Latest news with #RafflesSingapore
Tatler Asia
30-05-2025
- Tatler Asia
Retro-Luxe Hotels: 9 glamorous stays that bring back vintage style
One of the world's most iconic retro-luxe hotels, Raffles Singapore, opened 1887, is a time capsule of colonial splendour. Its 1899 neo-Renaissance main building by Regent Alfred John Bidwell featured then-modern powered ceiling fans. The architecture showcases whitewashed walls, polished teak verandahs, marble colonnades, and palm-filled courtyards. Interiors epitomise the Raffles Singapore style: teakwood floors, 14-ft ceilings, mahogany furniture, and Victorian-detailed bathrooms with Peranakan tiles. The legendary Long Bar, restored by interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud and her team at the global design team Aedas, retains its plantation style with palm-shaped ceiling fans and monochrome rattan chairs, offering a taste of historic Singapore luxury. Order the original Singapore Sling, invented here in 1915, and toast to history. Also read: 6 Icons not to miss at Raffles Hotel Singapore, including the Singapore Sling and Long Bar's peanut littering traditio n 2. Hotel Esencia (Tulum, Mexico): a barefoot-luxury hotel with mid-century soul Once the seaside retreat of an Italian duchess on a majestic 50-acre estate, Hotel Esencia offers a masterclass in barefoot luxury with a retro soul in Tulum. Tucked between jungle and sea, its hacienda-style architecture features traditional archways, with the Main House as its historical centerpiece. The design—think Mad Men meets Peggy Guggenheim—curated by owner Kevin Wendle, blends mid-century treasures with Mexican antiques against breezy white concrete interiors accented by bright primary colours, capturing 1950s jet-set nostalgia. Studio Giancarlo Valle incorporated organic forms and traditional Mexican craft, from Guadalajara tiles and Oaxaca rugs to locally carved wood furniture. Designer pieces like Charlotte Perriand chairs and Picasso ceramics enhance this unique Mexican getaway. The spa's carved stone tub evokes ancient Mayan rituals even as hidden speakers provide the soundtrack, perfecting this retro-luxe Tulum experience. 3. The Siren Hotel (Detroit, USA)— a restored Wurlitzer building with vintage Detroit glamour Inside a lovingly restored 1926 Wurlitzer building designed by Robert Finn in Italian Renaissance Revival style, The Siren Hotel in Detroit is a love letter to faded grandeur and new-world creativity. ASH NYC and Quinn Evans Architects preserved original travertine floors and plaster ceiling details, informing the lobby's antiques and mossy green walls. Bold, jewel-toned spaces feature a palette of soft whites, pale pinks, and deep oxblood, with guest rooms in muted pink and burgundy. Art Deco influences shine in its design, with Art Nouveau styled sirens at the entrance. Velvet seating, including pink banquettes in the Candy Bar with its sparkling chandelier, and custom terrazzo bathroom tiles, conjure old-Hollywood energy. This historic Detroit hotel even features an in-house barbershop reminiscent of a Wes Anderson set piece, making for a truly vintage-inspired stay. 4. Hotel Locarno (Rome, Italy)—Art Deco charm in a historic Roman hotel A favourite of artists (like the legendary filmmaker Federico Fellini) since the 1920s, Hotel Locarno in Rome drips with Roman romanticism and Art Deco charm. Its 1925 main building and annexed 1905 palazzo showcase oil paintings, parquet floors, and embellished ceiling stuccoes. Each uniquely decorated room in this historic Rome hotel features antique fixtures, lavish draperies and luxurious tapestries. Suites like the Venezia boast Art Nouveau-inspired coffered ceilings with gilded mouldings and marble terrazzo floors, while the Bellevie suite offers a forest green marble bathroom with a 1920s dressing table. An art-nouveau birdcage elevator, tasseled keys, and vintage bicycles available at the entrance complete the 1920s glamour. The rooftop bar provides aperitivo with a cinematic backdrop, perfect for a glamourous Rome experience. 