There are hotels with history, and then there is Raffles Singapore. Opened in 1887 as a 10-room guesthouse by the Sarkies brothers, it grew into the property that lent its name to an entire global brand — and after a three-year renovation led by designer Alexandra Champalimaud (2017–2019), the white colonial revival landmark is in the form of its life. A fresh review from The Points Guy makes the case that it remains one of the world's great stays.
The all-suite hotel has just 115 accommodations, including a dozen Personality Suites honouring famous past guests such as Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor. Even the entry-level State Room suites run past 700 square feet with separate parlours, and a butler is on call — often via WhatsApp. The reviewer's 753-square-foot Palm Court King Suite blended colonial and Peranakan touches: teak floors, a four-poster bed, hand-carved tables and a marble bathroom with a rolltop tub, plus champagne and macarons on arrival.
Dining is half the draw. The Grand Lobby hosts one of Singapore's most indulgent afternoon teas ($84 per person, harpist included), while the Tiffin Room serves chef Kuldeep Negi's Indian menus — pani puri, tandoor kebabs, Goan prawn balchao. Yi by Jereme Leung offers Cantonese set menus around $147 per person, and 1887 by Andre, chef Andre Chiang's return to Singapore, has already collected two Michelin stars since opening in spring. Then there are the two legendary bars: the literary-themed Writers Bar, with cocktails toasting the likes of Saint-Exupéry, and the Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling was invented in 1915 and peanut shells still litter the floor ($34 a serve).
Elsewhere you'll find a spa stocked with Biologique Recherche and Omorovicza products, a rooftop pool, a compact gym, a free hotel history tour under an hour, and the Sikh doormen who have greeted arrivals for over a century.
Practically speaking: rates start around $930 a night with taxes for a State Room Suite, or roughly $1,150 for the Palm Court Suite. As an Accor property it participates in the All Accor loyalty scheme (up to 15% off with breakfast), and it's bookable with perks through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, Capital One Premier Collection and The Edit by Chase Travel — think daily breakfast, property credits and possible upgrades.
Why it matters: this isn't a hotel you stay at by accident. It's a destination in itself — equal parts museum, dining precinct and indulgent base — sitting in downtown Singapore minutes from the Merlion, the National Gallery and the Asian Civilisations Museum, about 25 minutes and $20 by taxi from Changi Airport. If Singapore is on your list, even one night here is the kind of splurge you'll talk about for years.
