Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA luxury hospitality brand rooted in Singapore’s historic Raffles Hotel and operated within Accor’s international hotel portfolio.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Raffles Hotels & Resorts is a luxury hotel and resort brand whose identity originates with the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, opened in 1887. The name is associated with heritage architecture, highly personalized service, formal but residential-style hospitality, and a strong emphasis on local culture and storytelling. Although the original hotel provides the brand’s historical foundation, the modern Raffles organization developed as a hotel management company rather than simply as the operator of one Singapore property. The company was formed in 1989 to restore, redevelop, and manage the historic Raffles Hotel, as well as to participate in the restructuring and management of the adjoining Raffles City development. The restored Singapore hotel reopened on 16 September 1991. This project established the operating and management platform that later supported the brand’s international expansion. Raffles began developing outside Singapore in the late 1990s and subsequently became associated with a portfolio of landmark urban hotels and resort properties. A major expansion occurred in April 2001, when Raffles Holdings acquired Swissôtel from SAirGroup. The transaction substantially increased the group’s room capacity and international reach, giving the wider organization a presence across numerous countries. In 2005, Colony Capital acquired Raffles Holdings from the Singapore government. Raffles and Swissôtel were then combined with Fairmont Hotels in the holding company FRHI Hotels & Resorts in 2006. This ownership structure placed Raffles alongside two other major international hospitality brands while preserving its distinct luxury positioning. Accor announced the acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts in December 2015, and the transaction was completed in July 2016. Raffles consequently became part of Accor’s luxury and lifestyle brand portfolio, alongside Fairmont and Swissôtel. Under Accor, the brand has continued to expand through hotel management agreements and selected developments, while retaining an emphasis on distinctive properties rather than standardized mass-market accommodation. Raffles’ offering centers on luxury hotel rooms and suites, destination resorts, restaurants and bars, wellness facilities, event spaces, and personalized butler-style service. The brand has also extended into adjacent categories. Raffles Residences comprises serviced private residences and apartments, generally connected with or located near Raffles-branded hotels. In 2015, the brand partnered with Sipsmith to create Raffles 1915 Gin in connection with the centenary of the Singapore Sling. In 2018, it published Soirées, Sojourns & Stories by Raffles, a book focused on the brand’s history and notable guests. A ready-to-wear and lifestyle line called The Butler Did It was announced for launch in 2026, with availability planned through Printemps stores in Paris and New York. The brand’s positioning is deliberately high-end and experiential. Its properties are presented as places with their own history, architecture, rituals, culinary identities, and links to their destinations. The original Singapore hotel remains the symbolic flagship, while the wider network uses the Raffles name to signal discreet service, heritage-inspired design, and a sense of occasion. The brand is active internationally under Accor ownership, although the exact property portfolio changes as openings, renovations, management agreements, and cancellations occur.
History
The history of Raffles Hotels & Resorts begins with the opening of Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 1887. The hotel became an important part of Singapore’s hospitality and cultural history, and its name eventually developed into an international luxury brand. The modern company was formed in 1989 with the purpose of restoring, redeveloping, and managing the historic hotel. It also took part in the restructuring and management of Raffles City, a major mixed-use development in Singapore. After extensive restoration, the original hotel reopened on 16 September 1991. The company’s international development accelerated during the late 1990s. In April 2001, Raffles Holdings acquired Swissôtel from SAirGroup. The acquisition expanded the organization’s hotel capacity by 139 percent to 13,500 rooms in 17 countries, according to the referenced account. Although Swissôtel was a separate brand, the transaction gave Raffles Holdings a substantially broader international operating platform. In 2005, Colony Capital acquired Raffles Holdings from the Singapore government for approximately one billion US dollars. The following year, Raffles and Swissôtel were combined with Fairmont Hotels in FRHI Hotels & Resorts. This created a multi-brand