5. Le Grand Mazarin (Paris, France)—Parisian Elegance with Rococo Revival style Designed by Martin Brudnizki in Le Marais, this theatrical Parisian hideaway, Le Grand Mazarin, revisits French classicism with a modern, whimsical twist, inspired by aristocratic literary salons. It's a riot of rococo revival, where pastel velvets from Maison Pierre Frey and Belle Époque-style chandeliers by Maison Lucien Gau meet fine lacquered paneling. Collaborations with esteemed French craft houses like Henryot & Cie for furniture and Ateliers Gohard for Boubalé restaurant's gilded ceiling ensure authenticity in this luxury Marais hotel. The feel of being in a collector's home is enhanced by bespoke pieces, flea market finds and over 500 artworks, with a hand-painted pool ceiling by Jacques Merle. And while retro glamour runs deep, the service and spa are refreshingly 21st century. 6. The Colony Hotel (Palm Beach, Florida)—vintage Americana and Palm Beach chic come together A candy-coloured gem of old Palm Beach society since 1947, The Colony Hotel embodies cheeky glamour and vintage Americana. Its iconic 'Colony pink' exterior and 'Brazilliance' banana-leaf wallpaper were Carleton Varney additions in 2014. Redesigns by Kemble Interiors feature custom de Gournay monkey wallpaper, scalloped headboards in Schumacher fabric, and rattan armoires by Society Social, defining Palm Beach chic. The lobby shines with Art Deco chandeliers, while velvet, bamboo and wicker abound. The poolside, with its vibrant umbrellas (likely scalloped and pink) and cabanas with Matouk linens, evokes a Slim Aarons world, perfect for a retro Florida getaway. It's his world—and you're just sipping rosé in it. 7. The Hoxton (Brussels, Belgium)—70s design in a Brutalist Brussels hotel Housed in the 1970s Brutalist Victoria Building, The Hoxton, Brussels, softens its imposing structure with retro design by AIME Studios. The vibe is disco-era-Brussel- meets-Brooklyn-loft, blending 70s charm with art-filled modernity. Warm wood finishes and sleek wooden furniture pair with terrazzo and parquet bedroom floors. The lobby features geometric patterns, bold terracotta and burnt orange velvet, dark-wood paneling, and visible raw concrete pillars. Rooms in this unique Brussels hotel boast striped headboards, graphic rugs, curved lamps and Roberts radios. Bathrooms offer a pastel palette with primary colour accents, and bespoke murals add local artistic flair, creating a truly retro-luxe Brussels stay. 8. Château Voltaire (Paris, France)—Parisian decadence in a fashionable boutique hotel An ode to layered Parisian decadence in a 17th-century townhouse, Château Voltaire combines smoky mirrors (implied by its sultry bar) and rich textures (like fringed velvet). Conceived by Thierry Gillier of Zadig & Voltaire with Franck Durand and Festen Architecture, this boutique hotel in Paris mixes mid-century and baroque references with a 1940s-inspired deep-pile black carpet. Expect velvet sofas, velvets in ochre and navy, aged brass, encaustic tiles, creamy plaster walls, handmade glazed ceramic tiles and sultry marble. Bespoke headboards, solid oak wall lights, cubist canvases and custom Art Deco lighting create a sophisticated escape worthy of a Godard heroine, offering a unique taste of Parisian cool design. 9. Grand Hotel Tremezzo (Lake Como, Italy)—Art Nouveau palace with lakeside glamour Perched regally on Lake Como's edge since 1910, Grand Hotel Tremezzo is an Art Nouveau palace that delivers ultimate retro luxury, evoking early 20th-century European high society. Imagine candy-striped loungers—a fitting image for its glamorous pools—a stunning floating water-on-the-water pool on the lake, plus the charming Flowers Pool and an indoor-outdoor infinity pool. Interiors of this historic Italian hotel feature gilded salons, frescoed ceilings (notably in Villa Emilia spa with its original mosaics), plush red velvet furniture and silk wallpaper. Every corridor is an Instagram post waiting to happen. Credits This article was created with the assistance of AI tools
Perth Now
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Mod-Asian eatery's excellent food deserves better service
