Bellevue Hotel

Bellevue Hotel, or Hotel Bellevue, was one of the renowned hotels in early Singapore and was featured in a few guidebooks published during the early 20th century.¹

History
Bellevue Hotel, first advertised as located on top of Mount Erskine, was opened on 1 March 1901.² The hotel was later listed in the Singapore and Straits Directory for 1902 with its address at Ang Siang Hill, which is a road leading to Mount Erskine.³ The hotel shifted from Mount Erskine to Spottiswood Park, Keppel Road in 1907.⁴ A year later in April 1908, the proprietor, E. Mathieu, put the hotel on sale.⁵ There was no reference to the hotel after 1907.⁶ However, it was again listed in the Singapore and Malayan Directory for 1931 with its address at Telok Blangah Road, and the proprietor was stated as B. Hackmeier.⁷ In 1951, B. Hackmeier, or Mrs Bertha Hackmeier gave up the business.⁸ The new owner, Guan Seng Kee and Co., did not continue the name “Bellevue Hotel” and set up a hostel at the venue.⁹

Description
In the early 20th century, Bellevue Hotel was one of the principal hotels in Singapore.¹⁰ It was described as a small but one of the best-situated hotels.¹¹ When first opened, the hotel was advertised as being located at Mount Erskine with a view of Singapore’s harbour and was four minutes away from the Raffles Square. Rooms with meals provided were priced at $75 onwards per month, while tiffin and dinner cost $45 per month.¹² In another early advertisement, Bellevue Hotel was mentioned as conveniently located on Ann Siang Hill – midway between the wharves and the Commercial Square, and near the tramway line.¹³ At 200 feet above sea level, the hotel overlooked the harbour and offered a panoramic view of the Straits of Singapore and the nearby islands.¹⁴ The hotel had facilities for billiard and other modern conveniences.¹⁵ In an advertisement placed in the Souvenir of Singapore, the hotel claimed that its cuisine was the best in Singapore.¹⁶ At Telok Blangah, the Bellevue Hotel was housed in a building which once belonged to Sultan Hussien, and known to the Malays as gedong, or “the stone house”.¹⁷ In a 1952 newspaper report, the hotel had yellow walls that made the building visually appealing from the outside.¹⁸

Variant names
Hotel Bellevue, Belle Vue Hotel¹⁹



Author
Joshua Chia Yeong Jia



References
1. Reith, G. M. (1985).  Handbook to Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press, p. 85. (Call no.: RSING 959.57 REI-[HIS]); Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore. (1905) [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, p. 142.
2. To open on 1st March. (1901, February 22). The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Singapore and Straits directory for 1902 [Microfilm no.: NL 1181]. (1902). Singapore: Printed at the Mission Press, p. 109; Hon, S. S. (1893). Plan of Singapore Town Showing Topographical Detail and Municipal Numbers. Retrieved from National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/
4. Page 1 Advertisements Column 1. (1907, February 20). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. For sale by private treaty as a going concern. (1908, April 17). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Singapore and Straits directory for 1907 [Microfilm no.: NL 1182]. (1907). Singapore: Printed at the Mission Press, p. 120; Singapore and Straits directory for 1908 [Microfilm no.: NL 1183]. (1908). Singapore: Printed at the Mission Press.
7. Singapore and Malayan directory for 1931 [Microfilm no.: NL 3174]. (1931). Singapore: Fraser & Neave, p. 15.
8. An old violinist remembers gay days in Siam court. (1953, September 6). The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Home of Raffles’ friend may go. (1954, July 23). The Singapore Free Press, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
10. Reith, G. M. (1985). Handbook to Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press, p. 85. (Call no.: RSING 959.57 REI-[HIS])
11. Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. (1905). Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, p. 142.
12. To open on 1st March. (1901, February 22). The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
13. Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. (1905). Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, p. 17.
14. Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. (1905). Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, pp. 17, 142.
15. Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. (1905). Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, p. 142.
16. Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. (1905). Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, p. 17.
17. Singaporeana. (1952, January 19). The Straits Times, p. 6; On the Margin. (1952, February 19). The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
18. Singaporeana. (1952, January 19). The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
19. Singapore and Straits directory for 1902 [Microfilm no.: NL 1181]. (1902). Singapore: Printed at the Mission Press, p. 109; Souvenir of Singapore: A descriptive and illustrated guide book of Singapore [Microfilm no.: NL 16348]. (1905). Singapore: Printed by Straits Times Press, p. 142.



The information in this article is valid as at 2016 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.