hospitality holding company with operations spanning luxury hotels, resorts, and city properties. Raffles retained its own brand identity, centered on historic character, highly personalized service, and a refined residential atmosphere. Accor announced the acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts in December 2015. The transaction, reported at approximately 2.7 billion US dollars, was completed in July 2016. Raffles thereby became part of Accor, which provided access to a larger international development, distribution, and hotel-management platform. The brand continued to be developed as an upper-tier luxury offering rather than being absorbed into a standardized hotel format. Raffles’ portfolio and associated activities have expanded beyond conventional guestrooms. Raffles Residences offers serviced apartments and private residential suites, commonly connected to Raffles hotels. The brand has also used its Singapore heritage and beverage culture in product extensions, including Raffles 1915 Gin, produced with Sipsmith in 2015 to mark the centenary of the Singapore Sling. In 2018, the brand published Soirées, Sojourns & Stories by Raffles, documenting aspects of its history and notable guests. Development has not been uninterrupted. Accor announced a Raffles hotel near the Kremlin in Moscow in 2020, with an anticipated opening in the second half of 2022. The project was later confirmed as cancelled in 2023 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Separately, Raffles announced a ready-to-wear and lifestyle line called The Butler Did It for 2026, with the planned initial retail presence at Printemps in Paris and New York. Today, Raffles is an active Accor luxury brand operating through a portfolio of hotels, resorts, residences, and hospitality experiences. Its core proposition combines heritage, architectural individuality, destination-specific programming, food and beverage, and personal service. The Singapore property remains the historical reference point, while international properties extend the name into new cities and resort destinations.
- 2023
Moscow development cancelled
[1]The previously announced Raffles Moscow project near the Kremlin was confirmed as cancelled.
- 2018
Brand history book released
[1]Raffles released Soirées, Sojourns & Stories by Raffles, a publication about the brand’s history and guests.
- 2016
Accor completes FRHI acquisition
[1]Raffles formally entered Accor’s hotel portfolio when the FRHI acquisition closed.
- 2015
Raffles becomes part of Accor transaction
[1]Accor announced its planned acquisition of FRHI, alongside the launch of Raffles 1915 Gin with Sipsmith.
- 2006
Formation of FRHI Hotels & Resorts
[1]Raffles and Swissôtel joined Fairmont Hotels within the newly formed FRHI holding company.
- 2005
Colony Capital acquisition
[1]Colony Capital acquired Raffles Holdings from the Singapore government.
- 2001
Swissôtel acquisition
[1]Raffles Holdings acquired Swissôtel, substantially expanding its room capacity and international footprint.
- 1991
Raffles Hotel Singapore reopens after restoration
[1]The restored original hotel reopened on 16 September, providing the modern company with its central heritage property.
- 1989
Raffles company is formed
[1]The company was established to restore, redevelop, and manage Raffles Hotel Singapore and to participate in the management of Raffles City.
- 1887
Original Raffles Hotel opens in Singapore
[1]The hotel that established the Raffles name opened in Singapore and later became the historical foundation of the international brand.
Products and positioning
Ultra-luxury hospitality focused on heritage, personalized service, distinctive architecture, destination storytelling, and intimate guest experiences.
Luxury hotels · 1887
Raffles Hotels
The core Raffles offering consists of luxury hotels in landmark urban and destination settings. Properties emphasize distinctive architecture, local history, tailored guest experiences, refined food and beverage, and highly personalized service. The original Raffles Hotel Singapore remains the symbolic reference point for the brand, while other hotels adapt the concept to their own cities and cultural contexts.
Luxury resorts
Raffles Resorts
Raffles resorts extend the brand’s luxury hospitality model into leisure destinations. They typically combine suites or villas with restaurants, wellness facilities, private or semi-private recreational spaces, and service designed around longer stays and destination experiences. The resort concept remains consistent with Raffles’ focus on privacy, individualized attention, and place-specific storytelling.
Serviced residences
Raffles Residences
Raffles Residences is a collection of serviced private residential suites and apartments. The residences are generally connected to, or located alongside, Raffles-branded hotels and provide access to hospitality services associated with the brand. The concept extends Raffles from short-term accommodation into managed residential living.
