad and hearing the stories of its fabled luxury, I knew one day it would be a dream to be able to stay.
So, 20 years later, here I am writing a review of my stay! I still can’t quite believe it. If you’re looking for the epitome of luxury in Singapore then look no further; Raffles is your place. And if you’re wondering whether a stay at Raffles Singapore is worth it? Then yes, yes it is!
Location of Raffles Singapore
The hotel is located within Singapore’s historic Civic District. It’s a short 20-30 minute transfer from the airport depending on traffic, and it’s right at the heart of the city so the majority of the main sights are in walking distance.
Top Tip: Whilst Raffles will organise airport transfers for you, they come at a cost. Instead you can download Grab (Singapore’s equivalent to Uber), for a cheaper ride.
Within walking distance you’ll find incredible sights such as:
- The Singapore National Museum
- The National Gallery
- Fort Canning Park
- Marina Bay & Merlion Park
- Gardens by the Bay
If you want to read more about the Civic District, you can check out my post HERE.
Accommodation at Raffles Singapore
I should start with the most important part and say that the service we received was second to none. On arriving at the hotel the doorman was so friendly and nice, and our bags were whisked immediately to our room. Each room comes with its own butler, and Pradeep was wonderful to us giving us a room orientation and sorting reservations. And finally, all hotel staff were courteous and kind. They are what made the hotel so special, beyond anything else I write below.
We booked in to a garden suite and were upgraded to stay in a “personality suite”, named after famous people who have stayed in the hotel. We were allocated the James Dean Suite which was pretty cool. From the moment we walked to our room, we felt the colonial-era design, and felt like we’d stepped back in to the 1920s.
Our beautiful suite opened in from a balcony area with the most comfortable chairs ever, in to a living area complete with sofa, coffee table, TV and coffee/minibar facilities. Surrounded by beautiful shutters, the living area opens up in to the bedroom.
The bedroom had a huge comfortable bed, with light control from the headboard. There was also a separate desk area with a Dyson hairdryer, and a massive wardrobe with 2 full size wardrobes.
The bathroom was perfect, with a big double sink area in stunning white marble (sourced from Italy we later learned), plus a separate toilet and a massive shower. Even better there was a huge soaking tub which was dreamy to sink in to at the end of a busy day exploring, complimented by fluffy bathrobes and slippers.
The finishing touches were also really special. The bedside tables house a plethora of every plug socket imaginable for charging, there was a free chocolate course on arrival, and complimentary Singapore Slings too – perfect!
Food & Drink at Raffles Singapore
There are lots of food and drink options at Raffles Singapore – but caution, they don’t come cheap. It’s also worth noting that breakfast is served in the Tiffin Room each morning and is included in most room rates. If you haven’t got it included in your room rate, be prepared for a cost of around $75 per person (we obviously didn’t bother and went to a nice local cafe that serves Kopi O and eggs for $5!).
1887 by André
Modern French fine dining with a focus on artistry and precision; one of the hotel’s most refined experiences, and one we definitely couldn’t afford to enjoy!
藝 yì by Jereme Leung
Upscale Chinese cuisine exploring regional flavours from across China, reinterpreted in a contemporary way. We would have loved to eat here, but when in Singapore hawker markets and street food are much cheaper and too good to pass up on.
Butcher’s Block
A wood-fire grill concept focused on premium meats and bold, smoky flavours in an open-kitchen setting. This restaurant is a little more relaxed than the above two.
Tiffin Room
One of Singapore’s oldest North Indian restaurants (open since 1892!), The Tiffin Room is known for classic dishes and a grand colonial dining room. We ate here on the first night of our stay as a treat and the food was absolutely DELICIOUS! I can’t recommend it more highly.
Raffles Courtyard
An alfresco courtyard with Southeast Asian dishes and cocktails; great for a relaxed, social vibe, especially if the weather is nice.
The Long Bar
An absolute must visit, as a resident of the hotel you can book a table in advance (the bar is very popular with the public, leading to queues that are often 45 minutes+ long). The reason the bar is so famous is that it’s the birthplace of the legendary Singapore Sling, making it arguably the most famous bar in Singapore.
Writers Bar
A more intimate cocktail bar inspired by famous authors who stayed at the hotel. The bar only has a few tables and is quite small, but absolutely beautiful for a relaxing evening drink. It’s also a great way to get a Singapore Sling without the queue!
The Grand Lobby
Famous for its traditional afternoon tea, served in a grand colonial setting, it’s one of the hotel’s signature experiences.
Amenities & Experiences at Raffles Singapore
History Tour
The main experience at the hotel is its history! Where else can you visit a gallery of past visitors which includes The Queen, Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela (to name but a few)?
My absolute favourite experience as a resident was being able to book a tour with Raffles’ resident historian. He explained the history of the hotel, from Colonial favourite through two world wars, Japanese occupation and two huge renovations (the latest of which was completed in 2019).
We were able to see the famous grandfather clock which is an original from the 1800s, the original gramophone from the 1910s used to play Noel Coward’s music, and even the 200 year old piano which has been played by Noel himself (and many other guests).
Presidential Suite Tour
In addition to the history popping out at every corner, we were also able to be offered a sneak peak in to the Presidential Suite; where Michael Jackson stayed and famously had monkeys visit him from the Singapore Zoo!
The suite costs $25,000 a night (!) and we were able to enjoy its luxurious living area, dining area, private balcony, two bedrooms filled with antiques and gorgeous green marble bathroom for a while as it wasn’t booked during our stay (lucky us).
Pool, Spa & Fitness
Raffles also has a gorgeous pool and bar on the third floor which is an oasis amongst the city skyline surrounding it. We happily spent an afternoon here with cocktails and some tasty small bites for lunch on the Sunday afternoon before MTH had to go back to work.
Next door is also a fully equipped gym spread across three separate rooms, and a world class spa offering every treatment available. We didn’t use the spa as the prices were really high, but it looked absolutely beautiful.
Finally, the hotel also offers a concierge to help with planning trips in the city, reservations for restaurants and bars, luggage storage and anything else you may need!
Our 2 nights were incredible; a true dream come true. Packing our bags to head to MTH’s work accommodation was a bit of a come down, but I feel truly blessed to have experienced Raffles Singapore. And at least I had the whole week ahead of me to enjoy Singapore solo.
So what do you think of Raffles Singapore? I feel incredibly lucky to have stayed and recommend it highly if you’re looking for the best of the best in Singapore. Teenage me wouldn’t have believed her luck. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!
Enjoyed the post? Then find more of my Singapore posts below:
- Singapore 2 Day Itinerary HERE
- Singapore Layover Guide HERE
- Free things to do in Singapore HERE (coming soon)
- Gardens by the Bay HERE
- Singapore Botanic Gardens HERE
- Mount Faber & The Southern Ridges Walk HERE
- Singapore’s Best Gardens HERE
- Singapore’s WW2 history HERE
- Jurong Lake Gardens HERE
- MacRitchie Treetop Walk HERE
- Rail Corridor Walking Guide HERE
- Bukit Timah Nature Reserve HERE
- Singapore Museums HERE (coming soon)
- Civic District Area Guide HERE
- Sentosa Area Guide HERE (coming soon)
- Chinatown Area Guide HERE (coming soon)
- Marina Bay Area Guide HERE (coming soon)
- Bukit Timah Area Guide HERE (coming soon)
- Hotel Reviews: Raffles Singapore HERE, Conrad Marina Bay HERE, The Clan Hotel HERE (coming soon)
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