Raffles Hotel

Singapore’s most famous hotel was opened by a couple of Armenian brothers in 1887 with 10 bungalow-style rooms overlooking the South China Sea. It was named after the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles and one of the earliest guests was Rudyard Kipling, who stayed there in 1888. Although it no longer overlooks the sea due to land reclamation, this luxury hotel continues to attract Hollywood stars and royalty. It is also the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, created in 1915 by Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. He deliberately chose grenadine and cherry liqueur to give this gin-based cocktail a rosy colour as etiquette dictated women could not consume alcohol in public, so (alcoholic) fruit juices were a good alternative!