Wednesday 12 October 2016

Raffles Hotel to undergo restoration work from next year

Raffles Hotel to undergo restoration work from next year

Raffles Hotel Singapore will undergo restoration work from next year, it announced on Tuesday (Oct 11).

The first phase of refurbishment in January 2017 will see the Raffles Hotel Arcade undergoing restoration works while other areas of the property operate as normal. The facility is an integral part of the building, housing 40 regional and specialty shops, and indoor and outdoor function areas.

Phase Two will start in mid-2017, when restoration efforts commence on the main hotel building, lobby and a portion of the hotel suites, the hotel said. Towards the end of the year, Raffles Hotel will close in the final phase, before it reopens again in the second quarter of 2018.

Said Mr Simon Hirst, general manager of Raffles Hotel: “This restoration is designed to ensure that we retain what is so special about Raffles Hotel Singapore - the ambiance, the service, the charm and the heritage of the hotel. We have always changed and evolved to keep in step with the needs and expectations of our guests.

“By introducing new experiences for our guests while respecting the history and heritage of the hotel, we want to ensure that this hotel continues to remain at the epicentre of Singapore’s social and cultural scene.”

According to Ms Diana Banks, vice president of Raffles Brand, one focus of the revamp is on upgrading technology.

"Today's traveller is looking for the ability to use their own technology,” she said. “It's no longer about having a television. It's about streaming your own iPad and phones and so forth.”

As a result of the facelift, room rates are set to go up, although the hotel said prices will remain in line with industry standards. Based on average rates for a standard room, prices for the five-star hotel start from at least S$600.

The restoration project will be led by Aedas Singapore, while the interiors of the project will be handled by award-winning designer Alexandra Champalimaud who has worked with luxury hotels such as New York's The Plaza and the Waldorf Astoria, Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles and The Dorchester in London.

Raffles Hotel was declared a national monument in 1987. The last restoration was conducted from 1989 to 1991 where the hotel closed for two and a half years.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

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