The first luxury stay of my trip to Southeast Asia was in Singapore at the Conrad Singapore Orchard, a hotel recently rebranded by Hilton from The Regent Singapore, and previously managed by IHG. Read on for my review of this 5-star Hilton property.
Booking & Check-in
I booked this hotel using a Hilton Free Night Reward certificate, which I got from my American Express Hilton Honors Aspire credit card (US). The going nightly rate for a basic room is 70,000 Hilton Honors Points or $400+ Singapore dollars. Suites start at 142,000 points or S$650+.
Related: The Best Hotels to Redeem a Hilton Free Night Certificate
I could only book the lowest hotel room category using the certificate, a King Deluxe Room. However, a few days before our stay I gently requested an upgrade to a suite via email. The day before our stay I noticed our room change to a King Executive Room, and the day of our stay it again updated to a King Deluxe Balcony Suite.
This is starkly contrasted with my experience with complimentary upgrades at Hilton properties in North America such as the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, which will usually not grant upgrades and instead try to upsell you to marginally improved room types.
As a result of our overnight flight from Istanbul on Turkish Airlines business class, we arrived at the Conrad Singapore Orchard very early in the morning, around 8:00 AM. The hotel staff was very timely in helping us with our bags as we exited our rideshare and escorted us to the front desk. Our room was not yet ready so we left our bags at the hotel and decided to visit the nearby Botanical Gardens to fill the time. By the time we returned a few hours later, the room was ready for us for an early check-in.
On the way to the room, we admired the unique architecture and decor of the property. The open atrium concept with a bubble elevator in the center was something I hadn’t seen before. The elevator resembled a lantern of sorts.
Location
Conrad Singapore Orchard is situated at 1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715, in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping and entertainment district.
The Conrad Singapore Orchard is steps away from Orchard Road, a famous shopping belt lined with upscale shopping malls like Ion Orchard, Ngee Ann City, and Paragon, offering a wide range of retail outlets, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment options.
Adjacent to Orchard Road is Tanglin, a historic district known for its colonial-era architecture, upscale residences, and the Tanglin Mall, which offers dining and shopping.
Also nearby, the Singapore Botanic Gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent a few hours here on the morning of our arrival to the hotel, it was a great place for a relaxing stroll amidst lush greenery and beautiful flora.
If you’re looking to get to Marina Bay from Conrad Singapore Orchard, it is just a 15-20 minute Grab ride, a 20-25 minute MRT ride, or a 30-40 minute walk.
Parking
While we weren’t driving on this trip, complimentary self-parking was available at the hotel. Valet parking was offered for a nominal fee of S$20.00 per day.
Room – King Deluxe Balcony Suite
We opened the door to our suite to a long hallway with a small half-bathroom on the right side. The end of the hallway opened into a large living room area, complete with a sectional and a large, modern TV.
Waiting for us on the table in the living room area was a generous welcome amenity, which included a gourmet cheese spread, chocolates, macarons, and a pre-made Manhattan cocktail. A nice welcome message was left for us from the Director of Public Relations as well.
In the living room, there was a large countertop with a filtered water dispenser, minibar, and coffee machine.
Unfortunately, it was a rainy day so we couldn’t enjoy them, but the room had not just one but two balconies. One adjoined the living room and the other adjoined the bedroom. The balconies seemed rather unsheltered from the elements. It didn’t take long for the rain to render all the furniture soaked and unusable for the rest of the day.
The bedroom itself was directly connected to the living room with a wide-open entryway. It had another TV with a bench below, and a desk and chair on the other side.
As to be expected of a newly renovated property, there were state-of-the-art central lighting controls located throughout the suite, including automatic blinds. The bedside tables were also something to behold, with an extendable tray complete with wireless charging, USB, and USB-C.
Attached to the bedroom was a large hallway closet with plenty of storage space and a nook perfect for placing our luggage.
The ensuite bathroom was connected to the storage hallway. Although the counter space was only moderate, the waterfall shower was spacious. The Mojave Ghost amenities were provided by Byredo.
As mentioned, this was the second of two bathrooms. There was also a smaller half-bathroom accessible from the hallway near the suite entrance.
Restaurants & Bars
The Conrad Singapore Orchard has a plethora of fantastic restaurant and bar options to choose from, located on various floors within the hotel.
These restaurant options included:
Level 1 (Lobby level):
- DOLCETTO: An Italian artisanal pasticceria (bakery) and mercatino (bistro) which offers grab-and-go as well as seated dining.
