Raffles Hotel Singapore

We had afternoon tea at Raffles on our recent visit and came away feeling a bit conflicted. The service was genuinely excellent — warm, attentive and exactly what you’d expect in a place like this. No complaints at all on that front. The food, though… it was nice. Perfectly nice. But that’s about it. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing that made you sit up and think “that’s special” either. For over £170 for two, I think it’s fair to expect something a bit more memorable. As it was, it just didn’t feel worth anything close to that. One thing that really threw me was when I asked where the ladies’ room was and was told that, as a non-resident, I’d need to go outside the hotel. I may have misunderstood, but it felt quite odd given we were sitting there having just spent a significant amount on tea. It didn’t exactly make us feel welcome. Also slightly baffling — there’s very clear signage about the main entrance being for hotel residents only, yet while we were there, plenty of people were wandering in off the street, taking photos in the lobby and heading straight back out again. It all felt a bit inconsistent. I don’t want to sound overly critical, and I completely appreciate the setting and the history, but it’s hard not to feel that you’re paying a lot for the name rather than what’s actually on the table. No disrespect to the kitchen — everything was well done — but it would have taken a lot more to justify that price. All in all: lovely service, beautiful surroundings, but not something I’d rush back to at that cost.

Raffles Singapore remains one of the most special hotels in my life, and my recent birthday stay only deepened that feeling. What continues to set Raffles apart is that it never feels like luxury for luxury’s sake. It feels like a gracious house with history, character, and a team that understands the art of understated but deeply personal hospitality. From arrival, everything felt seamless and warmly familiar. The driveway and lobby welcome immediately set the tone, and it was lovely to see familiar faces again. The hotel very kindly upgraded me from a Palm Court Suite to a Promenade Suite, which made the birthday stay feel especially memorable. The suite itself was beautifully prepared and full of charm, space, and character — a wonderful setting for the occasion. What touched me most, however, was the thoughtfulness of the team. I was welcomed with beautiful fresh flowers, premium chocolates, champagne, fresh fruit, a birthday cake, handwritten notes, and later even printed photographs from the stay presented by the butler team. None of it felt excessive or staged. Instead, it felt intimate, warm, and genuinely heartfelt. A special thank you to Kartini, Reena, and James from the butler team, whose care, graciousness, and quiet attentiveness made the stay feel so personal. Their service reflected exactly what Raffles does so well: elegant hospitality with real humanity behind it. My thanks as well to Irene, Amir, and the wider Front of House and lobby team, who always make returning to Raffles feel less like checking into a hotel and more like coming home. I would also like to recognize Mr. Roslee B. Sukar, the Resident Historian, whose warmth and presence add a unique layer to the experience of staying here. Raffles is not just a hotel; it is a living piece of history, and he helps bring that spirit to life. I also had the pleasure of catching up with David Lampe and meeting Kutay, and I truly appreciated the warmth, professionalism, and pride they brought to the guest experience. It is clear that the culture here is being carried forward with great care. What I love most about Raffles Singapore is that the experience is never just about the room, or the amenities, or even the occasion itself. It is about the feeling the hotel creates — a rare sense of calm, grace, continuity, and genuine hospitality in the middle of the city. Over the years, Raffles has become a place where I celebrate meaningful moments, and this birthday stay was one I will remember for a very long time. For anyone considering a stay, Raffles is not simply a place to sleep. It is a place to experience. And when the people behind the house care as much as they clearly do here, it becomes something far more memorable than an ordinary luxury hotel stay.

From the moment I arrived, I was made so welcome by Allen who explained some of the history of this amazing property. His kindness to take a few photos and to provide me with a nice cold drink (the heat was already building 🥵) was so very special and he took his time to explain about some of the recent events. Allen - a massive thank you 🙏🏼 You are a true gentleman and ambassador for this beautiful, historic and very special hotel and bar 🤗 Thank you so very much

