1887    1888    1892    1894    1899    1902    1904    1907    1910    1913    1915    1920    1921    1930    1933    1941    1942    1945    1953    1963    1965    1967   1986    1987    1989    1991    1992    1993    1994    1995    1996    1997    1998    

1887    In September, a short article in the local press announced the intention of the Sarkies Brothers, proprietors of the Eastern & Oriental (E & O) in Penang, to open a hotel in Singapore and name it after Singapore's founder, Sir Stamford Raffles. The location: the old bungalow at the corner of the Beach and Bras Basah Roads owned by the Arab trader Mohamed Alsagoff. On 1 December, Raffles Hotel opened to the public as a 10-room Hotel. Over the next few years, a pair of wings flanking the bungalow were added.

1888    Author Joseph Conrad, then a seaman plying the eastern seas, was believed to be one of Raffles Hotel's earliest guests. Not long after, the young Rudyard Kipling who was on an around the world trip dined at the Hotel and wrote 'Feed at Raffles'. These men of letters inaugurate the Hotel's legendary literary tradition which continues today.

1892     The Sarkies expanded their business, opening Raffles Tiffin Rooms in May at Raffles Place. Martin Sarkies, the eldest brother, retired from the business. Tigran was placed in charge of the Singapore operations; Aviet was placed in Rangoon where he guided the opening of the Strand Hotel; and Arshak looked after the E&O in Penang, the oldest of the family's hotels.

1894        In December the Palm Court wing was opened.

1899    Raffles Hotel's familiar Main Building was completed and opened with great fanfare on 18 November. This marked the beginning of the Hotels' heyday.  The elegant Non - Renaissance architecture and grand spaces reflected comfort and style. The Hotel also boasted Singapore's first electric lights and fans and a French chef. Raffles Hotel rapidly became a magnet for travellers and Singapore residents.

1902        In August the last tiger to be killed in Singapore was pursued at Raffles Hotel and was finally shot while cowering under the Bar & Billiard, then an elevated building.

1904    The Bras Basah wing opened, making Raffles 'the most magnificent establishment of its kind East of Suez', according to a newspaper report of the day. The Hotel was the venue for numerous social events, from dinner dances to skating dinners and billiard competitions, and played host to travellers from all over the globe.

1907    The two-table Bar & Billiard Room was enlarged and remodelled to hold six tables. The building, which was transformed into guest rooms a decade later, became a landmark in the city.

1910    The Raffles Hotel Post Office opened, serving Hotel guests and the surrounding area up to the late 1920s. Bartender Ngiam Tong Boon created the Million Dollar Cocktail and Singapore Sling before 1910. The exact year is unknown.

1913    A cast iron verandah, complete with stained glass, was added to the front of the Main Building. Here travellers imbibed the Hotel's offerings and enjoyed the cool sea breeze.

1915    A. Dietz composed 'The Raffles March' and dedicated it to Tigran Sarkies.

1920    The verandah was replaced by an airy ballroom which quickly earned the reputation of the 'finest ballroom in the East'.

1921    Somerset Maugham made the first of his visits to Raffles Hotel; he returned again in 1926 and 1959. Legend has it that he worked all mornings under a frangipani tree in the Palm Court, turning the bits of gossip and scandal overheard at dinner parties into his famous stories.

This was the decade that saw the beginnings of the 'tourism industry' in Singapore and Malaya. In recognition of this trend the Hotel published its own guidebooks. The Hotel continued to play host to the rich and famous, including Charlie Chaplin, Maurice Chevalier, Frank Buck and Jean Harlow.

1930    Noel Coward, the British playwright, novelist and actor, arrived at Raffles Hotel in the company of Lord Amherst. While here he played the part of Captain Stanhope in the play 'Journey's End' which was being presented by a visiting dramatic troupe at Victoria Theatre.

1931    The Great Depression and slump in the Malayan rubber trade took their toll on the colony's economy. Raffles Hotel was not spared. Not long after the death of Arshak Sarkies, the last of the four brothers, the business of the Sarkies Brothers, Proprietors, which included both Raffles Hotel and the E&O (Eastern and Oriental) in Penang, went into receivership.

