Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Raffles Hotel Staycation: A Look Back at History Through Modern Eyes

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #31
    We ate at tables indoors on both days of our stay, but it was also possible to have breakfast at tables outside, weather permitting.

    Comment


    • #32
      Later that morning, we headed to the swimming pool, which was accessible from the 3rd storey of the main hotel building.

      What a beautiful and elegant swimming pool, tiled with blue and surrounded by green shrubbery.



      Loungers lined the side of the pool. The pool attendant welcomed us and neaty arranged beach towels on our loungers, along with tetrapaks of chilled water.



      There was a poolside bar at one end...



      This bar had a very tempting array of liquor and champagne on display...



      I changed into my swim gear, stepped into the pool, and did a slow lap...



      To my pleasant surprise, the water in the pool was a little salty...this seemed to be a salt water pool! Nice!



      From inside the pool, I realized that I could just see, in the distance, what was probably Singapore's most famous swimming pool: the pool atop the Marina Bay Sands Skypark...

      Last edited by yflyer; 29 April 2021, 09:59 AM.

      Comment


      • #33
        There were pretty decent shower and changing facilities in the pool & gym area.

        There were several changing rooms with attached shower stall...



        Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in large dispeners...



        Water jets...



        The well-equipped gym was also on the 3rd floor.







        Last edited by yflyer; 29 April 2021, 10:00 AM.

        Comment


        • #34
          It was now day 2 of our stay, and I still hadn't gotten over how lush, green and serene the hotel grounds were.



          I knew where I was: I was right in the middle of a bustling city of high-rises and shopping malls, along with almost 6 million other people. But from within the hotel grounds, the crowds and hectic rush-rush-rush of Singapore all seemed so far away...it felt so serene, so calm and peaceful...

          Comment


          • #35
            For lunch on the 2nd day, Mrs yflyer and I planned to head to nearby Raffles Place for lunch at Zafferano, an Italian Restaurant and Bar on the top floor of Ocean Financial Centre.

            Miss yflyer no.2 would remain in our Suite at the Raffles while we were out for lunch. She had school CCA activities to participate in remotely via Zoom. And she would be joined in our Suite by her pioneer generation grandma, Mdm yflyer Senior, who had come to visit the hotel.

            What would they have for lunch? The obvious answer was room service.

            We browsed the room service lunch and dinner menu...

            Soups and salads...



            Appetizers...



            Burgers and Sandwiches...



            Western mains as well as Oriental selections...



            ...including local Singapore favourites...



            Desserts...



            Our browse through the menu led to the quick realisation that room service dining was an expensive proposition at the Raffles...

            Hainanese Chicken Rice for thirty dollars? Expensive as heck, but such prices for deluxe hotel versions of Singapore hawker fare were not unheard of.

            I have no doubt the in-room dining experience at the Raffles would have been very fine, and Mrs yflyer and I are not averse to an occasional room service indulgence, but convincing Mdm yflyer Senior that we wanted to treat her to room service was impossible. She did not want $30 chicken rice...end of argument. That's the Singapore pioneer generation for you.

            Mrs yflyer and I deliberated for a while...

            "I know! I'll walk over to Seah Street and da bao chicken rice from there!"

            It was a short walk from our Suite at the Raffles to Seah Street, where I headed to Zheng Swee Kee, a casual hawker-style eatery, to pick up a takeaway packet of Hainanese Chicken Rice...



            Back in our Suite, I presented Mdm yflyer Senior and Miss yflyer no.2 with their lunch, which they could consume at their convenience.



            Later they both said the chicken rice was pretty good -- they had enjoyed it very much. it was Swee Kee chicken rice after all, a well known favourite with the locals.

            Total chicken rice bill: $6, not to mention the priceless satisfaction of getting a good deal...
            Last edited by yflyer; 6 May 2021, 01:18 PM.

            Comment


            • #36
              Mrs yflyer and I headed out of the Raffles Hotel, and crossed Beach Road to get to the bus stop opposite the hotel. From there it was a short bus ride to Clifford Pier, where we got off the bus and took a short walk to Raffles Place.

              Our destination was Zafferano, an Italian restaurant located on the top floor of Ocean Financial Centre.

              The views from the 43rd floor were quite spectacular.



