Raffles Hotel since 1887
Situated in the heart of the business and civic district, Raffles Singapore is a veritable oasis in the city. The hotel was built by Armenian hoteliers, the Sarkies Brothers and it opened its doors in 1887. The Raffles Hotel was named after British statesman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. Today, it is one of the few remaining great 19th century hotels in the world, and the flagship property of Raffles Hotels & Resorts.
A century after its opening, the hotel was declared a National Monument by the Singapore Government. Its colonial architecture stand out from the contemporary style of its surrounding neighbours in the business and civic district. Through the decades, liveried Sikh doormen have welcomed some of the most famous personalities, from writers to celebrities, politicians and members of royalty. Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling and Michael Jackson are among those who have succumbed to the charms of the Raffles.
Today, nothing much has changed with esteemed guests such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, George Bush, Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Louboutin still choosing to put up at the hotel. No visit to Singapore is complete without a stay at this iconic all-suite luxury Singapore hotel. Each suite features period furnishings, lofty 14-foot ceilings and modern conveniences expected of a 21st-century hotel. Raffles butlers, legendary for their charming and graceful service are available to fulfil requests both ordinary and extraordinary. 14 restaurants and bars offers a unique menu prepared using only the freshest of ingredients. Among the most well-loved include the fine dining establishment Raffles Grill; Long Bar, where the famous Singapore Sling was created; and Writers Bar, a tribute to the novelists and travel writers, who have become part of the hotel’s legend.
Adelphi Hotel since 1863
Established in the 1850s, the Adelphi Hotel was regarded as one of the largest and oldest hotels in Singapore. A prominent landmark in the High Street and North Bridge Road shopping area, the heydays of the hotel was immortalised in the literary works of Somerset Maugham. The Adelphi Hotel ceased to exist in 1973 after its proprietors decided to voluntarily liquidate the property.
The Adelphi Hotel was first advertised in The Straits Times on 7 May 1850 by its proprietor, C. Goymour, promising “superior accommodation” and “hot and cold baths”. Initially located at High Street, the hotel was once patronised by Her Majesty’s Navy and Army and earned a reputation for its cleanliness and comfortable services. To further support its growing clientele, Goymour made improvements to his establishment by building a Billiard Room and two bowling alleys for the guests' entertainment. Additionally, the hotel offered economical boarding rates of between $35 to $40 per month for boarders between 1851 and 1858. In 1863, the hotel moved to Coleman Street due to the space constraints at High Street. In a newspaper advertisement column from 1896, the hotel was promoted as the “most central and convenient position in Town”. In 1903, the Adelphi Hotel was purchased by Messers Sarkies, Johannes and Co. of Malacca Street for a large sum. In turn, the new Dutch proprietors converted the building into a first-class 100-bedroom European hotel. Under the new management, the establishment was completely re-fitted with electricity for lights and fans. Its dining room floors were marble which allowed it to be converted into a ballroom.[10] Promoted as “one of the finest and most comfortable hotels in the East”, the Adelphi Hotel cemented its reputation and credibility as one of the Big Three hotels in Singapore - alongside Raffles Hotel, Hotel de L’Europe and Hotel de La Paix.
The Adelphi Hotel was renowned for its excellent and appetising menu. For instance, the proprietors promoted extravagant dinner nights in celebration of the Queen of Holland’s birthday. A particular gala night also saw the establishment serving: Caviare on Toast, Mock Turtle Soup, Pate de Foie Gras en Aspie, Pigeon Fricasse, Filet of Beef a la Jardineire, Roast Capon and Swiss Cheese, to name a few. The popularity of the Adelphi Hotel as a first-class establishment did not wane throughout its existence. Notably, while it was renamed as the Nanto Hotel during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942-1945), its reputation continued to be recognised by the Japanese military. In 1973, the proprietors of the Adelphi Hotel, New Adelphi Hotel Private Limited - decided to liquidate the company voluntarily. In turn, the land on which Adelphi Hotel stood on was returned to the owners, Chartered Bank Trustees (Malaya) Ltd. On 24 June 1973 the 110-year-old hotel held its last dinner and dance with proceeds going to the Singapore Chesire Home. Some 200 guests and “old-time” customers were invited to the farewell party that lasted until midnight.
Goodwood Hotel since 1900
Tower Block of the Goodwood Park Hotel
The Goodwood Park Hotel (Chinese: 良木园酒店) is a heritage hotel in Singapore, situated in a 6-hectare landscaped garden on Scotts Road. It was first built as the club house for the Teutonic Club serving the expatriate German community in Singapore, and later converted into a hotel. The hotel was the first in Singapore to have a swimming-pool on the premises, and an air-conditioned wine cellar. The Tower Block of the hotel has been gazetted as a national monument of Singapore.
The Goodwood Park Hotel building was built in 1900 to the design of R. A. J. Bidwell, of Swan and Maclaren. Its architecture has an eclectic Victorian flavour, with its turrets and decorated façade. The Tower Block has elements of the Queen Anne Revival style and the tower itself may have been influenced by those found on castles in Germany's Rhineland region. The building was constructed for the sum of St$20,000. The Teutonia Club was an exclusive enclave first established on 28 June 1856 for the expatriate German community in Singapore. The club was housed in a couple of different locations until it purchased a piece of land on Scotts Road in 1861 to build a club house. Additional plot of land adjacent to the site was later purchased to enlarge the compound and construct a new building for the club. Construction of the new clubhouse began in 1899. On 21 September 1900, the new clubhouse opened as the Deutsches Haus (German House) with a ball attended by about 500 guests, including James Alexander Swettenham, then Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements. However, when the First World War broke out, the British government in Singapore classified all Germans as enemy forces. Most of the Germans in Singapore either fled or were shipped to Australia, and the Teutonia Club seized by the Custodian of Enemy Property.