- TEA LOUNGE & PARK90: The Tea Lounge is open only on weekends for mid-afternoon high tea. Then from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, it operates as Park90, a wine bar.
- THE HOUSE BAR: Bar serving artisan sake, craft cocktails, fine spirits, and Japanese bar dining, with a main bar, alcove, and private dining room.
- SHOUKOUWA SHINJIDAI: A 13-seater contemporary Japanese restaurant, playing modern Jazz and soft rock music with three curated set menus ($250++).
Level 2:
- BASILICO: Italian all-day dining restaurant that also serves craft cocktails. Breakfast is served from here.
- MANHATTAN: A New York-themed cocktail bar, consistently ranked in the World’s 50 Best Bars.
Level 3:
- SUMMER PALACE: A Cantonese-inspired Michelin-star restaurant.
- SEOUL: Premium Korean BBQ buffet restaurant, open for lunch and dinner.
- TENSHIN: A Japanese restaurant serving Edomae-style sushi. Open for lunch and dinner.
As we were only here for one night, we unfortunately didn’t manage to enjoy any of these restaurants, aside from Basilico where we ate for breakfast.
Executive Lounge
The Conrad Singapore Orchard has an Executive lounge on the 11th floor (Executive Floor). The Executive Lounge is available to guests staying in Executive floor rooms or Hilton Diamond members (such as holders of the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire credit card (US)).
The Executive lounge is open from 06:30 to 22:00 daily, and has three services, as outlined in the elite benefits handout we received at check-in:
- Breakfast: 06:30 to 10:30
- Afternoon tea: 14:30 to 16:30
- Evening cocktail: 18:00 to 20:00
We were unfortunately so exhausted from flying and then walking around the botanical gardens, that we decided to crash and missed both the afternoon tea and evening cocktail and hors d’oeuvres period.
However, I did check out the lounge in the late evening. It was a very nice space, giving a much more formal vibe than other Executive lounges I’ve been to such as those at Marriott hotels.
They had some snacks and offered me a complimentary beverage as well.
It would have been nice to enjoy this lounge a little more but unfortunately, it just wasn’t in the cards for this stay.
Basilico – Hilton Honors Complimentary Breakfast
Although Basilico operates as an Italian restaurant during the day, it is set up as a breakfast spread during the morning. Breakfast is served from 6.30 a.m to 10.30 a.m daily. As part of the Hilton breakfast benefit, we were granted a complimentary breakfast as Hilton Honors Diamond Elite status members, however, Hilton Honors Gold members also receive this perk.
Related: Definitive Guide to Hilton Honors Diamond Status
The breakfast spread was extensive but not overdone by any means.
Coming into this trip, I had heard fantastic things about Thai-style breakfasts and the Conrad’s did not disappoint. Everything was fresh and delicious. Easily one of the best breakfast buffets I’ve had, and leagues above the standard you would expect at North American hotels.
In-room Dining
After taking a nap from a tiring stretch of overnight travel, we decided to order room service for dinner. The menu included a wide selection of international and local options.
We shared the Singapore Hokkien Noodles, which came in a sizeable portion and really hit the spot.
Facilities
Outdoor Pool
The Conrad had an outdoor pool on level 2. The pool fits 18 people and was relatively small, but nice. At the time I visited it was unstaffed, but there was a QR code next to the loungers which I assume would have allowed one to order food and/or drink.
The Conrad offered complimentary morning poolside wellness classes, an array of fitness and mindfulness classes like Ying-Yang Yoga, HIIT, and breathwork to set the tone for the day.
Fitness Center
Also located on level 2 was a well-designed fitness center. Like the pool, the fitness center was deserted on my visit in the early morning.
There was a nice lounging area upon entry that had fruit, boxed water, and towels. The workout area was impressive and expansive with one side room for yoga and pilates, and another main area with treadmills, free weights, numerous machines, and even a squat rack.
Although not visible at this time, the cardio was windowed with a nice view of a park and walking path down below.
The fitness center was connected to the pool via shared, modern bathroom and shower facilities.
Conclusion
Even though we only stayed for one day at the Conrad Singapore Orchard, half of which was in a fatigued, jet-lagged state, the hotel provided a refreshing experience for us. It was a great place to acclimate to the Singapore time zone. As we checked out, we wished we could have stayed a few more nights and experienced the numerous bars and restaurants on the property.
I highly recommend considering the Conrad Singapore Orchard for accommodation on your next visit to Singapore.
On our departure, the Director of Public Relations personally thanked us and even provided us with a farewell gift of relaxing tea, aromatic shower steamers, and gift envelopes.
Reed Sutton
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