Reinventing an icon - The Business Times

How the legendary Raffles Hotel turns heritage into a contemporary form of luxury

[Summarise](https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/pulse/article/9703288?ref=pulse-article-top)  Share 


Add to Preferred Sources

Add to Preferred Sources


- 

- For Raffles Hotel, staying relevant means deciding what should remain unchanged – and what can be reinterpreted for a new generation. PHOTO: RAFFLES HOTEL SINGAPORE

LONG BEFORE “LUXURY LIFESTYLE” ENTERED the hospitality lexicon, Raffles Hotel Singapore was already defining what it could mean: highly personalised service, distinctive social rituals, dining and culture that turn a hotel stay into an occasion.

Since 1887, the hotel has been synonymous with everything from the Singapore Sling to its intuitive butler service. Yet, its longevity has depended on more than maintaining well-loved traditions.

For Raffles, staying relevant has meant deciding what should remain unchanged – and what can be reinterpreted for a new generation.

By the early 20th century, the hotel had established itself as a social destination. PHOTO: RAFFLES HOTEL SINGAPORE

The hotel’s resident historian, Leslie Danker, says: “Looking back at historical archives and accounts, Raffles was never simply a place to stay. It was a place to see and be seen, to socialise, dine, celebrate and experience Singapore.

“By the early 20th century, the hotel had established itself as a social destination, hosting lavish dinners, balls and celebrations alongside fine dining and spaces for leisure and conversation.”