Raffles Hotel

Top choice in Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay


The grand old dame of Singapore has seen many a famous visitor in her time, from Somerset Maugham to Queen Elizabeth II. It's a beautiful place of white colonial architecture, lush pockets of green and historic bars. The most recent upgrade, completed in 2019, has seen the property meticulously revamped with all the finest modern comforts but without losing one iota of charm.

Suites (there are no 'rooms' here) are suitably Old World and elegant, with spacious parlours, polished wooden furniture and floorboards, verandahs and lazily swirling ceiling fans. Then there's the location, right in the heart of the Colonial District and within easy reach of most must-see neighbourhoods.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay attractions

1. Raffles Hotel

0.02 MILES

Although its resplendent lobby is only accessible to hotel and restaurant guests, Singapore's most iconic slumber palace is worth a quick visit for its…

2. MINT Museum of Toys

0.07 MILES

Nostalgia rules at this slinky ode to playtime, its four skinny floors home to over 50,000 vintage toys. You'll see everything from rare Flash Gordon…

3. Cape of Good Hope

0.12 MILES

Cape of Good Hope is a spacious gallery showcasing local Singaporean artists, both established and up-and-coming.

4. National Library

0.15 MILES

Designed by Malaysian architect and ecologist Ken Yeang, this white, curvaceous brains trust is home to numerous facilities, including a reference library…

5. Civilian War Memorial

0.17 MILES

This 67m-high memorial is dedicated to the civilian victims of the Japanese occupation of Singapore. The four pillars represent the shared suffering of…

6. Chijmes

0.18 MILES

Now the home of trendy restaurants and entertainment hot spots, including famed Whitegrass and exotic Coriander Leaf, neo-classical Chijmes was once a…

7. Capitol Theatre

0.24 MILES

After years of neglect, the art deco Capitol Theatre was freshly restored in 2015 and is once again taking centre stage. Built in 1929 and locally dubbed …

8. SAM at 8Q

0.24 MILES

The younger sibling of the Singapore Art Museum, which is undergoing a significant revamp until 2021, is named after its address. Snoop around four floors…