Christmas – 25
Oh, the peace and calm and true luxury of Raffles Singapore. The legend’s MD, Christian Westbeld, and Girlahead sat in one of the many courtyards, this one reserved for hotel guests, and discussed what makes real luxury today and how does it differ from aspirants luxury.
Luxury, as we all know, is space and un-interruption – and what a gorgeous, calm feeling this is after getting off Good Ship Navigator. The ship’s side was 100% when it came to departure. There were plenty of people to see passengers off the ship and to escort them down the initial gangplank. At that stage, the responsibility became that of Singapore’s cruise terminal, and the play fell to pieces.
Memo to self. Avoid Singapore cruise terminL. The building is old and shabby, the walkway is difficult – either carpet, which is tricky if you’re trying to take a wheelie, or it’s rugged concrete – and the zigzags enroute, inevitable moving to airport security or getting on or off any ship, are here far too long. In Doha, all those weeks ago, passengers boarded past a two-storey high aquarium filled with gorgeous fish, and there was a shuttle of golf buggies . Here, although there were plenty of mature minor-level Singapore bureaucrats standing in specific places nobody’s body language even whispered the phrase ‘here to help’.
But go through customs, and there, bliss-oh-bliss, was David Lampe, Raffles Singapore’s indispensable. After that, Girlahead was cosseted nonstop. At the hotel the Christmas decorations were fortunately still up. A 32-foot high spruce from Portland, Oregon, looked so splendid in the main lobby, as did garlands inside and out.
That afternoon, there was a real treat – well you never know what to expect at a Raffles. This one was a visit with friends, below, to the hotel’s Long Bar. There’s a continuous line to get in and there’s a hotel person who goes up and down, handing out pineapple slices when it’s very hot, offering seating to those who need it, and giving an indication of how long the wait is. Once in the Long Bar, it’s pure theatre. Wooden tables have hessian bags filled with peanuts, and you are encouraged to throw the peanut shells on the ground. It’s all part of the show that delights an average of 1,000 folks a day. Obviously, it’s starring Singapore Slings, USD$41.18 including 19% VAT, with water brought for free. They can’t make enough of these Slings, which must keep Jamie Koh, she who owns and runs Singapore’s Brass Lion Distillery, busy but happy. As well as banana leaf-shaped raffia fans dancing overhead in unison, on the main bar there’s a bright green turning machine that has six shakers, each making three slings at once. It’s hilarious, and oh, the noise,…
But noise, all noise, is kept away from the hotel side of Raffles. Of course Raffles is not just a hotel. The Grande Dame’s a destination and a way of life. It’s got so many eating places (a new one is going to be announced soon). The ones that are here already seem to be doing better than ever. The AP Café, which took over from Ducasse and which is now run by Burnt Ends for Audemars Piguet, complete with a showroom, a workshop, and a basement museum. The stores in the arcade include Pop Mart, the Labubu store, undoubtedly one of the best-grossing in the system. Apparently, Wang Ning, Pop Mart’s 38-year old CEO and 48% owner of the brand, came for a pop-in visit and he was so impressed he stayed 45 minutes. Girlahead can’t wait to meet him – he’s worth over US$21billion at last count. What are his plans next? …..
