Raffles Hotel Singapore, Singapore

Beautiful scenery. Luxuriously adorned suites, loved the older light fixtures and area rugs. The pool is very nice. Now for the bad news - service is inconsistent. People are nice, but you never have the same experience twice. Some mornings I got toast, other mornings not in the breakfast area. Pretty severe language barriers - workers only know the basics. Came in this morning and they were cleaning the room and making the bed on the day of checkout! People are friendly but erratically trained. I expected more from the "best hotel in the world". Room service meals are limited in selection, but the quality is high. Worth doing - it's 90% the experience of what it should be - woud debate staying here again.

Rafles hotel is wonderful one. I have never stayed at a formal and polite one. I am very satisfied with the services and professional stafff.

raffles hotel has a pianist at the lobby's bar that plays the piano every night. he is jovial and friendly to everyone there. he played 'old mcdonald' when my kids were at the lobby. the price of the suite may be a little steep, but it worth the money i spent for it. after all, it's a suite. it includes two bedrooms with king sized-beds, a dining room that seats ten guests, a private parlour, pantry, and patio. i feel pampered in an atmosphere of intimacy. the suite has large airy interiors inspired by the colonial bungalows. i can get almost anything i need in the hotel shopping arcade. Thomas S.B Raffles is a gourmet shop selling hand-made chocolates made with cocoa butter. my kids love watching the chocolate being made behind the glass panel. i was told that the chocolate has no preservatives and has a lifespan of two weeks. there're also a museum, gift shop, tiffany&co, louisvuitton, cartier, armani and many other more shops. my favourite is definitely the long bar where i can literally litter my peanut shells. i enjoy every moment in the hotel, especially the live band at the courtyard bar. it's a magnificent hotel with excellent services.

Feel there is something going on there. Can see improvement. Menus long time not changed.But now done, in a great matter. Good job guy's keep going!!!

I mean, it's ok, ok for a place in Singapore . Splendid and a expensive, suitable for family and business class. Try to discover more about it. I think Raffles hotel is near the central( near my school ,i think), convenient for going out or having fresh air

The Raffles is The Raffles. Mythic hotel with a beautiful service, only in some of the 17 restaurants service is not as good as expected. But on the hotel side : no discussion, excepted for the 8 square meter gym.

Lets talk 1971. A soldier on R&R. It was all peace and quiet and nostalga about the old far east. By the second day I was expecting a Pan Am clipper to arrive with Humphrey Bogart. Loved the Bar and the Slings. It was totally Atmosphere with super friendly service. How have the times changed it?

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!

I agree with Robert Payne. There was so much hype about Royal China. being a foodie, we went. The food was good but he manager was rude. We love to eat slowly along with our drinks. I don't know if it was the same manager. He was cantonese and very rude. He removed 2 chairs from our table without asking or acknowledging us. He was turned the chit on our table over very rudely when he asked and we said no to desserts. He also indicated that if we are done, we should leave as there are guests waiting!!!

Yes, the Raffels is one of Asia's best--except for a simple item such as drinking water. I hosted a small party of six at the Raffel Royal China June 26, 2005. Everyone at the table asked for drinking water with our meals saying "tap water please." Instead we got bottled water served under rap. The bill for our meal cane to $158--the bottled water was $42! I didn't want to make a fuss in front of clients, so I returned the next day and talked to Kenny, the manager, who proved to be rude, beligerent and a bit insulting, telling us: "Talk to your watress, not me." This type of rip off and poor service has no place in "one of the grand hotels of Asia." Robert Payne, Box 4845, Incline Village, Nevada 89450