SG's Raffles Hotel casts real-life royals to reimagine golden age of travel

Singapore's Raffles Hotels & Resorts is reinterpreting the golden age of travel by casting real-life royals in its latest campaign, Hotel Royalty Since 1887. The new spot features HIRH Catharina von Habsburg, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia with her mother HIRH Archduchess Anna Gabriele von Habsburg, born von Wrede; HRH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh, King of Jaipur; George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford; HRH Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark; and HH Prince Nikolai of Denmark. The film will run for the remainder of the year and into 2022.

In the video, they embark on a series of marvellous and whimsical adventures. As the day progresses, scenes build to a crescendo through a riot of colours, textures and movement, culminating with the joy of an opulent banquet. Throughout the scenes, simple pleasures become elevated, and the journey inspires a sense of wonder and amazement, reflecting the true essence of the brand and the feeling of Raffles’ guests when in residence.

The campaign was developed by Accor's Creative Studio and filmed by Welsh film director and screenwriter Peter Greenaway at Raffles Singapore, the brand's birthplace. It pays tribute to the brand’s storied history and prestige through an innovative, emotive, offbeat, and atypical lens - modernising hotel royalty through a multi-generational cast that have always considered Raffles their luxury brand of choice.

It also draws from the fundamental spirit of Raffles and aims to showcase the extraordinary experience the brand provides. Inspired by Raffles’ philosophy of true luxury being not only about what you do, but also about how you feel, the campaign highlights the brand’s position as a destination for the well-travelled. Each vignette emulates a painting, layered with saturated colours and textures that feel exotic and daring. Greenaway is known for his evocative films with striking imagery. According to Raffles Hotel, this is the first commercial project of his career. 

From writing to fashion and from polo to aviation, each royal cast member has a personal passion that connects to the roots of the Raffles brand. These passions were incorporated into the campaign in symbolic and meaningful ways. One particularly poignant scene depicts HIRH Catharina von Habsburg writing exactly where Rudyard Kipling, one of her favourite authors, wrote The Jungle Book. Greenaway captures an incredibly moving moment as von Habsburg pens an emotional letter to her ancestor, Marie Antoinette. Throughout the film, Greenaway aims to portray Raffles as an exclusive retreat for well-travelled connoisseurs, enchanting them with distinctive and meaningful experiences.

Meanwhile, Raffles Hotel aims to double its portfolio by 2024. It recently opened a second hotel in Dubai, The Palm, and Raffles London at The OWO is set to open next year, along with additional flagship properties planned for Boston, Doha, Jeddah, Macau, Bahrain, and Moscow others.

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