True story: in 2003, I applied to work at the Raffles Hotel Singapore as a recent high school graduate with no credentials beyond a love of luxury hotels. Somehow enthusiasm was enough to qualify me for a summer internship in the butler department at one of the world’s most venerated properties. I got the job and booked my flights. But before I could take off, SARS began to rage in South-East Asia, putting an end to my plans. To this day, I wonder: if it hadn’t been for COVID-19’s cousin, would I have pursued a career on the other side of the table, working at hotels rather than writing about them?
The lovely colonial cornices and world-famous hospitality have changed little in Raffles’ 137 years.
