Picolo recommends · Hotel in Singapore, Southeast Asia
Raffles Singapore
White colonnades, ceiling fans and palm courtyards: the hotel where Singapore’s grand-hotel story began, and where every room is a suite.
Step in from Beach Road and the traffic fades behind white walls and wide verandas. Raffles has been receiving guests since 1887, and its courtyards of palms and lawns still set the pace here: slow, shaded and a little formal.
Each room is a suite with its own butler. The restoration that finished in 2019 kept the colonial bones and refreshed the interiors, while the museums, the Padang and the river stay within an easy stroll.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Raffles Singapore
If you only stay in Singapore once, this is the address with the most history in its walls. The Civic District museums and the riverside are on foot, and the suites give you room to recover from the heat.
It is one of the most expensive beds in the city, and the Long Bar fills with day visitors and tour groups in the afternoon. Save your Singapore Sling for late evening, when the courtyards are mostly left to guests.
What you get
- Butler service in every suite
- All-suite hotel
- Long Bar, birthplace of the Singapore Sling
- Palm courtyards reserved for guests
- Suites restored in 2019
A day at Raffles Singapore
- Morning
- Breakfast on the veranda before the city heats up.
- Midday
- A cool hour in the Asian Civilisations Museum by the river.
- Afternoon
- Rest in your suite while the afternoon downpour passes.
- Evening
- A late Singapore Sling at the Long Bar once the crowds have gone.
Location
Beach Road, Civic District, Singapore
Open in MapsQuestions about Raffles Singapore
Is every room at Raffles Singapore a suite?
Yes. Raffles has only suites, and a butler is included with each of them, so even the entry category gives you more space than a standard hotel room.
Can you visit the Long Bar at Raffles Singapore without staying?
Yes, the Long Bar is open to everyone, and it is where the Singapore Sling was created. Expect queues in the afternoon, while late evening is calmer.
When was Raffles Singapore restored?
The hotel reopened in 2019 after a full restoration that kept its 1887 colonial architecture while updating the suites and the shared spaces.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
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