There we were, sitting on a tall table on glorified bar stools eating very good food at a better-than-average restaurant called Mister D'Arcy in a northern suburban diner that wasn't even half full. Perhaps this is what they call elevated dining, but I just wouldn't mind a view out the window at the glorious blue sky without having to perch like a ventriloquist dummy on a wobbly chair. Once home to one of Perth's most beloved restaurants in (super-chef Stephen) Clarke's of North Beach, the food in this joint is bloody good. The service is not. What there is of it. You have to order at a till and grab your own water. When they announced they were taking over Clarke's, new chefs and owners Cara and Wes D'Arcy said Mister D'Arcy (named after Wes' father) would be somewhere between a bar and a restaurant, while the South East Asian-inspired tucker would be somewhere between Nobu and Long Chim. The D'Arcys also own The Iluka and Temple Bar in Iluka, and Jarrah in Hillarys. They appear to be building an eatery empire in Perth's northern corridor. I'll say it again, the food deserves better. Mister D'Arcy, North Beach. Credit: Simon Collins Pause. Breathe. The staff are lovely, just not the most proactive. Why would they be? We're meant to come to the bar, multiple times, to order starters, mains, drinks and dessert. If you're paying $44 for a curry, and if you're sharing it, you want a decent bowl in which to plonk rice and, for example, the rich sauce of the excellent Kapitan chicken curry. We got a flat share plate. Putting aside the colonial bric-a-brac strewn artfully around the bar/restaurant, the venue was a tad drab. There was no music, which might have been a blessing — if I never hear another soulless Cafe del Mar ChillOut mix, it'll still be too soon. But this Mister had all the atmosphere of a palliative care ward on the Friday afternoon we drove north. The solid wine list offered 19 by the glass, all around the $14-15 mark. There's also tap beers and cocktails, including a traditional Raffles Singapore sling for $25. The menu is divided into cold and hot small share plates, larger share plates, rice and noodles (plus chaat masala fries) and dessert. We started with the blue fin tuna tartare on crispy rice squares (six bites for $28), which were crunchy fun — a bit like fancy prawn toast with a hit of spice thanks to the sriracha kewpie mayo and ponzu sauce. A canny little starter. The ma hor or galloping horses were four sweet and spicy mounds of crispy duck and pork belly, imbued with chives, fish sauces, chilli ginger jam and cashews riding small slices of fresh pineapple ($18). Subtle spice galloped across my palate, soon reined in and tethered by the pineapple. Mister D'Arcy, North Beach. Credit: Simon Collins Shark Bay popcorn prawns ($25) were loads of fun, a bit like Nobu's famous rock shrimp tempura. Mister D'Arcy calls this KFC, or Kashmir fried chaat, and serves the super tasty nuggets of prawn in crispy golden better with wasabi kewpie sprinkled with chilli plus fresh lime. There are five curries, costing $34-$48, among the larger share plates. All come with enough jasmine rice for two. We had the Kapitan chicken curry ($38), an incredibly fragrant Malay dish of ridiculously tender chicken in a mildly spicy curry infused with turmeric and prawn head oil. Mister D'Arcy's version was creamy without being overly rich. The crispy beef fillet salad ($35) was a surprise, in a good way. A dry dish with striking aromas from fried curry leaves and kaffir lime, plus a spicy nuoc cham dressing on the cabbage, coriander, spring onion and other greens. The moreish beef was fried into chewy flavoursome little strips that made my wife reckoned tasted like a Thai Big Mac. We eschewed the temptation of curry chips to leave room for the molten chocolate brownie ($22), which had a baked exterior and a hot fudgy centre. Accompanied with excellent matcha green tea ice-cream and a little jug of Nikka Japanese coffee whiskey ganache, this dessert was served on a wooden bowl — an intriguing choice for a dish involving ice-cream. 97 Flora Terrace, North Beach Monday-Thursday, 4pm-10pm. Friday-Saturday, midday-11pm. Sunday, midday-10pm. 0419 269 472, Yes Vibrant South-East Asian dishes showcasing local produce. Decor evoking colonial Singapore. Counter service. Good drinks list. Neither here nor there, overall. Food deserves better.
