If you've been to Singapore, you've probably walked past Raffles Hotel.

Maybe you were on the way to City Hall, or someone pointed it out as "the place where the Singapore Sling was invented."

Today, Raffles is a landmark of Singapore.

And it has now evolved into what's now known as Raffles Hotels & Resorts, a global brand, part of Accor bought in a $2.7B acquisition, that now curates luxury hotels in over 15 countries.

But did you know that Singapore's Raffles Hotel was started by four Armenian brothers?‍

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🔥 The Southeast Asian opportunity

‍Back in 1884, the Sarkies brothers were new to Southeast Asia.

Tigran was just 23, from an Armenian merchant family in Persia, and he spotted something in the chaos of Penang’s steamship port.

The ancient Silk Road trading world his family had known for centuries was dying, but steam travel was booming, bringing tons of Europeans to Asia. They had tiring, long trips with nowhere luxurious to rest.

So, with his older brother Martin, an engineer, the Sarkies brothers opened their first hotel in Penang, Malaysia called the Eastern Hotel.

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‍💡 The first success

It was so popular that they had to open a second hotel next door, called the Oriental Hotel in 1885, and merged the two to form the "Eastern & Oriental Hotel" in 1889.

Why was it so popular? They created much more than just a place to rest.

The hotels were at prime locations at the heart of Penang's colonial activity, with 80 rooms combining Asian hospitality and European style.

They made sure they were the hub for social events in Penang.

They had balls, banquets, and major celebrations for the local elite and visiting dignitaries by the 1890s. They also set the bar for comfort and luxury: hot and cold running water, telephones in every room, and a massive seafront lawn.

Their hotels basically became the social and business hub of Penang's elite. Balls, banquets, deals, and gossip all flowed through its doors.

The brothers learned something crucial: real luxury was more than just staying in a high-end hotel room. It meant being seen and creating the place to be.

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🎯 The Singapore gamble

As their reputation spread, so did the competition.

When a rent dispute threatened their Penang base, the brothers set their sights south, hunting for opportunity in Singapore. They found it, not in a palace, but in a ramshackle Beach Road bungalow.

Risking nearly everything they had earned, the brothers turned a boarding house into a hotel.

On December 1, 1887, they opened Raffles Hotel with just ten rooms and the brave promise that it would be the city's finest place to stay.

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🧠 The branding masterstroke

Tigran knew the power of perception.

es, he did choose prime real estate for the Singapore property. It was one of the best and healthiest in town, facing the sea, and just a few minutes' walk of the Public Offices and the Square.

But more importantly, he leaned into branding. Why the name "Raffles?" Choosing "Raffles" was an intentional decision.

Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, was the ultimate symbol of British prestige and imperial success.

In 1887, Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and the brand new Raffles statue in town had made the name more fashionable and meaningful than ever.

The hotel itself had nothing to do with Stamford Raffles, but by borrowing his name, Tigran instantly gave the Raffles Hotel an aura of credibility and among colonial officials and society’s elite.

It signaled to both locals and visitors that this hotel belonged at the heart of Singapore’s story, reserved for the best of guests.

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📈 Building the legend

Everything about Raffles was a step up from what Singapore had known.

Electric lights and fans, still rare luxuries in Singapore hotels, illuminated the rooms. Guests found private baths, fine cuisine, and an air of cosmopolitan hospitality that was as deliberate as it was intoxicating.

Success came fast again.

Within a decade, they had expanded from 10 to 75 rooms, adding wings, the Palm Court, and finally the grand Main Building in 1899, designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell with marble floors, powered ceiling fans, and state-of-the-art features.

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🌐 The empire expands

The brothers essentially ran their own unofficial hotel group.

With Tigran running Singapore, Aviet stationed in Rangoon for the launch of the exquisite Strand Hotel, and Arshak eventually managing Penang.

Their establishments became the places to be seen for visiting diplomats, artists, and writers.. Somerset Maugham turned eavesdropped conversations into short stories. Kipling toasted the tropics in the ballroom.