In 1918, the building was auctioned off by the Custodian of Enemy Property to three Jewish brothers – Morris, Ezekiel and Ellis Manasseh, who also bought five other houses behind it. The entire estate was renamed Goodwood Hall, after the famous Goodwood Racecourse in England. A bar was added, as well as a restaurant and café, and it was registered in 1922 as a restaurant-café-entertainment establishment,[4] It served as a venues for social gatherings and entertainment, hosting for example a performance by the ballerina Anna Pavlova. It also host sports amenities. In April 1929, the building was turned into a hotel named the Goodwood Park Hotel, with rooms added to the Tower Wing and the houses at the rear used as suites.
Fullerton Hotel since 1928
It was during the high emotion and jubilation of Singapore’s Centenary in 1919, directly after World War I had ended with an Allied victory, that the plan for this grand building was conceived. It would be, said the then British Governor, Sir Laurence Guillemard, “a monument worthy of the city.” The massive classical-styled or Palladian, fluted Doric colonnades and elaborate ornamentation of the Fullerton Building reflect the full-blown colonial confidence of its builders at the time it was erected, 1928.
The building would hold not only the General Post Office, presided over by the Postmaster General, but also the Exchange, and offices for the Governor of Singapore and the High Commissioner for the Federation of Malay States, as well as other government offices such as the headquarters for the Master Attendant, the Surveyor-General of Ships, the Port Health Office, the Veterinary Surgeon and the Imports and Exports Office. This is the building that has witnessed Singapore’s modern history unfold, acting as the last bastion of Singapore’s Governor Sir Shenton Thomas as the Japanese army marched into Singapore in 1942, with Allied soldiers taking refuge in its spacious corridors. The Fullerton Building was also the backdrop for pivotal political rallies during the post-World War II battle for Singapore’s Independence from the British. The ‘Singapore Stone’, one of Singapore’s most famous national treasure was also unearthed on its ground.
Today, the building is home to the luxurious grande dame 400-room The Fullerton Hotel. Extraordinary for its historic architecture and for the scale and quality of its 21st century restoration, The Fullerton Hotel has won the hearts of many of our guests, as it provides a blend of luxurious living with a touch of elegance and the nostalgia of old.
Singapore's Iconic Buildings & Landmarks
Capitol Theatre
In 1929, Mirza Mohamed Ali Namazie, a Persian businessman of the Namazie family, commissioned the theatre to be built in Singapore, with S. A. H. Shirazee, an Indian-Muslim merchant and community leader, and the South African brothers Joe and Julius Fisher from First National Pictures, joined in to form Capitol Theatres Ltd as its operator. Namazie would serve as the theatre company's chairman with Shirazee as director, Joe Fisher as managing director and his brother Julius Fisher as the publicity manager. Architecture and equipments
Joe Fisher travelled overseas to acquire the materials for the theatre's furnishings, decorations and design. The Capitol Theatre was designed neoclassical architecture by British architects Keys and Dowdeswell, with its general plan, seating arrangements and lighting inspired from the Roxy Theatre in New York, United States. Builders Messrs Brossard and Mopin began construction of the foundation around July 1929. Messrs Sherwin-Williams Paint Co. in collaboration with local partner Messrs Lohmann and Co., designed the theatre's walls' and ceilings' detailing. Although installed with ventilation system, the theatre's roof was able to slide open which leave a 40-foot aperture for more ventilation.
The first layout of the theatre could accommodate at least 1,600 people, with 1,100 seated on the ground floor. Another 500 seats were available at the circle that could be accessed via lifts or staircases. The seats were a few inches wider than normal British cinema seats, and the upholstery was supplied by a New York company. The theatre had a large projection room located below the balcony and ran the length of the building instead of being traditionally sited in the rear. It housed the latest Simplex projector installed with fireproof protection shutters. The theatre's acoustics and soundproofing were said to be exceptional at that time. Special expensive sound installations costing at least 40,000 Straits dollars were imported from Western Electric Company. The theatre's stage was also designed for stage productions, with changing rooms and organ chambers built into the theatre. It was also the first to equip multihued lighting system using concealed lamps with a dimmer function, which was never used in other existing theatres in Singapore at that time. Besides having the floodlit main entrance at the junction of Stamford Road and North Bridge Road, there are also two side entrances from Stamford Road and North Bridge Road, with a parking lot to accommodate at least 200 cars. There were several food outlets at the theatre. The main café on the first floor had a dance floor where cabaret was held at the selected nights, and adjoining the café was a restaurant known as the Capitol Restaurant. A café lounge was located at the circle. A special cooling room for making French pastries was built in the kitchen on the ground floor. Its adjoined building known as Namazie Mansions, which was named after the Chairman Namazie, was completed in the early 1930.
National Monuments of Singapore
Our National Monuments are an integral part of Singapore’s built heritage, which the National Heritage Board (NHB) preserves and promotes for posterity. They are monuments and sites that are accorded the highest level of protection in Singapore.
