In its heyday in the late 1800s to early 1900s, Raffles Hotel was a high society nexus of the British and the well-heeled. But today, after being closed for more than two years for a major restoration, everyone is invited to schmooze, linger and savour a slice of Singapore's living heritage.

From the get-go, you will feel as if you have stepped out of your taxi into a time warp: granite gravel instead of asphalt is retained at the driveway to the lobby entrance to hark back to the days when horse-drawn carriages formed the main mode of transportation.