Singapore to get a second Raffles Hotel 135 years after the original opened its doors

SINGAPORE — Singapore is to get a second Raffles Hotel, this time on Sentosa, some 135 years after the original now iconic colonial-style hotel in Beach Road opened its doors.

The developers say they are taking Raffles “back to the beach” given that the original hotel, opened in 1887, was conceived as a beach hotel, one that has long since been engulfed by the bustling city.

Although the Raffles hospitality name since has travelled the world — with Raffles Hotels in Paris, Istanbul and Warsaw, among others — it has not been replicated in Singapore before.

In a joint announcement on Tuesday (June 25), Raffles’ operator Accor Group, and Royal Group, which will build the new hotel, said the all-villa Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa is set to open in 2022.

Each of the 61 villas will feature its own private swimming pool. The luxury hotel will be set in more than 10 hectares of sprawling tropical gardens, they said.

The new hotel will be “one of the most exclusive resorts in Asia”, said the statement.

Royal Group, which owns SO Sofitel Singapore and Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, will be building the new resort on land adjacent to the existing Sofitel.

Global design studio Yabu Pushelberg creatively directed the resort’s architecture, landscaping, lighting and interiors, they said.

The villas will range from 260 sq m for the one-bedroom villas to 450 sq m for the four-bedroom villa, all with their own private pool and terrace area.

Accor Asia Pacific chairman and chief executive officer, Mr Michael Issenberg, said: “The Raffles brand is the highest expression of luxurious hospitality in Singapore and we are excited to offer well-travelled connoisseurs a second option to indulge in the famously discreet and attentive Raffles service that has provided an oasis for travellers since 1887.”

The new hotel will see a new interpretation of the iconic Raffles brand, said Mr Peter Wilding, managing director of Royal Group.

“The original Raffles Hotel was conceived as a beachfront property, but as Singapore has grown up around the property it is now located in the thriving centre of the city," he said.

"Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa Singapore will return the brand to the beach and create a modern resort experience that captures the balance of tradition and modernity in a serene and idyllic setting.”