Podcast Summary: Hotels with History | Raffles Hotel, Singapore

Podcast: Intelligence Squared
Hosts: Richard E. Grant and Jules Perowne
Date: September 25, 2025

Overview

This episode of Hotels with History takes listeners on a journey through the story of Raffles Hotel, Singapore—an iconic institution that began as a humble beach bungalow and evolved into a global symbol of luxury and heritage. Hosts Richard E. Grant and Jules Perowne blend personal anecdotes with rich historical details, exploring Raffles’ ties to colonial ambition, global travel, literary inspiration, and its enduring status in the city’s cultural life.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Setting the Scene

• The episode opens with a vivid description of Singapore’s bustling cityscape and the contrasting calm of Raffles Hotel, emphasizing its sense of timelessness amid constant change.
  • “The city may swirl around you, but enter Raffles? It feels like this place has been waiting for you to step inside and slow down.” (Jules, 01:40)

Origins and Founders

• Raffles Hotel’s origins lie with the Sarkies brothers—Armenian entrepreneurs fleeing geopolitical change, who began their hospitality journey in Penang, Malaysia, before identifying Singapore’s strategic potential.

  • The rise of global travel after the Suez Canal’s opening and developments in steamship technology fostered a “golden age for global travel.” (Richard, 05:11–05:44)

• The building’s earlier life as a private beach house, Emerson’s Hotel, and a boarding house is traced, showing the property’s evolution prior to the Sarkies’ lease in 1887.

  • “The original building was a far cry from the hotel you would have stayed at, Richard, wasn’t it?” (Jules, 10:30)

Naming and Colonial Heritage

• The hotel’s name honors Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, founder of modern Singapore, whose vision of a free port catalyzed Singapore’s prosperity but was intertwined with British colonial ambitions.
  • “Raffles was a complex figure. While he certainly had vision and ambition, his legacy is tied to British colonial expansion in Southeast Asia, which brought both opportunity and exploitation.” (Richard, 09:44)

Architectural Evolution

• Rapid expansion in the late 19th century, including the addition of new guest wings and the grand Neo-Renaissance main building in 1899, designed by R.A.J. Bidwell.

  • Key physical features: cast-iron portico, palm gardens, a Victorian fountain—symbols of Raffles’ dedication to elegance and heritage.

• Preservation efforts and restorations are highlighted, ensuring that the hotel remains “a concerted effort to embed local history and heritage directly within the hotel’s physical fabric.” (Richard, 13:00)

Financial Turmoil and Resilience

• The hotel survived bankruptcy during the Great Depression (1931) due to the Sarkies brothers’ generosity—and later incorporation as Raffles Hotel Limited (1933) after clearing significant debts.

• Japanese occupation in WWII briefly transformed it into Sionan Ryokan; a legend tells of hotel staff burying silver in the Palm Court as Japanese troops approached.

  • “Legend has it that as the Japanese Imperial army descended upon the city, the Raffles Hotel held one last waltz…” (Jules, 15:15)

Cultural and Literary Influence

• Raffles’ rich literary legacy, hosting luminaries such as Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham (who often wrote under the frangipani tree), and later memorialized in suite names and resident programs.

  • “To have been young and had a room at Raffles was life at its best.” (James A. Michener, 16:01)

• Posts-war, Raffles became a magnet for global celebrities: Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson—with anecdotes about wild arrivals and unique requests.

Colourful Anecdotes and Local Folklore

• The legendary doormen of Raffles, most notably Narajan Singh (“one of the most photographed doormen in the world” – Richard, 17:57), whose duties have ranged from grand welcomes to wrestling wild boars (1904) and removing pythons.

• The famed tiger incident (1902): an escaped circus tiger sought refuge under the bar and billiard room, only to be dispatched by the local headmaster in his pyjamas (19:03).

• Other quirky stories: a guest stuck in a Shanghai jar bath, roller skating in the main dining hall (early 1900s), and the Grill Room’s transformation into the Elizabethan Grill for Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation.

Rituals and Modern Traditions

• The nightly playing of Noël Coward’s “I’ll See You Again” is a modern nod to tradition, echoing the days when live music floated up the staircase.

  • “Every night at 8pm, Noel Coward’s ‘I’ll see you again’ is played on an antique record player. It became something I looked forward to…” (Richard, 20:52)

• The Singapore Sling’s origin: invented by bartender Niam Tong Boon in 1915 as a clever way for women to enjoy alcohol discreetly in public.

  • “It’s tropical, refreshing and sweet with pineapple, lime and cherry flavours running through.” (Jules, 21:38)

• The post-2019 restoration’s reimagining of service: abolishing the front desk in favor of butler-led hospitality, a modern yet deeply rooted tradition.

Raffles as a Living Heritage

• Raffles Hotel declared a National Monument in 1987, recognizing its architectural and cultural significance.
• The hotel is still a “rite of passage” for locals, not merely a tourist destination, and remains central to Singaporean life and identity.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Raffles’ Timeless Atmosphere:
  “The city may swirl around you, but enter Raffles? It feels like this place has been waiting for you to step inside and slow down.” – Jules Perowne, 01:40

• On the Role of Hotels in History:
  “Hotels are where history happens... the true silent witnesses to history, where the past lingers in every corridor.” – Jules, 03:28

• On Historical Expansion:
  “Please remember, we are no better than the best, but better than the rest.” – Sarkies Brothers’ 1887 advertisement, 10:37

• On Literary Legacy:
  “To have been young and had a room at Raffles was life at its best.” – James A. Michener, 16:01

• On Butlers and Service:
  “Service should be like a gentle breeze, unobtrusive, yet ever present.” – Jules, 23:29

• On Singapore’s Transformation:
  “Outside, the Singapore which Sir Raffles once knew has transformed beyond anything he could have imagined… always moving forward, but never quite letting go of where it began.” – Richard, 24:20

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:49–02:31: Vivid introduction to Singapore’s energy and the tranquil contrast of Raffles Hotel
• 04:17–06:13: Story of the Sarkies brothers and the global shift in travel
• 08:20–10:12: Naming of Raffles and colonial Singapore’s transformation
• 11:05–12:33: Expansion and Neo-Renaissance redesign
• 13:00–14:25: Great Depression and recovery
• 14:33–15:23: World War II, Japanese occupation, and the legend of buried silver
• 15:23–17:32: Literary legends and celebrity guests
• 17:47–19:32: The legendary doormen and tiger incident
• 19:32–20:44: Peculiar anecdotes and transformations—Shanghai jars, roller skating, Royal visits
• 20:52–21:27: Noel Coward tradition
• 21:38–22:22: Singapore Sling’s invention and significance
• 22:59–23:39: Writer-in-residence program
• 23:12–24:03: Modern service innovations—elimination of the front desk
• 24:20–25:35: Raffles’ national monument status and enduring place in Singaporean culture

Conclusion

Hotels with History presents the story of Raffles Hotel, Singapore, as a unique intersection of architecture, commerce, literature, and tradition—embodying the city’s ability to reinvent itself while revering its roots. Through evocative storytelling, candid recollections, and memorable anecdotes, the episode illustrates why Raffles remains a living monument: where every guest, whether literary giant or local family, becomes part of its ongoing legacy.