Luxurious Nostalgia

I didn’t think it was possible to go back to a time where people lived and breathed elegance as if it were an everyday occurrence. I was lucky when I did experience the bygone era of the romantic 19th century while staying at the majestic Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

Raffles has successfully retained the refinement and prestige of this age while blending with it the comforts of modern conveniences.

Upon my entrance to the breathtaking lobby – which, like the hotel, is filled with history– it was as if I passed through a time portal upon seeing the hardwood floors, airy interiors, grand timber staircase and magnificent hand-woven Persian rugs. I was welcomed by Raffles Hotel general manager Javier Rosenberg, who graciously escorted me to my spacious and luxurious suite. The splendid room was filled with charming showpieces of artifacts and period furniture. It felt surreal, like being in an old film, as if the air and sunlight streaming in from the verandah were from another time.

As soon as I was well-rested, I excitedly roamed the hotel – thinking that these very walls and sights became the inspiration for the works of the literary luminaries who once visited this magical place – Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, W Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward, Pablo Neruda and James Michener. It also became a temporary home to film greats Charlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor and several more world icons.

Raffles Hotel, the "Grand Hotel of the Far East," was established in 1887 and was designated a national monument in 1987. It was closed in March 1989 for a major restoration. Two-and-a-half years and S$160 million later, it was reopened in September 1991 to the expectant public. The benchmark year used for the renovation was 1915, the first heyday of the hotel. The painstaking restoration achieved its goal and gave back old world opulence and lighthearted ambience seen in its lush gardens stylish suites, historic furniture and ageless tableware.

The exceptional hotel’s 103 lavish suites include seven Grand Suites for those who crave regal indulgence, 10 Personality Suites named after celebrities who have stayed at Raffles, 18 business rooms equipped with every corporate traveler’s needs and 86 hotel suites with an assortment of old engravings, photographs, art treasures, Oriental carpets and valuable memorabilia.

Raffles has an unbroken tradition of serving the best and widest variety of cuisines that even made Rudyard Kipling urge his readers: "When in Singapore, feed at Raffles." I was always in a predicament when choosing which of the 19 restaurants and bars to visit for an appetizing meal. The Writer’s Bar, Raffles Grill, Tiffin Room, Bar & Billiard Room, Ah Teng’s Bakery, Empire Café, Raffles Courtyard, Tapas Bar, Gazebo Bar, Seah Street Deli, Long Bar, Long Bar Steakhouse, Doc Cheng’s and Empress Room serve everything from seafood to dimsum, tapas, sweet treats, Hainanese chicken curry and the choicest wines! For leisurely interests, Raffles has its own culinary academy that offers a variety of cooking and specialty classes, a 24-hour swimming pool, Victorian-style Jubilee Hall for plays, musicals and films, Raffles Museum and its own Arcade housing an exclusive collection of over 55 boutiques and shops.

After a hectic schedule of business meetings and challenging rounds of golf sponsored by the Caltex Cup Celebrity Challenge, I took to the lavishly-fitted Amrita Spa for its signature well-being treatments. The spa takes it name from the Sanskrit word for "elixir of eternal youth." It held true to its meaning, for after the aromatherapy and massage, I felt refreshed, renewed and 10 years younger!

That is why I felt saddened when I had to end my stay there. Raffles Hotel not only gives its guests creature comforts, unequalled service and constant warmth, it always gives them something more important to bring back home. It offers a memorable historic encounter you can actually experience, breathe in, relish and touch. More than souvenirs, pictures and good times, the hotel is a time machine that leaves guests with a sense of history, a taste of what once was.

Truly, staying at Raffles Hotel is unforgettable.