              We could see Marina Bay...



              Looking towards the East, we could see the Esplanade, the Merlion far down below, and even the Raffles Hotel in the distance...



              And right next door, we could see One Raffles Place, with its incredible rooftop bar, 1-Altitude, the venue of a very memorable SQTalk 10th anniversary celebration on 11 November 2016...



              "This restaurant is supposed to be very romantic in the evening...", Mrs yflyer said. The panoramic views would certainly contribute to the romantic ambience.

              However, we were there on a busy Friday lunch hour, and the restaurant was full of banking and financial services types having power lunches, as well as large groups of bankers just destressing on a Friday afternoon before the start of the weekend.

              Loud, boisterous conversation filled the air...nothing romantic about the atmosphere at lunch time.



              But the lively vibe was energizing in its own way...

              We perused the menu...there was an excellent a la carte selection, as well as an Executive Set Lunch...



              We decided on the set lunch...

              Lunch began with a complimentary amuse bouche...



              There was a nice selection of wines by the glass...



              Going with the Italian theme, we decided on a glass each of Italian Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc...



              Both were very drinkable...

              Last edited by yflyer; 6 May 2021, 01:17 PM.

              Comment


              • #37
                For her starter, Mrs yflyer chose the porcini mushroom soup, which was delicious...



                I decided on the Hokkaido Scallops "crudo", and these came beautifully presented, and topped with caviar...wonderful stuff...



                For her main, Mrs yflyer picked the Tagliolini with Mazara del Vallo red prawn...an amazing dish...



                My main was the braised short rib ravioli...



                ...which paired very well with a glass of Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montelpucino...



                We shared a selection of Italian cheeses in lieu of dessert...



                An excellent meal...

                Definitely a place I would be keen to return to again, perhaps next time for dinner, in order to enjoy the spectacular views at sunset.

                We caught a bus back to the Raffles Hotel...
                Last edited by yflyer; 3 May 2021, 09:49 AM.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Back in the hotel, we headed to the Raffles Boutique...



                  I was expecting just a regular hotel gift shop, but the Raffles Boutique was far more than that...





                  Yes, there were the usual souvenirs...





                  ...plushies and T-shirts...



                  ...Singapore Sling glasses for purchase...



                  But there was also a strong historical element at play, with photos and memorabilia from the past on display.



                  This reproduction of an original advertisement listed features such as the hotel being "Lit Throughout by Electricity" and having "Electric Fans in Bedrooms and Public Rooms".

                  Old menus from past dinner celebrations, including the "Coronation Eve Dinner" on 1 June 1953, and a banquet in 1981 celebrating the wedding of Prince Charles & Lady Diana...



                  I spent some time perusing the menus of these banquets...



                  Comment


                  • #39
                    There were old hotel bills and other hotel memorabilia...



                    ...and a nice selection of poster art...



                    ...as well as books that were set in the hotel, including "The Raffles Affair", written by writer-in-residence Vicki Virtue...



                    During the most recent renovation from 2017-2019, some of the iron grills used in the main hotel building were removed. These original iron grills are now on display in the Boutique. These included the iron grill that used to be the entrance to the Raffles Grill, a restaurant that Mrs yflyer and I remember fondly, as years ago we celebrated several anniversary dinners there.

                    Last edited by yflyer; 2 May 2021, 05:59 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      There was also a great pictorial display showing the evolution of the hotel over the years, including the various stages of the renovations...



                      The original hotel structure, which was once a beach house...



                      The display showed, in a series of panels, step by step, the history of renovations and extensions to the hotel from 1887 to the present day...



                      It was just incredible to see how the hotel had evolved over the years, and to see what had changed, and what had remained.

                      Learning about this history made our stay in the Palm Court Wing, one of the earliest structures built, even more meaningful.

                      Last edited by yflyer; 2 May 2021, 11:13 PM.

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        The F&B outlets at the Raffles are a mix of old and new. There is now a new restaurant, Le Dame de Pic, which occupies the space of the former Raffles Grill.



                        This restaurant serves fine contemporary French cuisine with Asian touches, and is Michelin-starred French chef Anne-Sophie Pic's first restaurant in Asia.



                        The old Bar & Billiard Room is now "BBR by Alain Ducasse", a contemporary dining concept restaurant by noted Chef Alain Ducasse.



