Historic luxury oasis: the secrets of the Singapore "Raffles"

Although the Raffles Hotel is located on 1 Beach Road in Singapore, there is not a beach in sight. Swimming is therefore out of the question - unless of course you cool off from the sultry Southeast Asian heat in the saltwater pool on the roof. It is hard to believe that things were completely different in this exact spot almost 140 years ago. But when the Armenian-born Sarkies brothers welcomed their first guests in 1887 with a much more modest ten rooms, the hotel was a beach resort with the promenade in front of its doors and the waves crashing. Since 1932, however, the coast has shifted due to extensive land reclamation and is now kilometers away.