Raffles Hotel

( 5 stars , Singapore , Singapore )

This place takes you back to a bygone era of tranquility and impeccable service in absolute stunning surroundings. Staying here makes you forget the hustle and bustle of Singapore and you are only rem

As for its location, it is not close to the popular shopping area, Orchard Road. You'll have to take the MRT to get there.

Excellence in Singapore Superb standards across the board as you would expect at these room rates. Worth every penny.

This is a great place to stay, since the rates are affordable, at 100 U$ for a double (I booked from my travel agent) that leaves you plenty to spend on the most important things in Singapore - food and shopping!

We found the Raffles experiance very rewarding. The hotel was 1st rate we could find no fault with antyhing at the hotel, and would recommend the hotel without hesitation to anyone. If we go back to Singapore we would now only stay at Raffles!!!!!!!

We stayed at the Merchant Court Singapore for 5 nights over the Christmas period. Good riverside location. As we traveled with our sons 20 and 15 years, the accommodation with adjoining rooms suited us well. Rooms were nice. Great coffee mugs for a decent cup. Buffet breakfast was great on Christmas morning although a little expensive if eating every morning. The boys loved the American Basketball from 7.30am until 9 a.m. and MacDonalds Chinatown deliver breakfast!!! - just before we hit the road. We all loved the pool area with its slide. Clarke Quay is great for shopping and eating and we particularly liked the Lotus Restaurant. The Courtesy bus was great and took us to City Hall or Raffles train station whenever we wished. Enjoyable stay. I would probably check out another hotel if just myself and husband were staying.I think if you are looking for just a very nice room without pool etc, you could get better at perhaps a lesser amount.

Masterclasses by famous chefs are always nice to attend to keep one's culinary skills well honed. On 10th February 2007, I attended a masterclass by 2 Michelin Star Chef Thierry Marx, 42, as part of Raffles Hotel's Annual Wine, Food & Arts Experience. With his resemblance to Hollywood star Bruce "Die Hard" Willis Thierry suprised me when he appeared in a Japanese Chef's jacket. I learned how to cook Mousse Chou-Fleur-Ang or cauliflower mousse inside a chicken fillet rolled up like cigars & deep fried. It's enjoyed dipped into cauliflower mousse spiked with passion fruit & fizzy Espumas. Next, his signature dish - Risotto de Soja Aux Truffles with NO Arborio rice at all. No kidding, bean sprouts are cut to resemble rice grains, then made into a "risotto" with mushrooms, cream, white wine, shallots, Mascarpone cheese & diced oysters brunoise. Topped with thin sliced black truffles, it was the most unusual "risotto" I had ever tasted. Instead of using western Chef's knives, Thierry used fearsome Japanese Tanto knives. I learned to make dessert of Gingerbread & Candied Sweet Potato, Potimarron Squash Ice Cream & Bitter Cocoa Flakes. The gingerbread is made with honey & aromatic grated orange zest. The ice cream is concocted with sweet potato, butter, sugar & milk. Finally, sweet potato slices soaked in sugar syrup. Voila! Over lunch with Chef Thierry with Mischief & Mayhem 2005 Pinot Noir from Burgundy, we exchanged culinary experiences. I was startled to learn that Thierry is a vegetarian. A lot of 1, 2 & 3 Michelin Star Chefs like Paul Bocuse & Philippe Legendre are my good friends, and it's the 1st time I've met a vegetarian Michelin starred chef. I asked, ?What is the strongest influence on your cuisine?? Thierry replied without hesitation, ?Japanese Kaiseki Ryori cuisine from my 3 years in Japan.? As wine is always close to my heart, I enquired, ?What's your favourite wine?? His politically correct answer, ?Chateau Lynch-Bages.? You see, Thierry?s restaurant is in the Chateau Lynch-Bages estate in Pauillac. ?Champagne?? Chef Thierry said, ?Bollinger and Salon..? On Michelin Stars which has even driven Chefs to suicide, I probed gently, ?How did you feel when you got your first ?macaron?? Thierry explained, ?I was happy?but I live for cooking?not Michelin Stars.? His cuisine aims to let diners experience differences in textures, temperatures & tastes. To those more used to ?cuisine traditionelle?, his eclectic style may be radical and unconventional. However, I would advise critics to be careful. Chef Thierry Marx is also an expert in the Japanese martial art of Judo! Bon appetit!

Can't wait to go back This is my third Chistmas at Raffles and won't be my last. I was a bit apprenhensive about my first holiday alone, but the staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I love it!

A wonderful hotel with excellent, friendly service. Everyone went out of their way to make our very short stay memorable.

Feel there is something going on there. Can see improvement. Menus long time not changed.But now done, in a great matter.