The Raffles Hotel, made famous by literary luminaries including Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling, is the undisputed grande dame of heritage hotels in Singapore. The hotel, which opened in 1887, reopened in 2019 after a three-year restoration to great fanfare . With hindsight, the timing wasn’t perfect given the ravages inflicted by Covid-19 since, but its opening overshadowed that of the Capitol Kempinski less than a year earlier, even though the two adjoining landmarks that the latter straddles are of historical significance, too. Many older Singaporeans would remember frequenting the neoclassical Capitol Building, built in 1930, and the Renaissance-style Stamford House, opened in 1904, in their later incarnations, which included a theatre and a shopping centre. The Capitol Kempinski has been restored to retain art deco elements such as high corniced ceilings and original Chengal wood flooring, but it is so low-key (the main entrance is tucked away in an alley) that it has remained under the radar even though it is just a 10-minute walk from Raffles Hotel. Inside the Raffles Hotel: raise a Singapore sling to the makeover Other heritage hotels in Singapore, both convenient and off the beaten track, also merit a mention. If the idea of a Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble is resurrected this year, Hong Kong residents may wish to experience something new by checking into one of them. 1. The Barracks Hotel Sentosa Before Sentosa was redeveloped in the 1970s into an island of resorts and themed attractions, it was known as Pulau Blakang Mati (“the island of death behind” in Malay) and was a British military base. Relics of Singapore’s colonial history remain on the island. One of them is the Blakang Mati Artillery Barracks, built in 1904. The Barracks Hotel Sentosa took over the premises and opened in December 2019. The new hotel brings this part of Singapore’s history to life through restored architecture, styled interiors and complimentary hour-long tours led by military veterans who served on the island during Singapore’s early years of independence. Tai O Heritage Hotel – a piece of historic heaven Vaulted ceilings, timber-framed louvred windows and moulded timber doors were restored to give the property an old-world elegance. In each of the 40 rooms and suites, details such as polished wood panelling and patinated brass fittings on a leather minibar trunk give off military vibes. Parade grounds where troops used to march on asphalt have become neatly manicured gardens lined with palm trees. Fortunately, bland and stodgy army food is not on the menu. Guests take their pick from French, Japanese, Indian and Eurasian restaurants in an adjacent building. Quentin’s serves Eurasian classics such as oxtail debal curry (with rich gravy for mopping up with rice) and salt cod croquettes. 2. Villa Samadhi Villa Samadhi is tucked away in in the 22-hectare Labrador Nature Reserve, Singapore’s smallest and least crowded reserve, whose dense jungle thickets and birdsong make the hotel a respite from the concrete jungle. The 1920s black-and-white building (a former British garrison and, later, a halfway house for wayward boys) that houses the hotel transports guests to a bygone era. An eclectic mix of furniture fills the interiors. The antique four-poster opium bed in the library, the Burmese wooden bank booth in the reception and other furniture made from recycled teak add a sense of authenticity. Although there isn’t an in-hotel restaurant, a short wooden walkway cutting through thick undergrowth connects guests to another colonial bungalow, which houses Tamarind Hill, a restaurant and bar whose Thai staff serve dishes from northern Thailand and Myanmar’s Shan state. Other dining options are a 10-minute taxi ride away in VivoCity, the nearest shopping centre. While the hotel doesn’t have an adults-only policy, guests with children under 14 are discouraged; although a swimming pool is under construction, there are not many activities for young children. Villa Samadhi is really for people seeking a quiet retreat and to connect with nature. It is likely to be very popular post-pandemic. 3. Hotel Fort Canning Guests checking in at the reception at Hotel Fort Canning are usually surprised to see glass-covered pits beneath their feet displaying archaeological finds. Here, fragments of 14th-century Majapahit pottery, Qing dynasty porcelain and Victorian tableware bear witness to the history of the hotel’s hilltop site. It was very likely here that Singapore’s ancient Malay rulers built their palace. When the British came, Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, built his residence, and the island’s first botanical garden, here. It was also here that Lieutenant-General A.E. Percival decided to surrender Singapore to its Japanese occupiers during World War II; the 1926 building that houses the hotel was the British Far East Command Headquarters before it fell to Japanese forces. The colonial architecture of the building has been preserved, but the interiors of the 86-room hotel, opened in 2010, are contemporary, with furnishings from luxury Italian brand Poltrona Frau and other mod cons. Raffles who? 200 years on, Singapore would rather he disappear Proud of the location’s history, the hotel offers guests guided walks around the 18-hectare Fort Canning Park, which boasts historic monuments of its own. On the 2.5km trail, you will also find the spice garden which supplies herbs to the hotel for its garden-to-table specials. While dining options outside the hotel are plentiful, since it is within walking distance of Orchard Road and the Central Business District, The Salon, the hotel’s restaurant, is worth checking out for its Singapore fare such as Hokkien mee, which arrives at a guest’s table evenly coated in a robust prawn stock reduction and perfumed with wok hei.