Singapore Adventure Day 2 : A Titanic Experience in Raffles Hotel

Titanic has been my favorite movie ever since I was 12 years old. I don't think it was the love story that tangled my finger to click the play button of our dvd player for 36 times on that memorable summer of 1998. Nor was it Leonardo Di Caprio's good looks that dazzled my young eyes. I have been thinking about it for years.. could it be the true and tragic story? Probably. I'm quite biased towards true stories. Pearl Harbor happens to be on my top 3. Could it be the massive theatrical effects of the sinking ship? Not so. Could it be the little details and subtle nuances that added depth to the story? I think so.

Titanic Interior

Titanic Grand Staircase

I noticed how the movie brings out the western culture of a century ago so vividly. I saw how the women wore their clothes, suffocated in their tight corsets and still managed to walk daintily in their long lacy gowns. I noticed the classic architecture of the ship, the type of beds they used in the olden times, the china plates that adorned the first-class tables, the carpeted floor on balsa wood. I saw a piece of history that time can never bring back. It was rich. It was full. Because of my intense liking for Titanic before, I placed "to visit Titanic" on my Bucket List. I wanted to taste their culture.

I think I'm ready to tick "to visit Titanic" off my bucket list now that I've experienced Titanic in Raffles Hotel. Raffles Hotel is one of the most luxurious and comfortable places to stay in when you get to Singapore. Royalties, actors, singers, scientists, writers from different parts of the world have set their foot inside this 124 year old structure. With its wooden staircase, red carpet and gold embroideries, it looks like Titanic. With its tall ceiling and massive structure, plus the string ensemble playing in the background, It feels like Titanic. I was blessed enough to stay there with my family for free during my recent adventure in Singapore. (Thank You Lord for sudden blessings!)

Raffles Hotel Exterior

Queen Elizabeth II in Raffles Hotel

When we entered a butler led us to the Writer's Bar. There we were given Singaporean's most popular drink, the Singaporean Sling! It tasted like punch but with more alcohol (15%).

Singaporean Sling, green olives and cashew nuts for a warm welcome

My taste buds do not appreciate alcohol much so I just took a few sips.

If you are interested to make your own sling, here are the ingredients:

I truly enjoyed my short stay in the Writer's Bar. I would definitely love to make this my writing space.

We then headed up to our room. This is part of the Raffles Hotel grand staircase. I preferred to walk up and down this elegant staircase that to use their gold-ladened elevators because this made me feel like one of the Titanic passengers who had walked through the red carpet on their way to the banquet hall.

Raffles Hotel Staircase

Minus the colored TV in the Raffles Hotel Room, I could've easily imagined myself in one of those posh cabins in Titanic. When you enter the room, there's a seating area with freshly picked fruits on a bowl as the centerpiece. Few steps further you reach a ceiling high curtain that leads you to the room.

Seating area

Inside the room are two queen sized beds with wooden frame poles. Think royalty. They face an old-fashioned wooden make-up table with an oval mirror. This reminds me of the scene where Rose was combing her hair and Cal suddenly entered the room bringing with him the heart of the ocean necklace.

Make-up Table

Beside it is a wardrobe closet quite similar to the one in Beauty and the Beast.

Wardrobe Closet

The switches in the room are old rubber buttons that require more energy than ordinary plastic or wooden switches.

Light Switches

We had room service for breakfast.

Breakfast menu door hanger

I had a complete American breakfast. What a treat!

Fruit Salad

egg benedict on ham, spinach and toasted pancake, ham, chicken sausage, bacon slices, hashed brown with cherry tomato on top

If you would like to see the whole spread, hold your horses, you'd be very surprised!

This is a meal for two!

the whole breakfast spread

If I were to rate my stay in the Raffles Hotel, it's probably 4.5/5 stars. The missing 0.5 is because my stay was way too short!

Classic.

bathroom

Quaint.

bedroom clock

Quirky

A mini library under the staircase

Engaging.

This is how I summarize my stay.

Like Titanic, The Raffles Hotel has hosted people having the same classic British culture. But unlike Titanic, The Raffles Hotel has survived and passed through time. The furniture and walls that surrounded me have witnessed lives that come and go. They have kept stories of famous and ordinary people alike. If only they could talk, I'd probably hear about people who've slept on the same bed, who've pressed on the same hard black rubber button and who've probably longed to ask the same questions that I have.

Perhaps people pay a premium to stay in this hotel to sleep like a king. Or maybe like me, they long to experience a hundred-year-old history. Or maybe, they also keep their own bucket list that includes "to overnight in Raffles Hotel." Who knows? All I know is that being in Raffles Hotel allows everyone to be part of its history that is continually being made richer and fuller.

This is yours truly, Mitzi Uy, reporting her adventure for the day!