1933    The Hotel's financial matters were sorted out and a new public company called Raffles Hotel Ltd was formed. A Swiss, Teddy Troller, took up the position of General Manager. Raffles Hotel's main rival, the Hotel de L'Europe, closed its doors for good.

1941    World War II engulfed Singapore. Japan bombed Singapore and sank the Royal Navy's Prince of Wales and Repulse off the coast of Malaya. British families, which made their way down the Malaya Peninsula with the Japanese in pursuit, congregated at Raffles Hotel.

1942    Singapore surrendered to Japan as British colonials gathered at Raffles Hotel to dance and sing 'There Will Always Be An England'.

1945    Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces and Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten accepted the return of Singapore to British control. Raffles Hotel became a temporary transit camp for war prisoners released under the military administration-and was a shadow to its former self.

1953          The Raffles Grill was renamed Elizabethian Grill to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The 1950s saw Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor among the famous who visited the hotel.

1963    Singapore, Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak formed the Federation of Malaysia.

1965    Singapore left the Federation to become a sovereign and independent nation.

1967    Pretty Polly, which starred Trevor Howard and Hayley Mills, was filmed at Raffles Hotel.

1986    Raffles Hotel celebrated its centenary a year early to coincide with the Year of the Tiger. A live tiger was photographed on the first day of the year-on top of the Hotel's billiard table.

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1987    The Singapore government designated Raffles Hotel a National Monument.

1989    In March, the Hotel closed to enable a complete restoration. The multi-million dollar project would return Raffles to its elegant looks of the 1910s and 1920s and ensure its status as one of the world's Grand Hotels.

1991    On 16 September, the restored Hotel reopened its doors to the public, looking much as it did in 1915 when in its elegant first heyday.

1 November and beyond saw the opening of Raffles Hotel Arcade with more facilities and attractions including 65 specialty shops, additional food and beverage outlets, the Raffles Hotel Museum & Museum Shop, Jubilee Hall theatre playhouse, and five function areas.

1992    The official commemoration of Raffles Hotel as a National Monument took place with the unveiling of a plaque at the entrance of the Main Building.

At the ASEAN Tourism Forum, the Hotel was named ''best ASEAN Conservation Effort''.

American Express Cardholders of UK and Europe voted Raffles as one of the ''Best Hotels in the World'' in Expression magazine.

The Gallivanter's Guide circulated in the UK and USA, named the Hotel ''Best Landmark Hotel Worldwide''.

The US-based Hideaway Report named the Hotel ''Urban Sanctuary of the Year'' while the breakfast at the Tiffin Room received a special citation and described as ''an extravagant morning buffet that's becoming a legend in its own right''.

Raffles Hotel launches its lavishly illustrated hardbound book titled ''Raffles Hotel'', a definitive on the Hotel's history and restoration.

Raffles Hotel begins the tradition of an annual Christmas Gala Dinner and Tree Auction for charity.

1993    At Internationale Tourism Board (ITB), the largest travel trade event in the world, Raffles Hotel was honoured with gold in the ''Top Individual Hotel'' category.

The Institutional Investor magazine voted Raffles ''bankers favourite hotel in Singapore''.

''Raffles-The Untold Story'' was launched and took a humourous look at the Hotel and its history.

The Business traveller (Asia Pacific) magazine ranked Raffles Hotel first in the Singapore Hotel's category in its Annual Readers Travel Preference Awards.

Raffles Hotel revives the tradition of the New Year's eve Gala Ball at the Lobby.

1994    Meeting and Incentive Magazine, UK, named the Hotel , the ''Best Overseas Hotel'' in its annual Incentive Travel Category Awards.

Business Traveller (Germany) magazine ranked it second in the ''Best Hotel Worldwide for Leisure/Private Travel'' category in their annual readers' survey.

Card members of Diners Club International Singapore voted Empire Cafe in Raffles Hotel as the ''Favourite Coffeehouse'' at the annual Diners Club Members' Choice Awards.

