11 The fables of Raffles
One of the great heritage hotels of the world, Raffles Singapore has a storied literary legacy. But, as Imogen Eveson experiences, it is writing a new chapter too, which cherishes its history while channelling the contemporary.
We always say the best way to get to know Raffles is to get lost,” reassures the concierge as I fumble my directions again. It's sage advice that I follow as I tread the hallowed ground of Singapore's most legendary hotel, which is laid out in an intricate confection of buildings and wings, courtyards and tropical gardens. A salve against the city's equatorial climate, Raffles is a composite of white marble colonnades lined with lush palm trees and polished teak underfoot that lead me to the sanctuary of my suite in the Palm Court wing. Pulitzer Prizewinning novelist James A. Michener lends his name to my refuge, one of 12 Personality Suites so called for the luminaries that once resided in them; he, surely, would have known this place like the back