Lovely iconic hotel which whilst in Singapore you must stay at least Once ! Check in - we arrived early due to disembarking from a cruise but fortunately our room was available before usual check in time. Reception for check in we found situated in a really strange place - very very dark through the main lobby and just 2 desks with one small 2 seater settee each side. It was difficult to see ! We were not offered an arrival drink although Rachel from Guest services did offer to get us one after I had asked if there was anywhere we could get a drink as we had just disembarked from a cruise early morning to the mayhem of Singapore cruise port , and were thirsty ! Sadly the drink did not arrive before we headed off to our suite ! The staff were extremely polite, courteous and from the time we arrived we were called by our names by everyone. The room was made available very quickly to us and we were escorted to the room and shown all the facilities in the suite. The First thing I did afterwards in the suite was make a cup of tea !! There were loads of different types of Raffles teabags in the room. We had a massive balcony on level 3 the same level as the pool which was very useful ! We overlooked the Instagrammable 'Blue fountain'' plagued by tourists having their photo shoots there ! and could see 'Marina Bay Sands' hotel from our balcony . Breakfast was very nice but service on our first morning to deliver our drinks was quite slow and we had to ask where our drinks were. We expected them to be brought almost immediately after ordering but it took about 10 minutes . Also we were asked if we wanted toast / muffins and we replied yes but they were brought before we had even eaten our yogurts, fruit, etc so as you have to order hot food from a menu, by the time the hot food arrived the toast was cold. There is large selection of chilled foods eg Yogurts etc and they are all in the fridge which was a nice touch - beautiful cakes etc and fresh fruits smoked salmon and salad . Very pleased with the choice. Option to order hot food such as a full English, from an a la carte menu. Healthy smoothies are available at extra charge. We were very very pleased with our King Suite. There was an armoire which held kettle, Nespresso machine, and fridge which held complimentary soft drinks, milk , Coconut Water cartons , choice of Premium nuts, Crisps and Muesli Bars , Choice of Raffles Teas, Coffee pods etc. The bathroom was superb offering complimentary toiletries, and other bathroom items you may need. (Razor, tooth brushes Hair brush and comb, ) Ring tray, Soaps and dishes x 2 . The Lovely Towels were very White, Very large, and Very fluffy !! Huge Bath, Shower, and double sink unit. One thing I would say is there is so many items on the vanity top there is minimal room for your own toiletries !! There is hanging space for dresses , suits etc with plenty of hangers but there is minimal clothes storage with only 1 small pull out drawer so we had to use our case for our other clothes . Safe Free Dyson Hair dryer in dressing room with mirror and dressing table and chair. Everything in the room is controlled by your Ipad charged at side of the bed even the curtains opening and calling your butler. There is a massive choice of TV channels / internet etc. This stay was for our 45th Wedding Anniversary and my birthday and they pulled ALL the stops out. A Surprise Beautiful bouquet was delivered to the room and Hand made chocolates. Then completely unexepected, our Butlers turned up with 2 Singapore Slings with their Menu card Just fabulous ! The Romantic package we booked through Accor web site, included complimentary Raffles Champagne delivered a a time of your choice, A History tour of the hotel and transfers to the Airport by their Chauffeur driven Mercedes Limousine. It was all managed perfectly by our fabulous Butlers !! The History tour was fascinating and gave you an insight in to the changes that had occurred not only in the hotel but in Singapore in the last 150 years ! Fully recommend doing the tour. Go the Who's who gallery !! The pool area was lovely and there are complimentary coconut waters and plain chilled water and fresh fruit in the fridge in the adjacent gym you can take. By the pool you are offered complimentary sparkling or still iced water all day. On our last day we stayed at the pool after we had checked out, and then used the beautiful modern shower/ toilet facilities which include shower gel / shampoo/ conditioner/ body lotion and Dyson Hair dryers and fluffy towels. Very modern and extremely clean. On balance this was an experience like no other. The long Bar was Crazy experience but you MUST get your butler to book a slot for you. The staff at the Writers bar superb and highly entertaining. The Iconic Sikh Doormen are just the best - Happy to have their photos taken with you whilst performing as Ambassadors for this amazing hotel . Considering the status of the hotel, (5TH BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD) I had VERY HIGH expectations which mostly were met but a couple of delays in service (both meals at the pool took around 40 minutes to arrive ) did detract from the whole experience which was a shame. On balance though - a superb end to our Far East / New Zealand /Australian 12 week holiday !! A MUST DO ! Once in a lifetime ! And if you're in Singapore just blow the budget just for the experience !! Thank you for a fabulous time !

We had a wonderful tour of the historic Raffles hotel. Our guide Mr Roslee Sukar provided a detailed history and a tour of the lavish and extensive hotel, including the long bar and the famous entrance with its spectacular chandelier. Afterwards we enjoyed a tasty meal in the outdoor restaurant washed down with a tiger beer. The tour is well worth it and represents great value