By 1910, Raffles had become the center of Singapore's business and social life. A key stop for any traveler who was “in”.

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💔 When everything falls apart

But as their hotels grew and expanded, the world changed around them.

Tigran, exhausted after 23 years, sailed to England in 1910 and passed away there in 1912, aged 51. And World War I, the Depression, and personal tragedies slowly drained their wealth.

The other brother Arshak, had a reputation for generosity and running up debts.

He loved people more than profit, running hotels "more for the pleasure of entertaining friends than making money,” and the family business stumbled.

After the 1929 crash, he tore up outstanding accounts he knew would never be paid.

By 1931, creditors forced them out. The Sarkies firm owed $3.5M to 195 creditors, which was the biggest bankruptcy the colony had ever seen.

The family lost everything they had built.

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🔥 The remarkable survival

But Raffles survived. During the Japanese occupation, the hotel’s rooms were commandeered for military officers.

In a final act of hope, the staff buried the hotel’s finest silverware, like cutlery, serving pieces, even the grand beef trolley, deep in the Palm Court gardens.

They believed that when their occupation ended, Raffles would be able to serve guests with the same splendor as before.

Through those years, Raffles was more than just a hotel and was a living memory of a lost golden age.

When the war ended and new owners stepped in to save Raffles in 1933, that buried silver was brought back into the dining room, clean, polished, and ready for a new era.

Raffles managed to survive WWII, and instead of letting it fade into history, Singapore chose to save it instead.

It was declared a National Monument in 1987 and shuttered for a two-year, $160M restoration (over $370M in today’s money), Raffles was reborn and continued to blend colonial grandeur with modern comfort.‍

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🌍 Going global

Raffles International formed in 1989 to professionalize management and export the legendary brand.

Each hotel kept several standards set by the Singapore original: timeless butler service, signature hospitality, and an address meant to be a local icon.

The brand grew, launching icons in Phnom Penh, Paris, and Dubai, each one tuned to the heritage and soul of the original, always promising that unmistakable Raffles sense of occasion and legendary service.

In 2016, AccorHotels completed its $2.7B acquisition, bringing Raffles under a global hospitality giant.

Today, the brand powers a curated collection of 35 legendary hotels across four continents. The flagship's real estate came to be owned by Qatar's sovereign fund, while the vision itself became a worldwide symbol of luxury.

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Takeaway Scoop

Lessons you can take from the Raffles Hotel story.

• Brand is more than just a name—timing and context matter.
  Tigran Sarkies named his new hotel “Raffles” not out of nostalgia, but as a calculated move. He understood that picking a name tied to the founder of modern Singapore, right as the colony was celebrating Queen Victoria’s Jubilee and unveiling a Raffles statue, would give the hotel instant credibility—even though it had no historic links to Stamford Raffles himself.
• Build a hub, not just an establishment.
  The Sarkies didn’t just create a place to sleep. They built outposts of culture, connection, and community. In every city, their hotels became the social centers where deals were made, stories were written, and reputations were forged.
• Obsess over service, then export that obsession.
  Every Raffles after Singapore exported the “unwritten rules” of great hospitality: legendary butlers, ultra-personalized touches, iconic bars, and tradition-laden teas. As the brand scaled, it made sure never to compromise on the core DNA. Service was, and remains, the differentiator guests remember.
• Survive storms by honoring your past, but never be afraid to reinvent.
  War, occupation, bankruptcy, and changing tastes nearly killed the brand. But by betting hard on restoration, heritage, and their original DNA—then combining it with global ambitions. Raffles thrived where so many other legends faded. If your project hits hard times, double down on the values that made you great in the first place, but don’t shy away from an upgrade.
• True legacy outlives its founders.
  The Sarkies lost everything in the end, but their standards and their vision outlived them. Decades and even centuries later, the “Raffles experience” is still shorthand for luxury rooted in both myth and hospitality. If you want to go the distance, make your core ethos transferable, so that it shines through in every context and every era.