Raffles Nightcap

The Raffles Hotel in Singapore is one of our favorite hotels in Asia and beyond. It is well out of our budget so we employ a well-rehearsed tactic of going to the hotel for drinks and pretending like we're staying there, and then retreating to our lower priced hotel down the street. But the Raffles really is a throwback in the colonial charm category, exemplified by the Sikh doorman who two years ago was kind enough to pose with Ingrid and this time around did the same with Tillie. Pictures of both are below -- Two makes a tradition!



The hotel was done up beautifully for Christmas, inside and out. We had a nightcap at the Writer's Bar where we were captivated by Jimmy the resident piano player. Arkansas-born Jimmy became a local legend over the past 25 years in the south of France before relocating to the Raffles two years ago where he is now a nightly fixture playing everything from the classics to the classical. You can name any/most songs and he'll belt it out. Lizzie had heard him play on a past trip so she requested the Gospel hymn 'Can't Give up Now' and I must say that his rendition was quite a powerful thing to hear. Both girls were asleep in their strollers, we had full glasses of wine, were being treated to unbeatable entertainment and were in as romantic a venue as it gets. An awesome close to a great trip!