The Lady Sophia Suite, a function room for meetings and exhibitions, was commemorated   in honour of Lady Sophia Raffles, wife of the founder of Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles.

The Hotel was named ''World's Leading Independent Hotel'' at the first World Travel Awards organized by the Travel Trade Gazette publications worldwide. Thirty awards were given out based on questionnaires sent to 250, 000 travel agents worldwide.

"The Raffles Hotel Cookbook" was launched. A lavish, 160-page book of 100 recipes from the Hotel's restaurants.

1995    Doc Cheng's, a new restaurant for restorative 'trans-ethnic' foods opened on Level 2 of the Raffles Hotel Arcade with a trendy yet cosy dining environment. The restaurant salutes the exuberant life of the doctor who has a legend before the war.

The first in Singapore by a hotel an among only three worldwide in hotels, the Raffles Culinary Academy offered cooking classes on Singapore's diverse ethnic specialities and Raffles signature dishes. Conducted by the Hotel's team of professianal chefs, lifestyle classes on hosting etiquette to wine tasting were also highlighted.

A renowned Italian artist, Carlo Marchiori returned to Raffles Hotel to add to its classic ambience with elegant fresco murals depicting landscapes of old Asia and figures composesd in dance spanning the exterior walls and corridors of the Hotel's function areas, The Ballroom & Jubilee Hall.

An unprecedented gathering of internationally acclaimed Michellin star chefs and award-winning vintners presented the finest in food and wine at Raffles' First Annual Wine & Food Experience.

In celebration of 108 years of its establishment, Raffles Hotel issued a phonecard illustrating the Hotel's grand facade framed by the famous Traveller's Palm. The commemorative pack also featured the Hotel's first day cover, issued in 1990.

A charming collection of eleven stories, 'Fables from the Raffles Hotel Arcade' chronicles the yarns of those inspired by the legendary Raffles Hotel. These stories are a compilation of entries to a short story competition launched to commemorate Somerset Maugham's 120th birthday.

Raffles Hotel introduced 'Braille' In-suite Dining Menus and Directory of Services, specially designed for visually impaired residents of the Hotel.

Raffles Hotel was awarded the title of "Super Star Hotel" by Star Service, a Reed Travel Group's Guide to hotels and cruise ships.

The Official Hotel Guide, a leading reference on the best hotels and resorts in the world, classified Raffles Hotel as the first and only "Superior Deluxe Class" hotel in Singapore.

Raffles Hotel was one of six hotels in the Asia-Pacific region to be awarded the "Asia Pacific Gold Platter Award" for excellence in food and beverage by Meetings & Conventions Asia, a bi-monthly Reed Meeting Group Magazine.

Andrew Harper's Q Club Executive Survey voted Raffles Hotel the 'Best Singapore Hotel'.

UK Gallivanter's Guide once again awarded Raffles Hotel the title of "Best Landmark Hotel" and in the same survey placed the Hotel in the top three position for "Best Asia/Pacific City Hotel & Best Service Worldwide".

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, a connoisseur's worldwide guide to peaceful and unspoilt places crowned Raffles Hotel as the "Grand Award Winner for Worldwide City Hotels" in its 16th Reader's Survey. Raffles Hotel was one of six Worldwide City Hotels and the only Asia/Pacific hotel to receive the accolade.

1996    Built in 1904, the  Bras Basah Wing of Raffles Hotel was re-established as Raffles Inc. Housing what was agreed to be 18 of the most commodious State Rooms in the East, it continues to extend to corporate travellers, a welcome replete with much of its historic charm.

A charming flower boutique, Sir Charles-Flowers for the Gentleman, opens at the Raffles Hotel Arcade. A distinctive florist, Sir Charles offers blooms while you wait, for the gentleman to shower his lady and for the lady to accord her gentleman. Special one-colour flowers of the season in unique signature receptacles are also available.

A symbol of the past, the Raffles Hotel Dhobi, opens at the Seah Street Entrance Counter. It offers the busy executive, convenient 'Drop n Pick' drycleaning services with choice of 3 day or 24 hour service.

