Hotel Review: Conrad Centennial Singapore (Centennial Suite) - Refurbished Suite with Views of Fountain of Wealth
Ever since the Conrad Centennial Singapore completed a series of refurbishments, I have been back on multiple occasions - I love the location of the property since there are various great restaurants which I like in the vicinity and more importantly, the Hilton Honors program is one that I try to achieve at least Gold each year. In fact, with my recent successes with getting pre-upgraded even as a Gold member, I may look towards obtaining Diamond for the year ahead by switching some stays over from Hyatt to Hilton. I have previously stayed in a Centennial Suite approximately three years ago but this year was the first time that i actually stayed in a recently-refurbished one.
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While the Centennial Suite of the Conrad Centennial Singapore keeps the original layout (no walls were destroyed during the refurbishment for the suites), the design is definitely a lot more pleasing to the eye. Instead of a loud clash of colours between greens, purples and yellows, the colour scheme is now a lot more muted and it is is line with what you see in the regular rooms as well. There is plenty of space to lounge around in the living room and unlike the regular guest rooms which have done away with a proper work desk, there is a small one here located at the side of the living room and power outlets can be found hidden in the desk. While this may sound like an elegant solution, there is one design flaw - the power outlets should have been rotated at a 90-degree angle to allow more power chargers to fit. The power charger for my MacBook Pro did not fit unfortunately and therefore, I was only able to charge it via the bedside power outlet.
If you are planning on staying in and lazing on the sofa, there is a massive bay window sofa here in the Centennial Suite and you can easily sit up to 6 adults very comfortably (even though there is no powder room here). If I am not mistaken, all of the Centennial Suites are located in the same column of the building and the room numbers are XX01 - this means to say that the views from these suites are identical but they do vary depending on which level your suite is at. As you can see from the photo above, the Centennial Suite looks out to The South Beach (where the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is at) and Suntec City while the other window looks out to the famous Fountain of Wealth.
Guests looking to spend time in the Centennial Suite would be pleased to find a massive flatscreen TV here in the living. This newly-refurbished suite features 63sqm of space and there is even a fully-stocked minibar alongside a Nespresso machine in the room.
Complimentary Nespresso Coffee Capsules are provided in the suite and these are also replenished during evening turndown as well as in the morning if you are staying for more than one night. One of the things that baffle me here is the choice of teabags that the property chooses to provide. Even the Hilton Singapore (which is comparatively less luxurious) uses TWG-branded ones but those that are found in the Conrad Centennial Singapore are regrettable. Additionally, it would be great if a non-caffeinated variety could be provided for those a little more sensitive to caffeine.
I received a regular welcome amenity as well as a VIP welcome amenity during my stay - the latter is a beautiful presentation of macarons and chocolate truffles placed on top a bed of chocolate chips (which I was very tempted to consume but decided against it in the end).
Additionally, as a Gold Hilton Honors member (even though I do believe these welcome amenities are for all guests staying in a Centennial Suite regardless of status level), I also received a bowl of fresh fruits as well as a box of chocolate truffles which are almost too pretty to eat.
The newly-refurbished bedrooms at the Conrad Centennial Singapore now make a lot of sense - the beds now face the TV (this was not the case previously as you may remember - it was angled to the side). The beds are now lower than before and even though I personally prefer the higher beds, they are as comfortable as I remember to be be. If you are staying in a Centennial Suite, your bedroom will look out to the Fountain of Wealth. The day blinds and night curtains are fully automated - the controls are located to the side of the bed where you can adjust them with the flick of a switch.
If you are planning on staying in the Centennial Suite for a long time, there is ample space here for you to hang up your clothes and store you personal belongings. Additionally, there is also a dressing table at the end of the bedroom (with a lighted makeup mirror) so you can dress to impress before you head out each time. The Conrad teddy bear on the bed is yours to take home (or regift!) - when the hotel was going through renovations, the bears actually came with a hardhat as well which was incredibly adorable (not sure if the hotel has anymore left but you will probably want one).
If you have stayed in a Centennial Suite previously (before refurbishment), the layout of the suite has not changed - you still need to walk plenty to get to the bathroom. Also, if you have guests visiting you for business or pleasure, they will have to walk past the bedroom to get to the bathroom. While this is not a big issue for most people since they do not expect business guests, it can be quite intrusive if you are planning on having a business meeting in the beautiful living room.