Times
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Singapore has a new £70 million Raffles. Can it compete with the original?
Nepo babies complain that they get a hard time in the press and, with the exception of the footballer-turned-photographer-turned-chef-turned-Formula E driver-turned-actor Brooklyn Beckham, they may have a point. By the way, I know Beckham hasn't launched an acting career yet but as his wife, Nicola, is a 'film-maker', it can only be a matter of time. Before these snowflakes protest too loudly, they should consider the beady-eyed criticism that awaits the offspring of a bone fide bricks-and-mortar grande dame. The world's top hotels have a place in our hearts that transcends the fleeting devotion afforded to celebrities and nowhere has higher bucket-list status than Raffles Singapore. It's been topping 'best of the best' lists for more than a century. During that time, Rudyard Kipling edited The Jungle Book on its veranda, Elizabeth Taylor's jewellery was out-sparkled by its ginormous chandeliers, Winston Churchill raised his spirits — and downed most of the hotel's — in its Long Bar and William Somerset Maugham impressed the old girl with his chat-up line, 'Raffles stands for all the fables of the exotic east.' That's considerably more to live up to than your dad kicking a ball about and your mum designing dresses. So when this titan of travel, arguably the country's number one tourist attraction, announced that it would open a second property a 15-minute drive along Keppel Road on Sentosa Island, which is connected to the southern tip of the mainland by rail, road and cable car, the disapproving rattle of afternoon tea cups in its grand lobby was deafening. Fans argued that it was madness, especially given Singapore is so tiny it fits into Wales 33 times and Sentosa's theme parks give it a bit of a downmarket image. I'm the first journalist to stay at Raffles Sentosa Singapore, which opened this spring. I'm here to discover whether this town is big enough for the both of them. As my limousine snakes up the tree-lined drive to the hilltop that is home to the newcomer, I'll admit to the kind of reservations that aren't particularly helpful when you're about to check in. Despite a rumoured spend north of £70 million and Raffles occupying a luscious 25-acre slice of Sentosa, a relatively hilly rainforested island fringed with beaches, I have my doubts that its 62 pool villas can match the magnificence of its famous predecessor. When the resort comes into view I receive my first indication of how it intends to do so: by being 180 degrees of different. In fact if it were a child, you'd demand a DNA test because it bears so little relation to the treasured landmark. In place of the wedding-cake confection of neo-Renaissance architecture screaming for attention across an entire block of Beach Road in the central business district, I am entranced by the understatement of Sentosa's clean-lined, contemporary design, peeking modestly through a heavy fringe of seashore mangosteen trees and traveller's palms. And although Sentosa's doormen wear a dazzling military-style white uniform that is similar to the one donned by their colleagues at the mother ship, their outfits are topped with a jaunty feather-trimmed trilby rather than those much-photographed turbans. Thankfully the conspicuous consumption of the original's arcade of designer stores has been ditched in favour of on-trend botanical bling, with life-enhancing foliage bursting forth from every corner and crevice. Sentosa's lobby lounge, the Raffles Room, chimes perfectly with how we want to holiday now. It shimmers with natural goodness thanks to an organic palette of sunshine golds, spring greens and butterscotch browns for its curvaceous mid-century furniture, floral fabrics, trellis screens and swirled-marble puddle tables. The design studio Yabu Pushelberg, whose CV includes Four Seasons and Aman properties, excels at low-key luxury and creating a restful sense of place. Here that means channelling guests' focus towards the floor-to-ceiling window and the hotel's spin on a precious antique. It's not gilded or glinting, it's a heritage ficus tree, thought to be more than 100 years old, that stands on the snooker table-smooth lawn a few feet beyond where couples are tucking into afternoon tea. As I admire its arthritic ivy-wrapped trunk, a peacock struts into frame and idly fans its tail. It's route one to relaxation. My butler, Rose, swiftly ushers