                        This restaurant was temporarily closed during our stay, but I believe there are plans to re-open it at some point in the near future.



                        The Long Bar, the iconic venue to sip your Singapore Sling, has now-reopened, although opening days / hours are still fairly restricted.

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          The Writers Bar, the other bar at the Raffles, is located to the right of the main hotel entrance, and has reopened after a complete makeover.



                          This is an intimate and very elegantly styled bar, with very refined ambience.



                          On the 2nd evening of our stay, Mrs yflyer and I did not have reservations at the Writer's Bar, but there were still seats available before guests arrived, which was just enough time for us to head in for a quick drink before dinner...



                          The beautiful leather-bound menu...



                          On the menu were a selection of G&T's...



                          ...and a selection of original cocktails, beautifully illustrated in the menu...





                          There was also a Reserve Collection of rare/premium cocktails...



                          The one drink not on the menu? The Singapore Sling: you would need to head to the Long Bar, or the Raffles Courtyard for that...
                          Last edited by yflyer; 2 May 2021, 11:14 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Bar snacks...



                            ...and a complimentary welcome drink, a shot of white rum with hints of tropical fruit, which really hit the spot..



                            Mrs yflyer had a "Foul Play", which was fruity and refreshing, with smoky undertones...



                            I felt like a Martini or a Vesper, and there was something on the menu that fit the bill perfectly, a "Saboteur"!



                            One drink was all we had time for at the Writers Bar...the next patrons would be arriving soon to claim their reservation at the bar, and we had a dinner reservation to head to as well...
                            Last edited by yflyer; 2 May 2021, 11:18 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              As on the previous evening, we headed out of the Raffles for dinner.

                              This time, we headed to Koji, an intimate sushi bar located in Raffles City, across the street from the Raffles Hotel.



                              The restaurant has long counter seating as well as a few tables...



                              The counter seats were great, as you could chat with the chefs, and watched as they prepared your orders...



                              Koji's chefs are locals who know Japanese cuisine inside out. They serve high quality sushi, sashimi and other dishes at a pretty decent price point given the quailty. We had sampled their sushi and sashimi on a couple of previous occasions, and were very impressed.



                              What caught Mrs yflyer's eye on the menu the previous time we dined there was the Omakase Dinner: if you reserved this in advance, the chef(s) would prepare a bespoke meal for you comprising both raw and cooked dishes, and that was what Mrs yflyer had arranged for the evening.

                              We were seated at the counter, and for the next 2+ hours, we were treated to an exquisite selection of dishes...no need to make decisions or peruse the menu...the chef would decide for us...

                              A bottle of Junmai Daiginjo sake to start...



                              The adventurous tone of dinner was set by the very first course, which looked quite innocent...



                              "Is that tofu?" Mrs yflyer asked...

                              Our cheerful and gregarious waitress, an older lady, laughed...

                              "No, it's shirako!"

                              Wonderful!

                              To quote a previous TR, shirako is "...very tasty to eat, as long as you don’t think too much about what the stuff actually is…"

                              The next course was a savoury grilled baby squid...



                              This was followed by a sashimi course...



                              We were told to sprinkle the shiso flower buds into the soy sauce...



                              it was of course no surprise that the sashimi here was fresh and delicious...

                              The next dish was chawan mushi, or egg custard, but with a couple of inspired additions...



                              Heaped onto the egg custard was uni (sea urchin) and black truffle...this was an amazing dish...nothing traditional about it, but I loved it!
                              Last edited by yflyer; 3 May 2021, 10:00 AM.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Next up was cod, which was satisfying full in flavour...



                                ...and then tempura silverfish, which were almost ethereal in their lightness...



                                Ultra tender Wagyu beef was next...



                                ...and then clam soup...



                                And to end, 5 exquisitely prepared pieces of sushi...



                                Dessert was a typically Japanese minimalist offering of mango and strawberries...



                                Miss yflyer no.2 was not a fan of mango, so instead she got a scoop of sea salt ice cream, in an otherworldly shade of light blue...



                                What a wonderful meal! Every dish was spot on, with warm, attentive service and very good pacing of dishes over 2 hours...
                                Last edited by yflyer; 3 May 2021, 10:03 AM.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X