Raffles Hotel

Opened in 1887 and named after Singapore's founder Sir Stamford Raffles, this gleaming white colonial grande dame is the city's most storied address — a haunt of writers from Kipling to Maugham, and the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail in 1915. After a meticulous restoration, the hotel itself is reserved for guests, but anyone can wander the palm-fringed courtyards, the cast-iron portico and the heritage shopping arcade. The pilgrimage, of course, is a (pricey) Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, where tradition invites you to toss your peanut shells on the floor. Dress smart-casual, and consider afternoon tea for the full colonial fantasy. It sits right by the Civic District museums.