This is a true Grande Dame of a hotel and deserves all the praise it receives. Service excellent, staff fantastic. Book the hotel limo through the hotel and you fast track immigration, a guy waitng for you as you disembark the plane. (but to be fair, most top end hotels in asia offer that).
The scale of oppulance and beauty is second to none at Raffles, and although i enjoyed the experience it i did feel like a tourist attraction myself whilst staying at the hotel. The hotel does attract many tourists, and i have to admit that i aalso once visited the hotel for a drink on a previous trip!!
The rooms are very colonial and old and very beautiful. The lack of Flat screens etc didn't bother me. Go elsewhere if you want modern hi tech. However, what did slighty irk me was the condition of the room. I appreciate its an old building and the design may not attract that much light into the rooms ( palm or courtyard rooms have small seating area when enetring, before walking through a curtain into bedroom) but the room i was in could have benefited from a lick of paint. Staining and disclouration around door handles and walls from previous guests, rust on the ceiling speakers. Also, the blue curtain separating the entrance sitting/dining area was really frayed and rather tatty, it most ceratinly had seen better days.
The other issue that concerned me was the lack of bottled water. Yes, i know that you can drink the water from the tap at Raffles, but filling my glass up with water from the bathroom just didn't feel classy. The staff filled your silver jug of water from the tap on an evening, but i just personally felt i would have liked a bottle by my bedside table.
Pool area small, but nice and quiet, and also a less formal alternative to the more formal breakfasts at the tiffin room.
Go try Raffles for yourself, you only live once, just don't get too caught up in the spin. Let yourself be the judge of any hotel and not simply the price or other peoples comments. Its a great place, but maybe not for everyone.
Five stars ,yes, but for me, im not sure if i would return. That doesn't mean that people who do are wrong or that i'm right, just that hotels are very personal, and even when you are staying in one of the top hotels in the world doesn't mean you always want to return. Thank you for the experience Raffles you were great, but been there, seen it, done it comes to mind which puzzles me as i never get that feeling with say, the oriental in Bangkok or the aman resorts. C'est le vie.
Have fun and enjoy
R&P
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
most likely
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Museums / Cultural / Historical sites, Great food / Wine