The iconic Raffles Hotel in Singapore is a spot travelers either love or wind up declaring an overpriced tourist trap. While the Raffles Hotel is undoubtedly on the higher end for luxury travelers, it’s anything but a tourist trap. Walking into the Raffles Hotel is stepping back in time to an important era of travel, and certainly a key time in Singapore’s history. Today, it even holds the distinction of being named a National Monument by the Singapore Government. If you’re unfamiliar with the Raffles Hotel, here’s a bit of history and some reasons why you should make time on your Singapore holiday to at least stop in for a Singapore Sling.
Colonial Architecture
The Raffles in Singapore opened in 1887 and is regarded as one of the best-preserved 19th-century colonial-style hotels still in existence. Everything from the impressive three-story atrium to the period-appointed room decor harkens back to a by-gone era. Many say a stay at the Raffles Hotel is like a glimpse into the Golden Age of Travel, around 1890 to 1939. During this period, Singapore earned the nickname of the “crossroads of the East” and a stay at the Raffles Hotel was on the agenda for most.
In more recent times, the Raffles Hotel has hosted notable guests like Michael Jackson, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Along with the stunning Colonial architecture at the Raffles Hotel, you’ll find a liveried Sikh guard at the front door. Even people who aren’t staying at the hotel flock to the main entrance in hopes of taking a photo with him.
Singapore Sling
The Long Bar at Raffles is credited with the creation of the popular Singapore Sling cocktail. Since non-guests can no longer freely walk the grounds, most people stop by the Long Bar to have a Singapore Sling and learn about the history of the beautiful hotel. The drink is quite pricey, which is why some people feel it’s a waste of time to visit. While you can enjoy the cocktail in other places, there is something quite magical about having one in its birthplace. It was developed sometime prior to 1915 by Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. The gin-based cocktail can vary widely by location and what you’ll find served at the Raffles has been recreated from memories of former bartenders and notes taken over the years.
Raffles Museum
Not only can you imagine what the Golden Age of Travel was like, you can see artifacts and memorabilia from this time period. The on-site Raffles Museum houses a number of interesting pieces of memorabilia from its early days. When the property was undergoing a major renovation and restoration in the late 1980’s, the hotel owners launched a heritage campaign asking people to donate their travel souvenirs from the hotel. Many writers and notable people stayed at the Raffles in its early days. Some of the memorabilia on display once belonged to writers like Somerset Maugham.
Along with developing the Singapore Sling, the Raffles Hotel has an interesting legend about the shooting of a wild tiger on the property. Be sure to inquire about the “tiger under the billiard table.”
This post is in collaboration with Hipmunk, but as always, opinions are my own.