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Raffles Hotel

History
The Raffles Hotel started almost as an after thought when Armenian hotelier, Martin Sarkies was forced to close his Penang hotels due to an increase in rent and had to look for an alternative. The site picked for Sarkies' new hotel in Singapore was a lunch room or "tiffin house" in a private home known as the Beach House. A certain Robert Scott, a descendant of the famed Sir Walter Scott bought the land and built the original Beach House sometime in the early 1830s. It had its own Billiard Room and Refreshment Hall even as early as 1832. The House first served as a hotel when a Dr Charles Emmerson leased it in 1878 and opened the Emmerson's Hotel. With Emmerson's death in 1883 came the closure of his hotel, but the Tiffin Rooms continued. For a while, boarders from the Raffles Institution used the House until the Sarkies took over the lease. The Sarkies leased the Beach House from the Alsagoff family although it is often mistakenly believed that the Tiffin Room had been owned by Captain George Julius Dare. The Raffles Hotel was thus opened on 1 December 1887, a mere three-storey, 10-room bungalow. Neither this portion of today's Main Building, nor the famed Tiffin Room belonged to the founders of Raffles, the Armenian Sarkies brothers - Tigran, Aviet and Arshak. Credit to the growth of the hotel however still remains with the Sarkies. It was Tigran who saw through Raffles Hotel's initial growth as a commercial enterprise and its development as a building. The Tiffin Rooms gained their own fame beginning with their establishment at Commercial Square when Tigran opened the Raffles Tiffin Rooms in 1892.

Under Tigran, three buildings were added to the Beach House. Firstly were two-storey wings which added 22 new suites. Secondly was the new Billiard Room located at the junction of Beach Road and Bras Basah Road, and finally, the Palm Court Wing which was completed in 1894.

The Main Building designed by R. A. J. Bidwell was built on the site of the original Beach House and was completed on 18 November 1899. It was designed with modern conveniences like powered ceiling fans and electric lights, while the Dining Room stretched across the ground floor, capable of seating up to 500 people.

In 1904, the Bras Basah Wing designed by Bidwell was added. The Palm Court was extended in 1910 and the Singapore Sling concocted in 1915. The Ballroom was opened in 1920. Unfortunately, with the Great Depression looming, the Sarkies Brothers raked up debts of $3.5 million and by 1931 were declared bankrupt. However, the Raffles Hotel was spared destruction and under a new private company, it was incorporated in 1933 as Raffles Hotel Limited.

During the Japanese Occupation, it was called Syonan Ryokan or "Light of the South Hotel" and its main entrance was moved to face the east, remaining angled this way for close to 50 years. Under a certain M. S. Arathoon, whom the Japanese made assistant manager, most of the local staff remained working for Raffles Hotel. After the war, Raffles Hotel regained its former fame and splendour. But as early as 1980, plans were made to restore the building which was slowly deteriorating.

On 1 March 1989, the Hotel underwent major renovations before reopening on 16 September 1991. It was restored at a cost of S$160 million and is probably the only hotel in Singapore which houses its own museum. With the renovations, a new block was added to the main historical building which has a theatre and a shopping arcade with more than 60 shops. Jennie Chua was appointed general manager, the first Singaporean, and woman at that, to manage the Hotel. Raffles Hotel remains famous for its tiffin, the buffet lunch at its Palm Court and for being the location where the Singapore Sling was first concocted. Among its most famous guests were writers Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward, and of course political dignitaries and royalty. Besides these noteworthy guests, a runaway performing tiger and a python have been known to visit the hotel. The tiger, shot in the Billiard Room, was not the only creature captured there. A wild boar was also wrestled down in the same room by a Sikh jaga.

Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673.
Completed: Beach House circa 1887; Palm Court Wings 1892; Main Building, 1899; Bras Basah Wing; 1904; Bar and Billiard Room, circa 1907. 
Architect: Main Building and Bras Basah Wing, Swan & Maclaren.
Owner: Raffles Hotel. 
Gazetted: 6 March 1987, regazetted, 3 June 1995.
Preservation Architects: Architects 61, and interiors by Bent Severin and Associates.



Author
Vernon Cornelius



References
Augustin, A. (1988). The Raffles treasury: Secrets of a grand old lady. Singapore: A. Augustin.
(Call no.: RSING 647.94595701 AUG)

Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (pp. 279-280). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 EDW)

Liu, G. (1992). Raffles Hotel. Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 647.94595701 LIU)

Liu, G. (1996). In granite and chunam: The national monuments of Singapore (pp. 230-241). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 725.94095957 LIU) 

Liu, G. (1997). Raffles Hotel style. Singapore: The Raffles Hotel.
(Call no.: RSING 647.945957 LIU)

Pregarz, R. (1990). Memories of Raffles: 22 years with a grand old hotel. Singapore: Treasury Publications.
(Call no.: RSING 647.94595701 PRE)

The Raffles Hotel. (1992). Raffles Hotel book of days. Singapore: The Raffles Hotel.
(Call no.: RSING 647.94595701 RAF)

Singh, G. (Ed.). Raffles Hotel. Singapore: A masterpiece reborn. Singapore: Al Hilal Pub. (Far East).
(Call no.: RSING 647.945957 RAF)

Urban Redevelopment Authority and Preservation of Monuments Board. (1997). Raffles Hotel preservation guidelines. Singapore: The Board.
(Call no.: RCLOS 363.69095957 RAF)

Raffles Hotel. (2004). Raffles Hotel legacy. Retrieved June 14, 2004, from  www.raffleshotel.com/aboutus.html


Further Readings
Flower, R. (1991). Raffles: The story of Singapore. Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: SING 959.57 FLO) 

Nonis, G. (1993). Raffles: The untold stories. Singapore: Angsana Books for Raffles Hotel.
(Call no.: SING 647.94595701 NON)

Sharp, I. (1991). There is only one Raffles: The story of a grand hotel. Leicester: Ulverscroft.
(Call no.: YSING 647.945957 SHA) 

The information in this article is valid as at 1997 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be 
an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Commercial Buildings
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Historic Buildings
Hotels--Singapore
Historic buildings--Singapore
Singapore--History--1867-1942
Arts>>Architecture>>Public and commercial buildings
Business, finance and industry>>Industry>>Services>>Tourism and hospitality

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