As my Grab driver pulls up to the entrance of the Raffles Hotel, the unmistakable figure of Naranjan comes up to the white barricades to let me in. It’s a few days before its much-delayed re-opening and Singapore’s grand old dame is still under wraps from the public eye.
For the last two years while the 132-year-old hotel was undergoing its latest restoration, Naranjan, who’s been its doorman for nearly 30 years, has been going on sales trips abroad to spread the word of the latest transformation. He tells me he’s been to Japan, the US and Europe “to share some of the stories”.
“I enjoyed the US most because the response was so fantastic,” he says.
Walking into the lobby, I feel a sense of familiarity yet a sense of new-ness and open-ness. It feels lighter and brighter. The grand staircase is still there but the red carpet has been removed. The exposed natural wood makes it less heavy, less imposing. The lobby area still feels as open, but a partition now encloses the Writer’s Bar, creating a cosy enclave of about 20 covers. You see the subtle creation of more private spaces throughout the hotel.
“In the past, the ballroom was at the front of the hotel and the lobby had a restaurant with 500 seats,” says general manager Christian Westbeld. “But it’s the 21st century now and we have to reflect the changes in customer preferences.”
It seems to me that even as we care less about privacy in the online world, the more we crave privacy in the physical world. Maybe that’s why there is such a backlash against open plan offices these days – there’s also so much “communality” we can take. But that’s another topic.
Back to the Raffles – again in line with changing times, they’ve added six long stay suites as well as six smaller suites to the previous count of 103 suites to accommodate different needs of travellers.
The refurbished suites look fresher and lighter too. I feel that they could belong to any luxury hotel – there isn’t anything that shouts “you’re in the Raffles” immediately – but there are little touches to remind you of the sense of place should you so wish it, the bedside lamp for example and the three old-fashioned light switches. Beside the bed is a device that if you want the high-tech touch, you’ve got it.
“It’s pretty easy to use,” said Chadi Chemaly, executive assistant manager, “not one of those complicated devices.”
Chemaly has been with the Raffles group for seven years and been on-site for the last two. He and Frederic Serol, EAM of food & beverage, are showing me round and they are both in suit and tie, hardly practical attire for the tropics.
Why haven’t they updated the dress code, I ask.
“We are the last hotel in Singapore to have our executives dress in suit and tie,” said Chemaly. “We feel it’s respectful of the history of the Raffles.”
Respect though doesn’t mean you stay in history so the renovation is not only physical but also in the philosophy. For example, the recipe for the Singapore Sling, first created in 1915, has been improved. “We are using natural juices, less sugar, upgraded products, so it’s lighter and cleaner. I first tasted it some 20 years ago and found it too sweet,” said Serol, who comes from a background of independent restaurants in New York and Shanghai (Swire Hotels).
At its peak, the hotel was serving about 1,000 Singapore Slings a day and despite the improved recipe, there will be no price increase.
Food & beverage is a critical part of the Raffles offering and this 2019 revamp reflects the tastes of the times. Its celebrity restaurants all offer a sense of drama as well as cuisines that are lighter and modern, and infused with local ingredients, no matter their roots.
La Dame Le Pic, which marks chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s debut in Asia, has received rave reviews from local food writers. Wong Ah Yoke of the Straits Times calls it a meeting of giants – Pic’s three Michelin stars for her restaurant Maison Pic in Valence and Raffles and he calls it “elegant French cuisine with a touch of Asia”.
Jereme Leung’s Yi Chinese restaurant offers a dramatic entrance, making you feel like you’re walking into a forest. Inside, the space is clean and modern. I have yet to taste his “groundbreaking Chinese” cuisine so I look forward to that.
There’s Butcher’s Block that is unabashedly all about steaks. “Steakhouses are exploding all over Shanghai,” said Serol. “It’s such a trend these days.” The Butcher’s Block sources its beef from two farmers in Japan with whom it has exclusive agreements.
So there goes whatever the media is touting about a meatless future. However in line with the times, menu choices will clearly reflect “Vegetarian” and “Non-Vegetarian” options.
Altogether, there will be 10 food & beverage outlets. “In creating the concepts,” said Westbeld, “we thought hard about how we can position them as unique single standing not linked to Raffles Hotel. Design achieved that. We had to push the boundaries. At times, hotels can be too safe in food & beverage but we are celebrating it differently at the Raffles.”
And no, there won’t be any robots at work even though the hotel faces the same challenge as every property in Singapore in finding staff. It now has 600 employees. When it closed, it had 400 and it has re-hired 200 of them.
Other new features include:
• The Raffles Spa which offers seven rooms. One unique feature is what I call the “party spa” room. You can definitely see “Crazy Rich Asian” parties being held in this space where you can champagne and caviar alongside your pedicures and manicures.
• The Raffles Ballroom – the Jubilee Theatre is gone and in its place is this impressive space. It’s dramatic, with high ceilings and open spaces, and I can see it becoming the place for weddings and high-end meetings.
• The Raffles Boutique – the gift shop is now more than a shop. The museum has been moved into the shop, which is smart, making it more of an experience for tourists as well as trigger the desire to purchase.
It is unclear how much money has gone into this latest restoration – the last renovation was in 1989/1990 – and so there’s as much anticipation among locals and travellers as there is among the executive team and staff at Accor which is now managing the property.
Curious to find out what she thought of the “new” Raffles, I contacted Jennie Chua who is acknowledged locally as “custodian” of the Raffles. She was a big part of the last renovation and was general manager in 1990, rising up the ranks to become CEO of Raffles Holdings in 2003.
“I like it,” she said. “If you were to ask me to rate it out of 10, I’d give it a nine. They’ve been respectful of the history but know they have to bring it into the modern era. There’s a sense of drama in the restaurants – people seem to like that today – and they’ve kept the little touches in the suites.
“Bringing the museum into the shop is smart – you learn about the tiger and then you want to buy more tigers.”
Yes, it’s good to have you back among us, Raffles Hotel.
• Featured image: Naranjan, the doorman who’s been on sales trips the last two years sharing stories.