Raffles Hotel Singapore
by the TopOfHotel team
Raffles Hotel is the legend of Singapore hotels — a personal butler and history you can reach out and touch.
Raffles Hotel is the legend of Singapore hotels — a personal butler and history you can reach out and touch.
In-Depth Review
Raffles Hotel Singapore has been open since 1887 and still holds the city's top spot for reputation and history. Its most recent major renovation came in 2019, and real-guest review scores reach 9.5/10, praising the butler service, the cleanliness and an atmosphere nowhere else matches.
Rooms and decor
Every room at Raffles is a suite — the smallest starts at 50 sq m, with 4.3 m ceilings, real teak floors and full colonial furniture throughout. A personal butler looks after you from check-in to check-out, and several travelers note the butler remembered their name and preferences even on a second visit. Rates start around $800 a night.
Food and amenities
The Long Bar on the second floor is the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, the cocktail created in 1915 by the hotel's bartender, Ngiam Tong Boon. The room runs on warm wooden lanterns, high ceilings and slow-turning old fans. Beyond it there is the Bar and Billiard Room and another seven restaurants in the Raffles Arcade, plus an outdoor pool and Raffles Spa.
Location and getting there
Raffles sits in the City Hall district, a 5-minute walk from City Hall MRT. It is not far, but there is no direct covered link the way Marina Bay Sands has, so you walk the last stretch.
Things to know before booking
The one point guests consistently flag is the price — the starting room rates are the highest in Singapore — along with limited parking. Most who stay, though, confirm the overall experience is worth it.
Our take
Raffles Hotel suits honeymooners best, along with travelers who value history and top-tier service and anyone who wants to stay somewhere that is genuinely part of Singapore. If you get the chance, drink one Singapore Sling at the Long Bar — even if you are not staying, it is still worth it.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Every room is a suite from 50 to 400 sq m, with 4.3 m ceilings, real teak floors and a 24-hour personal butler.
- A gloriously restored 1887 colonial atmosphere — world-famous writers like Somerset Maugham once stayed here.
- The Long Bar lets you drink a genuine original Singapore Sling under warm lantern light.
- Guests report the butler remembers their name and preferences even on a return visit, and the service runs from check-in straight through to check-out.
- A 2019 renovation refreshed the property, and real-guest review scores reach 9.5/10 for the butler service, cleanliness and atmosphere.
- The starting room rates are the highest in Singapore — heavy going on a budget you did not plan for.
- City Hall MRT is a 5-minute walk — not far, but there is no direct covered link the way Marina Bay Sands has.
- Parking is limited, the one practical gripe that comes up alongside the price.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Insider Tips
- Even if you are not staying, head to the Long Bar for one Singapore Sling — it is worth it just to drink the original where it was invented in 1915.
- Ask your butler early about your preferences for breakfast and turndown; reviewers say they will remember them for the rest of the stay.
- Book the smallest 50 sq m suite if the price feels steep — it is still a full suite with the 4.3 m ceilings and teak floors.