me towards a Rolls-Royce buggy that whisks us along pathways festooned with plants to my villa to complete check-in formalities while I sip a Sentosa sling, the pretender's reply to the kingpin's classic cocktail. It mixes brandy, amaro, eau de vie and passionfruit, and has a pinkish hue courtesy of watermelon. It's as sickly sweet as an am-dram production of Little Women. Fortunately, as I've established, there are lots of plant pots. The villa interiors are much more to my taste, starting with their size. Even entry-level rooms are bigger than the signature suites at you-know-where. The Royal Villa, which sleeps eight, is so ridiculously vast that the Italian manufacturer Pagani displayed one of its £5 million hypercars on its terrace for a sales event (although the villa doors did have to be widened for access). The car sold — Sentosa is that kind of wealthy. • I thought this stopover city would be boring. Here's why I was wrong I think I'll cope with holing up in my super-private one-bedroom villa, with its soothing neutral colours, 3m-high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that blur the line between indoors and outdoors. My bedroom, bathroom and living room all overlook my come-hither private pool, which has a muslin-draped cabana and terrace, liberally sprinkled with sofas and dining spots. On tiptoes I can even glimpse the sea and appreciate how its cooling breezes ensure that Sentosa is nowhere near as hot and humid as downtown. Raffles is known for its exceptional butler service, with the team led by the veteran Wayne Fitzharris, who has flapped out napkins for royalty and world leaders during his career. Lady Gaga gushed that she felt like a princess thanks to the attentiveness of her butler at Raffles Istanbul, which even ran to a handwritten welcome note for her pet dog Miss Asia. I feel more like minor royalty — Zara Tindall, maybe — as I experience several glitches, including uncleared room service and confusion over taxis, though I imagine service will reach regal standards soon. The subtle opulence of my surroundings keeps me content. There's the exquisite mural in the living room by the local artist André Wee, which depicts the island's tropical flora and fauna, and the bedroom's warm-toned French oak coffered ceiling and striking honeycomb-inspired bedhead. There are cute touches too, including pampering Ortigia amenities in the decadent bathroom and a bedside copper jug and glasses. There's some scientific evidence to suggest that storing water in copper improves digestion, supports immunity and may even aid weight loss. That would be useful because Sentosa has some tempting dining options. I can't try the seductively pink all-day restaurant, the Empire Grill, because it's been booked out for a Hermès showcase for 100 of its most prized customers. A shame, as its tables spill joyfully on to the terrace of a 30m infinity pool that has rainforest and sea views, especially at sunset. Its German chef, Björn Alexander Panek, specialises in wood-fired rustic Tuscan cucina, an intriguing combination that obviously works as he won two Michelin stars for it at the Italian restaurant Octavium in Hong Kong. • 22 of the best things to do in Singapore His fellow chef Kenjiro Hashida is still in the process of moving his popular Japanese restaurant from Amoy Street to open Iyasaka by Hashida at the resort, so I go Chinese and try the tasting menu at Royal China. The decor is as elegantly restrained as the Cantonese food is refined, with the crispy prawns topped with delicious tart yuzu kosho mayo and the succulent lobster in golden broth standout dishes. The spa is also having final tweakments during my stay. When it opens it will have a dozen treatment rooms, a light-filled gym and three pretty pools, including one with a waterfall and a café. Instead the wellbeing butler, Ali, suggests a tour of the island in the resort's vintage white Rolls-Royce Phantom. I'm not entirely sure which bit of sitting in the back seat is healthy and the tour doesn't take long as this rainforested dot is only two square miles. We skip options such as Universal Studios, Madame Tussauds and Harry Potter: Visions of Magic and visit the Fort Siloso Skywalk for some bird's eye context before heading to the fort itself to learn about the coastal defence's important role during the Second World War. I also spend time at Tanjong beach, an easy stroll from the hotel. It's a lovely crescent of golden sand with a tranquil vibe and excellent people — and cargo ship — watching. Yes, really. The beach has views across to the world's second-busiest port and although I'd barely spared a thought for container transshipment previously, it proves a surprisingly mesmerising pastime. Granted, this hardly compares with the promise of celebrity spotting at the better-known Raffles but comparisons between the two properties are pointless. They complement rather than compete with each other. Raffles Sentosa is not your typical nepo baby. This is more your Phil and Lily Collins scenario, where you can't really believe they're related. