Raffles Hotel

Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 on Beach Road, in what was then a colonial port at the crossroads of Asian trade routes. Its founders, the Armenian Sarkies brothers, named it after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Today it is an all-suite hotel and one of the most famous luxury hotels in Singapore.

History

The hotel began in a ten-room bungalow. The main building, with its white façade and verandas, was completed in 1899 to designs by Regent Alfred John Bidwell, and quickly became a meeting place for travellers and writers passing through Asia. Around 1915, a bartender at the Long Bar, Ngiam Tong Boon, created the Singapore Sling. Raffles was declared a national monument in 1987 and reopened in 2019 after a two-year restoration.

Architecture and design

The hotel is a rare surviving example of the great colonial hotels of the late 19th century: arcaded verandas, tropical courtyards planted with palms and frangipani, and teak floors. The restoration kept the original layout around the courtyards while modernising the suites.

Rooms and dining

All 115 rooms at Raffles are suites, and the hotel has a spa and a rooftop pool. The Long Bar, with its tradition of peanut shells on the floor, the Tiffin Room and the Writers Bar are part of the hotel’s identity, alongside newer restaurants.

Weddings and events

Raffles hosts weddings in its ballroom and courtyards, as well as receptions and corporate events. To plan an occasion, send your date and guest count through the request form on this page: it reaches the hotel’s events team directly.