
Raffles Hotel Historical Building, Singapore
The Raffles Hotel is a historical building, symbol of Singapore and one of its principal sights. This colonial-style luxury hotel was established by Armenian hoteliers, the Sarkies Brothers, on 1 December 1887, and was named after British statesman Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of the city.
Over the decades, the hotel's hallowed halls have played host to the rich and famous from all over the world, seeing among guests the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham, Elizabeth Taylor and Karl Lagerfield. It also made mark in the local society, being the address where the last tiger of Singapore was killed. The hotel's Long Bar is the birthplace of the iconic national cocktail, the Singapore Sling, and the lobby is the place to countdown into the New Year with its gala ball.
Back in the day, the hotel pioneered numerous state-of-the-art (for the time) features, such as powered ceiling fans and electric lights. Over the years it continued to expand with the addition of wings, a veranda, a ballroom, a bar, a billiards room, as well as other buildings and spaces. At the start of the Japanese occupation of Singapore on February 15, 1942, it is said that the Japanese soldiers encountered the guests in Raffles Hotel dancing one final waltz, while the staff buried the hotel silver—including the silver beef trolley—in the Palm Court. Under the Japanese, Raffles Hotel was renamed Syonan Ryokan, but was reclaimed by the British in 1945.
In 1987, a century after it first opened, Raffles Hotel was declared a National Monument by the Singapore government.
In 1989 and 2017, the hotel underwent extensive renovations during which it was restored to the grand style of its 1915 heyday with significant changes being made. All guest rooms were converted to suites. The Long Bar, a favorite spot of celebrities such as Somerset Maugham, was relocated from the lobby to a new adjoining shopping arcade. The rooms were refurbished and soundproofed, the number of suites increased, and the new technology incorporated. Its various food and beverage outlets were revamped, and the Writer's Bar – formerly in a corner of the lobby – was given its own space. The former Jubilee Theatre was transformed into a ballroom.
Presently, the Raffles Hotel shopping arcade houses 40 specialty boutiques and most of the hotel's restaurants. There is also a beautiful tropical garden on the site.
Over the decades, the hotel's hallowed halls have played host to the rich and famous from all over the world, seeing among guests the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham, Elizabeth Taylor and Karl Lagerfield. It also made mark in the local society, being the address where the last tiger of Singapore was killed. The hotel's Long Bar is the birthplace of the iconic national cocktail, the Singapore Sling, and the lobby is the place to countdown into the New Year with its gala ball.
Back in the day, the hotel pioneered numerous state-of-the-art (for the time) features, such as powered ceiling fans and electric lights. Over the years it continued to expand with the addition of wings, a veranda, a ballroom, a bar, a billiards room, as well as other buildings and spaces. At the start of the Japanese occupation of Singapore on February 15, 1942, it is said that the Japanese soldiers encountered the guests in Raffles Hotel dancing one final waltz, while the staff buried the hotel silver—including the silver beef trolley—in the Palm Court. Under the Japanese, Raffles Hotel was renamed Syonan Ryokan, but was reclaimed by the British in 1945.
In 1987, a century after it first opened, Raffles Hotel was declared a National Monument by the Singapore government.
In 1989 and 2017, the hotel underwent extensive renovations during which it was restored to the grand style of its 1915 heyday with significant changes being made. All guest rooms were converted to suites. The Long Bar, a favorite spot of celebrities such as Somerset Maugham, was relocated from the lobby to a new adjoining shopping arcade. The rooms were refurbished and soundproofed, the number of suites increased, and the new technology incorporated. Its various food and beverage outlets were revamped, and the Writer's Bar – formerly in a corner of the lobby – was given its own space. The former Jubilee Theatre was transformed into a ballroom.
Presently, the Raffles Hotel shopping arcade houses 40 specialty boutiques and most of the hotel's restaurants. There is also a beautiful tropical garden on the site.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Singapore. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Raffles Hotel Historical Building on Map
Sight Name: Raffles Hotel Historical Building
Sight Location: Singapore, Singapore (See walking tours in Singapore)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Singapore, Singapore (See walking tours in Singapore)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Singapore, Singapore
Create Your Own Walk in Singapore
Creating your own self-guided walk in Singapore is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Singapore Shopping Tour
Singapore being a melting pot of Asian nations, you can pick up stuff from all across Asia here. This self-guided tour will take you through pedestrian shopping plazas, historical shop-houses in Chinatown and local ethnic markets. Enjoy!
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Singapore Introduction Walking Tour
Malay legend has it that a long time ago the Sumatran prince, who sought shelter from a storm, ended up on the island of Temasek where he saw a strange animal believed to be a lion. He then founded a city there and named it Singapura which in Sanskrit means the “Lion City”. In the 14th century, Singapura found itself “between a rock and a hard place” when the neighboring realms of Thailand... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Museums Tour
Singapore's crazy population mix means that there are museums dedicated to the culture of each community that makes up the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural nature of this island state. This self-guided tour will take you through museums that display the Asian way of life, art and religion.
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Colonial District Walking Tour
Singapore was first established as a trading post in Southeast Asia by the British India Company in 1819. Its strong colonial heritage has left a number of European style buildings lining the banks of the Singapore River in the heart of the city center. This self guided tour leads you through Singapore's Colonial District, taking in some of the most famous landmarks in the city along the way.
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Chinatown Walking Tour
The Chinese make up a majority of the population in Singapore. Chinatown is, therefore, a district full of valuable historical monuments, fascinating museums, and tasty food markets. There are also many wonderful shop-houses that sell exotic items to be found nowhere else. This self-guided tour will take you through the most popular places in Singapore's Chinatown.
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
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