He even dined at the Raffles Hotel with Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

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Old colonial relics such as Raffles Hotel or schools such as St Joseph's Institution (now the Art Museum) were restored and prettified.

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Beginning in Phnom Penh, with a stay at Raffles Hotel, the first few days are spent exploring the city's sites, including the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.

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One example: The Raffles hotel chain has created two restaurant brands, Doc Cheng's and Jaan's, based on the Singapore-based originals and their fusion of Western and Asian cuisine.

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Sainsbury (a British-based supermarket group), Harrods (a London shop), Fairmont Raffles (a hotel chain) and chunks of banks such as Credit Suisse, Barclays and Santander.

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The prince's Kingdom Holding Company, whose shares are traded on the Saudi stock exchange, owns stakes in hotel groups including Four Seasons and Fairmont Raffles and is a part-owner of the Savoy Hotel in London.

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So are two Cambodian investments by Raffles's present owners: Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh and Grand Hotel Angkor in Siem Reap, a splendid colonial relic which will have a new life as a luxury hotel for visitors to the sublime temples of Angkor Wat.

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Pierre Jochem, general manager of Raffles International, noted that the watch brand, which is 180 years old, shares a commitment with the hotel to heritage and innovation.

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