'Doughboy', a unique, trendy, quick stop, self-service, fast food sandwich shop with distinctive ambience, food and service opens at Raffles City's basement, 'The Marketplace'. Offering signature breads baked on site, Doughboy's feature 8pecial spreads with 13 unique fillings, nutritious salads and soups, cookies and sweet breads and a fashionable range of new world wines, alcoholic sodas and restorative drinks. Raffles Hotel is named  for the second time as the first and only 'Superior Deluxe Hotel' in Singapore, out of 250 000 properties worldwide, by the Official Hotel Guide, a leading reference on the best hotels and resorts in the world.

Raffles Hotel has been voted the 'World's Leading Independent Hotel' again at the 3rd World Travel Awards in Las Vegas. The annual awards honour travel and tourism service providers for their exemplary service and excellence. Raffles Hotel last won the award in 1994.

16 September 1996 marked the 5th Anniversary of Raffles Hotel's reopening after two and a half years of major restoration in 1991. A limited edition vintage French wine, specially labelled 'anniversary' Chateau Malescasse 1991, commemorated the occasion which celebrates the Hotel's global achievements over the past 5 years and pays tribute to he patrons and staff of the Hotel. 106 employees who had served Raffles Hotel since its reopening, received long service awards.

Completing the list of top honours for 1996, October saw Raffles Hotel as the only  Singapore hotel placed among the world's top 10 hotels by prestigious US based magazine, Institutional Investor.

On Nov 22, Raffles Hotel paid tribute to one of Chile's most influential contemporary poets and 1971 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, with the commemoration of the Pablo Neruda suite, located at the Hotel's Courtyard wing. The suite was officially dedicated by Chile's President, His Excellency, Mr Eduardo Frei.

Raffles Hotel was the scene for a US$20 million Hollywood production, starring Glenn Close and Jean Simmons. Written and directed by award-winning director, Bruce Beresford, Paradise Road features the splendour of the Hotel's facade.

1997    Raffles Hotel celebrated its 110th anniversary this year with a programme of events that expressed the Hotel's unique character and heritage. To highlight the special year, the Hotel created a distinctive anniversary logo, designed to capture the essence of the Hotel in classic script.

Raffles Hotel Museum presented "A Salute to the Golden Age of Travel", an exhibition of luggage labels and picture postcards from the Raffles Hotel Collection, tracing the history of the Grand Hotels of Asia over the past 110 years.

To mark the 110th anniversary, a limited edition specially blended commemorative champagne bottled by France's renowned House of Pommery, with Raffles Hotel's own label, was sold at the Raffles Hotel Shops.

A high-quality coffee table book, entitled "Raffles Hotel Style", was published. The book captures Raffles Hotel's remarkable character, highlighting the architecture and gardens, the stunning range of antiques and artwork, the flowers and decorative touches that compose the Hotel's unique and much-admired style.

A stage-play specially written for the anniversary by Singapore celebrity, performer and songwriter Dick Lee and playwright Ovidia Yu, entitled 'A Twist Of Fate' premiered at the Jubilee Hall Theatre Playhouse on September 18, with the season till September 29.

The Lawn and the Palm Court were, for the first time, venues for Afternoon Tea & Croquet, an event that saw many of Singapore's well-known personalities engaging in the sport-all for a good cause. Proceeds from the afternoon's activity were donated to charity.

Raffles Hotel was once again awarded the title of "Super Star Hotel" by Star Service, a Reed Travel Group's Guide to hotels and cruise ships. This is the second time the Hotel has been awarded this accolade, last won in 1995.

Raffles Hotel was voted "Best Individual Hotel in Asia Pacific" at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart in Beijing. The award, presented by Miller Freeman-publisher of Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) Asia and Pacific Travel News (PTN) Asia Pacific-is based on returns from leading travel agents, corporate travel planners, tour operators and destination management companies.

Raffles Hotel was the only hotel amongst 27 Singapore Organizations included in the pioneer batch of the "Singapore Quality Class" award, to be bestowed by the Productivity & Standards Board (PSB) at the 3rd Singapore Quality Award Presentation Ceremony on 16 July 1997.