Branded beverage · 2015
Raffles 1915 Gin
Raffles 1915 Gin was created in partnership with London-based microdistillery Sipsmith. The product was introduced in 2015 to commemorate the centenary of the Singapore Sling, a cocktail closely associated with Raffles Hotel Singapore.
Book and brand publication · 2018
Soirées, Sojourns & Stories by Raffles
Released in 2018, this publication presents elements of Raffles’ history and profiles of some of the iconic guests associated with its hotels. It functions both as a historical record and as a brand storytelling product.
Ready-to-wear and lifestyle · 2026
The Butler Did It
The Butler Did It is a ready-to-wear and lifestyle line announced by Raffles for 2026. The line is designed by Jessica Diehl and is planned to be sold exclusively through Printemps stores in Paris and New York.
Brand decisions
2023
Cancel Moscow projectStrategyBackground
The previously announced hotel development was affected by the changed geopolitical and operating environment after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Action taken
The planned Raffles hotel near the Kremlin was cancelled.
Aftermath
The Moscow project did not enter the Raffles operating portfolio.
2020
Announce Moscow hotel developmentStrategyBackground
Accor announced plans for a Raffles hotel near the Kremlin, with an intended opening in the second half of 2022.
Action taken
The group announced the planned Moscow development.
Aftermath
The project was later cancelled and its cancellation was confirmed in 2023 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
2015
Join Accor through the FRHI acquisitionM&ABackground
Accor pursued the acquisition of FRHI to strengthen its luxury and international hospitality portfolio.
Action taken
Accor announced the acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts, including Raffles.
Aftermath
Raffles became an Accor brand after the transaction closed in 2016.
Transaction value. $2.7 billion (Announced December 2015; completed July 2016)
2006
Combine Raffles, Swissôtel, and Fairmont under FRHIM&ABackground
Following Colony Capital’s acquisition of Raffles Holdings, the brands were reorganized into a broader hospitality holding structure.
Action taken
Raffles and Swissôtel joined Fairmont Hotels in FRHI Hotels & Resorts.
Aftermath
The move created a multi-brand international hotel group while retaining distinct brand identities.
2001
Acquire SwissôtelM&ABackground
Raffles Holdings sought to expand its hotel-management platform and international room capacity.
Action taken
It acquired Swissôtel from SAirGroup.
Aftermath
The transaction increased the group’s room capacity and presence across multiple countries.
Acquisition price. €268 million (April 2001)
Recent events
- 2026
The Butler Did It lifestyle line announced[1]
Product launch
Raffles announced a ready-to-wear and lifestyle line named The Butler Did It, designed by Jessica Diehl and planned for exclusive availability at Printemps stores in Paris and New York.
- 2023
Planned Raffles Moscow hotel is cancelled[1]
Other · Regulation
A Raffles hotel planned near the Kremlin was initially announced for opening in the second half of 2022. The project was subsequently confirmed as cancelled after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- 2018
Raffles publishes Soirées, Sojourns & Stories by Raffles[1]
Product launch
The brand released a book presenting elements of Raffles history and accounts of notable guests associated with its hotels.
- 2016
Accor completes FRHI acquisition[1]
M&A
The acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts by Accor was completed, making Raffles part of Accor’s international hospitality group.
- 2015
Accor announces acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts[1]
M&A
Accor announced its acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts, bringing the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands into its portfolio.
- 2015
Raffles launches Raffles 1915 Gin[1]
Product launch
Raffles partnered with London microdistillery Sipsmith on a branded gin created to commemorate the centenary of the Singapore Sling.
- 2006
Raffles joins FRHI Hotels & Resorts[1]
M&A
Raffles and Swissôtel were brought together with Fairmont Hotels under the newly formed FRHI Hotels & Resorts holding structure.
- 2005
Colony Capital acquires Raffles Holdings[1]
M&A
Colony Capital acquired Raffles Holdings from the Singapore government for approximately one billion US dollars, according to the referenced historical account.
- 2001
Raffles Holdings acquires Swissôtel[1]
M&A
Raffles Holdings acquired Swissôtel from SAirGroup, materially increasing its room capacity and geographic presence.
Sources2 sources
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