My last experience here was during my Hilton Honors mattress run, pre-covid. How times have changed, including prices! With low-ish prices, I figured its time to experience a full stay while I still have Diamond status. After suffering from multiple postponements, its finally time to be here and experience how things have changed in the post-COVID era!
Address – 2 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038982. Tel: +65 6334 8888. Website
Location – Connected to Millennia Walk and linked to both Suntec City and Marina Square which gives one plenty of shopping and food options. Transport wise, the property has sheltered access to Circle Line’s Promenade Station (CC4/DT15) and has a bus stop right outside. Rather convenient for tourists.
Price – S217++ = SGD$255.41 for a Deluxe King under the Big Dreams, Big Savings promotion back in 2021 which supposedly was at a 25% discount. Had managed to stack this with the Amex Hilton offer which saved me a further few dollars off. Seeing how prices are somewhat returning to pre-COVID times, I think this is a great rate to stay here now!
Pre-arrival – I received the “new” pre-upgrade email 3 days prior – and the app showed my Deluxe King had been upgraded to Executive King (room details). I then decided to write in to politely if there is any chance for a Centennial King Suite – and they were kind enough to say yes! My request for 12pm early check in and 4pm late checkout was also acknowledged.
Yayyyyyyyyy.
The actual pre-arrival email came day after containing the usual stuff as well as an invitation to submit a standby upgrade but since I was already upgraded to the Suite, this was no longer applicable.
A day prior, another email came in to invite me to check in online via the app. This process usually involves choosing a room on the floorplan but because there is only 1 Suite per floor, there wasn’t much to choose from the assigned floor.
On the app, there was also an option to request for a digital key. I had a seamless experience with this feature Marriott so figured why not? The app indicated that I had to go to front desk anyways but suspect this is more for security reasons. But once it works, it works well!
Check In – I arrived to an empty check in area at 12pm and the process was completed within 10mins, with my digital key working soon after. I was given a letter for the Executive Lounge details, including booking of slots which was done on the spot, and told late check out was only available until 1pm. Boo.
Room – My Centennial King Suite (63SqM), 2401, was quite nice! Its not the biggest Suite I’ve tried but I like very much the smart design and layout which made the space completely functional.
63 sq.m./680 sq. ft., refurbished, living area and bedroom, Lounge access This modern 63 sq.m./680 sq. ft. suite with Asian accents, offers separate living area, bedroom and luxurious bathroom. Lounge on the long daybed by the window in the living room or rest in the cozy room with a king-sized bed. The spacious marble bathroom includes a double vanity sink, large bathtub and separate shower stall with rain shower. Be spoiled for choice with Yukata or bathrobe, luxury-branded bathroom amenities and 15 types of pillows from our pillow menu. Enjoy access to the Executive Lounge on Level 31, daily breakfast, afternoon tea and evening drinks with hors d’oeuvres; as well as complimentary premium WiFi, local calls and 2 hours of meeting room usage (subject to availability). Check-in digitally, customize your stay and access your room via a Digital Key on your mobile device via the Hilton Honors app.
From hotel website
The door opens up to immediately see your mini bar – a simple bar with carton water instead of plastic, empty fridge, and nepresso and tea etc.
Laid out in a corner of this space is the WFHotel spot with a decent table + chair set up complete with powerpoints and a USB point.
The star of this space is the longest daybed I’ve ever seen – good enough for a 5pax party to chill! Lined up against a stretch of view looking out into the Cityhall area, the daybed faces a smart TV as well as a coffee table where some welcome / special occassion amenities and a welcome note was placed. Blind controls for this area can be done via a mounted switch on the wall (sheer and blackout).
The space leads into the main bedroom area (with a sliding door for privacy if preferred), which has a cushy firm king bed flanked by 2 bedside tables with powerpoints and blinds control. A lonely chair set up sits in one corner – a little random I must say – and then a smart TV facing the bed for bedtime chilling.
Placed on one side of the bedside is a Conrad branded boxed care kit containing masks, hand sanitizers, and antiseptic wipes – one of the cutest packaging I’ve seen!
The wardrobe + vanity area is generous here, with 2x wardrobe compartments nesting the vanity tabletop in between. You’ll find the usual bedroom slippers (super thick!), bathrobes, and hairdryer stuff here.
The bathroom area is rather huge with double sinks, a generous bathtub, a standing shower space, and finally the toilet. Toiletries are Byredo – Mojave Ghost branded – never seen them before and they don’t smell like my cup of tea. Ah wells. What happened to the Shanghai Tang ones?
Lastly, for everything else you may need for a staycay, you are encouraged to scan a QR code and browse through your options (here). Snaps shots below for east reference. I also received an SMS from the front desk asking how is my room shortly after I got up – which made for easy reach out if need be.
Both TVs did not have chromecast ability and only offers Screen Mirroring which I understand to be only for Android devices which was a bummer when I need to do my workouts. For a 5-star, this can easily be fixed and honestly not that hard to do.
Most of the Suite was clean except for the toilet bowl where I spotted some stains and hair – UGH. A quick SMS to the above-mentioned message thread requesting for housekeeping to come by and clean it again was acknowledged quickly and when came back in the evening, it was spotless. An apology note from the housekeeper was also laid on the living room desk with a limited edition Conrad bear – a sweet service recovery.
Executive Lounge (menu accessible here)– Located on 31st floor, the space was relatively peaceful and I managed to get a window seat, offering views of Pan Pacific, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, and the waters. The lounge is only opened during the 2x meal sessions and booking your desired one-hour slot is necessary although they were not strict with my when I stayed on after my 1st hour. Menus were split into Even and Odd dates and mine fell within the Even selection.
On both my visits, the space was fairly occupied with window seats being the most popular.
Afternoon Tea (2:30pm-4:30pm): served in a tiered set with refills possible and last calls being made. The bites were abit of a non-event for me though – nothing really impressive and no loss if I don’t get to try it the next day.
Evening Cocktails (6:00pm-8:00pm): again served in a tiered set with refills possible and last calls being made. Unfortunately, food quality was really mediocre and wines including the Chandon sparkling wine did not work for me. Ended up munching on just cheese and nuts.
Breakfast – served from 6:30am – 10:30am @ Oscar’s, no booking is required which is a relief. The space was suitably occupied at 8am on a weekday morning and I can see that business travelers have returned to the scene as well. Assisted buffet is the format here and food quality (but bircher muesli too sweet!) was decent with strong coffee, complemented by efficient service.
Facilities – Located on level 4, both spaces have not changed much since my last visit. The pool is fairly decent but offering limited views of the skyline and the gym quite adequate for a good workout.
Service – I have to admit for a 5-star hotel and a Diamond, I expected more. The basics were met of course with nothing much to complain about but there was no warmth and the process was at most clinical, even at the Executive Lounge. Perhaps Diamond fatigue is a real thing but I’m sure more warm smiles will make a difference? An attempted call to the Conrad Service on the in-room phone also went unanswered and I had to use the Hilton Honors App to make my request.
Check Out – Painlessly done at 1pm on a weekday via express checkout.
In summary,
The generous upgrade to the Suite was absolutely the star of this stay and I really enjoyed the space even though I did not get my desired late check out. The dirty toilet bowl was a disappointment for a Conrad, and even more so the F&B quality at the Executive Lounge – I was lucky to have access as a Diamond but absolutely would not have paid for it. COVID might have changed the format but should not have affected the F&B so much – what happened Conrad?!
If you are keen to just check out prices regardless of status, do check out Klook for their ongoing promotions. [Please note that this is an affiliated link]