The bathroom of the Centennial Suite here at the Conrad Centennial Singapore retains most of its look and feel but the most prominent difference that you will notice here is the sink area. Even though the Centennial Suite already had a double-sink installed previously, they now look a lot slicker and much more modern.
The default bath amenity here at the Conrad Centennial Singapore (much like all other Conrad properties in the world) is now Shanghai Tang - this was previously Aromatherapy Associates. The rubber ducky by the tub is yours to take home if you like and they make an excellent gift if you have kids (of your own or otherwise) - just make sure you wash them thoroughly before handing it over to them. Bath salts are also provided by the tub if you need a little more to relax. If you are looking for a proper bath experience, there is a Lush located in Suntec City and that's only a few minutes walk away.
The Conrad Centennial Singapore now has two executive lounges - one is located by the swimming pool and the more exclusive (and definitely more premium one) is located on the top floor. The latter executive lounge is now known as The Club at Conrad and it is only accessible to suite guests (those that actually book and pay for one) as well as Hilton Honors Diamond and Gold guests who have booked at least an Executive Room. If you are holding Hilton Honors Diamond status, you will only gain access to the Executive Lounge on Level 4 if you book the cheapest room.
What's the difference between The Club at Conrad and the Executive Lounge by the pool? Well for a start, The Club at Conrad is a lot more pretty (even though the Executive Lounge is going to be renovated sometime this year) and it serves a lot more premium drinks and food. The interiors have been given a new coat of paint and the furniture has all been replaced to reflect a much more modern theme - it is now a place that you actually want to cuddle up with a book during the afternoon.
More importantly, The Club at Conrad serves Laurent-Perrier Brut NV Champagne in the evening. There is also a really decent selection of spirits and wines so if you are one who enjoys a drink or two in the evening, you will probably want to book a suite or a room with access to this. Now, do not get me wrong though - the Executive Lounge down on Level 4 serves alcoholic drinks in the evening as well but the ambience is very different. More importantly, the selection is a lot more modest and from memory I do not believe that Champagne was offered there.
The Club at Conrad also serves local craft beer - now I know some Singaporeans will probably roll their eyes if I call this craft beer (since it is actually by the Archipelago Brewery) but nevertheless it is an interesting choice if you are craving for something different. Nice touch but not a good enough reason to switch if you are purely a beer-drinker.
There is definitely enough food here at the Conrad Centennial Singapore's The Club at Conrad if you are too lazy to head out for dinner (there are plenty of food options in the area too!). On the night that I visited, there was a good selection of Western and Asian dishes so if you are relatively conservative with food, you should be alright. I ended up having quite a little bit to drink (no surprise there) but the speed in which the Champagne is replenished could be improved - I noticed that many guests who walked in to the pantry found an empty Champagne bottle on most instances (I may or may not be responsible for that).
It was pouring fairly heavily on the evening that I was there so I decided to stay in to have an early night. The hotel is more or less connected to all the shopping malls as long as you get over to Milennia Walk (there is no sheltered walkway over) so make sure you grab the umbrella in your room/suite if it is pouring.
Since my room rate came inclusive of breakfast, I chose to have it at Oscar's instead - you also have the option of having it at The Club at Conrad if you have access to that. With that said, the latter option does not offer an a la carte menu (a bit of a missed opportunity there if you ask me) so I opted for a full buffet breakfast instead.
The Conrad Centennial Singapore is a solid hotel and I have been back at least five times this year - the room rates are reasonable (especially on the weekends but of course this is subjected to rate fluctuations) and the refurbished rooms and suites are beautiful. I love the proximity of shopping malls and food options but more importantly, it is one of the rare few properties in Singapore that I can always return to without getting sick of.
The Shutterwhale stayed as a guest of the Conrad Centennial Singapore.
Conrad Centennial Singapore
2 Temasek Blvd, Singapore 038982
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Swissôtel The Stamford offers stunning views of Marina Bay and a prime City Hall location, making it an excellent choice for international visitors. While the L65 Lounge serves substantial evening food, the limited alcohol selection might not suit all guests, but the hotel is still a great option for those wanting to experience Singapore’s iconic sights.