Inspiration

The first time Vicki stayed at Raffles Hotel she was fresh from trekking in the Himalayas with boots caked in mud and hiking pants coated in dust. But although this was her first time as a guest, the mystique of Raffles had long drawn her to the hotel. Its rich literary heritage and history as a meeting point for global travellers, gave it an allure that few hotels could match.

It is the contrast of old and new that has always attracted Vicki, combining the familiar with the unfamiliar – and enjoying luxury at the end of a rugged adventure. These contradictions give her life variety and richness and are the reasons she chose Raffles as the setting for her first Victoria West novel. Like her protagonist, the Raffles name is synonymous with luxury, glamour and extraordinary adventure.