Raffles Hotel was honoured with "The SAF Award for Employers" by the Ministry of Defence on 23 July 1997. The award, presented by Dr Tony Tan, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence, was in recognition of Raffles Hotel's significant contributions towards National Service and Total Defence activities.      

1998    The hit murder-mystery, A Twist of Fate, voted "Best Musical of 1997" by The Straits Times, returned due to popular demand to the Jubilee Hall Theatre Playhouse.

9 September 1998 witnessed the re-opening of the Ah Teng's and Empire Café, after extensive renovation. In addition to physical extension, the menus of the two restaurants similarly expanded most innovatively.

On 14 September, Raffles Hotel commemorated a suite in honour of James A. Michener, Pulitzer-prize winning novelist, who had a life-long love of travels and Raffles Hotel. The launch of the suite also coincided with the Hotel's 111th birthday which fell on 16 September 1998. The launch was officiated by the US Ambassador to Singapore, HE Ambassador Steven Green.

At the 10th Annual Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) 1998 Travel Awards, Raffles Hotel was regconised as the "Best Individual Hotel" in Asia Pacific, for the second successive year. The highly regarded and coveted award, presented by Miller Freeman (publisher if TTG Asia and PTN Asis Pacific), regconises outstanding organisations in the Asia Pacific travel trade and reflect the opinions and views of frequent industry users and influential travel experts.

Voted by some 140,000 readers of International Business Asia Magazine and worldwide viewers of CNBC, Raffles Hotel was rated "Best Business Hotel in Singapore". These inaugural awards were established to search for hotels whick make a difference to business travellers' trips to the region and concurrently supports the region's finest business hotels, encouraging unparalled quality throughout the industry.

Raffles Hotel was ranked fourth in the World and top Asian hotels in the prestigious ranking of "Institutional Investor Readers Select World Best Hotels" in its eighteenth year; based on a survey of senior financial executives from 25 countries. This award is no stranger to Raffles Hotel-she was the only Singaore Hotel to be placed among the World's top 10 Hotels in 1996.

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, the oldest and most reliable travel poll of its kind conducted among high-level United States executives, voted Raffles Hotel as among the favourites in two occasions-"Top Hotel in Major World Cities" and "TOP 20 International City Hotels". The results was published in Forbes magazine (21 September issue).

Yet another award for Raffles Hotel. as she celebrates her 111th Anniversary. Raffles Hotel was ranked by thousands of Travel & Leisure Magazine readers worldwide for superior accomodation/ambience, service, faciltties, location and value; thus emerging as one of the "Top Hotels in Asia" in The World's Best Awards 1998.

Raffles' fifteen restaurants and bars achieved one of the highest accolades in the food and beverage industry. It was conferred the "Gold Platter" award for Best Food and Beverage Outlet in the 1998 M & C Gold Awards, at the Sheranton Imperial in Kuala Lumpur, on October 1998. Raffles is the only Hotel in Singapore to sweep the award, in regconition of the unique concept themes and excellent service standards of her restaurants and bars.

Raffles Hotel was awarded the prestigious 1998 National Training Award by the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (PSB) on 3 November. This achievement is attributed to the Hotel's outstanding training programmes which enable employees to contribute effectively towards the "Raffles Experience".

The Raffles Grill, Tiffin Room, Empress Room and Doc Cheng's were conferred the title of Singapore's Top Restaurant in 1998/1999 at the Wine and Dine's 15th Anniversary, on 8 December 1998. Chosen based on good food, wine list, presentation, service excellence, ambience and star quality, the meticulous selection of top restaurants in Singapore were tried and tested by familiar food critics on the Wine and Dine team, and a guest panelist which included, amongst others, well-known food enthusiasts and aficionados.

Raffleswas honored as the "World's Leading Boutique Hotel", honoured at the 5th Annual World Travel Awards. This is the first time Raffles has been bestowed the award, once again firmly establishing herself as one of the world's best loved hotel. Launched in 1994 to promote and honour excellence in the world's largest industry, the World Travel Awards have become the highlight of prestigious events in the travel calendar, supported by some 680, 000 travel agents in 94, 000 travel agencies worldwide.

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