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Susan d'Arcy was a guest of Raffles Sentosa Singapore ( which has B&B doubles from £842. Fly to Singapore After a three-year, £150 million renovation, completed in 2019, the grande dame is back to her best. The makeover of the 115 suites has given them a glossy softness thanks to ivory-white walls, rattan furniture, dark-wood floors and covetable traditional Peranakan tiles in the bathrooms. Beyond them lie three acres of tropical gardens lined with marble colonnades and the hotel's Long Bar, where it is almost obligatory to order a Singapore sling. Seven dining options include the Tiffin Room, decorated with battered steel tiffin boxes and serving up superior nasi lemak, a warming dish of rice with anchovies and B&B doubles from £1,383 ( • Raffles hotel review: Singapore's inimitable grande dame only gets better with age Draped across 30 tropical acres of Sentosa Island, this 112-room hotel combines colonial and contemporary charm, as the design studio Foster + Partners has sensitively added a sweeping smart red-louvred extension to four officers' barracks that date back to the 1880s. Dining also dances between styles, ranging from Cantonese at Cassia, inspired by the historic spice routes of southern and western China, to Fiamma, which serves up authentic Italian dishes by the celebrated chef Mauro Colagreco. There is a spa and three pools, and the popular Palawan beach lies a short walk B&B doubles from £600 ( Sitting on Marina Bay, this hotel has a ringside seat over a sparkling panorama that includes the eye-catching architecture of the ArtScience Museum, the esplanade's striking exterior reminiscent of the city's beloved durian fruit, and the Helix bridge, which reaches across to Gardens by the Bay. Interiors compete hard for attention, though, and are sprinkled with artworks by David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Dale Chihuly, Frank Stella and Zhu Wei. Bedrooms have a modern blond-on-blond moodboard and octagonal bathroom windows that are a nod to the number 8, lucky in certain Asian cultures. There is an outdoor swimming pool, a ten-room spa and Republic, a cocktail bar dedicated to drinks for the Swinging Room-only doubles from £400 (
Business Times
23-04-2025
- Business Times
Driving ‘zero waste' in Bali
Hotels have been flying the sustainability flag for years, with varying levels of commitment. But even before 'zero-waste' became a buzzword, Desa Potato Head in Bali, one of the trendiest beach clubs in the world, was already focused on the environment. In 2023, the eco-luxury resort clinched a spot in the World's 50 Best Hotels annual list – alongside iconic locations such as Raffles Singapore, Aman Tokyo and Claridge's in London. But what is less known is the fact that it has taken its own plastic ban and compost kitchens a step further, to become a working model of eco-hospitality. For example, it produces only 0.5 per cent landfill waste, and runs a zero-waste restaurant – a claim few other garlanded hotels can make. In this week's BT Lifestyle, we visit the property in Bali and learn more about how style, nightlife and serious waste management can not only co-exist under the same roof, but actually thrive. In Health, we ask the question: Is irritable bowel syndrom (IBS) simply caused by stress and not a 'real' condition? This being IBS Awareness month, we explore both the misconceptions and science behind this complex gut-brain disorder, and whether exercise and diet can bring it under control. In Arts, get a sneak peek at the upcoming production of Macbeth, the latest Shakespeare in the Park production to take place at Fort Canning. And in Dining, we see if Tempura Ensei, the Singapore outpost of a 120-year-old Edo-style tempura restaurant in Japan, lives up to its ancient reputation. For all this and more, don't miss BT Lifestyle this week.
