Location
Conrad Centennial Singapore is very well located in the heart of Singapore in the Marina Square area. The Marina Square Shopping Mall and Suntec City Shopping Mall offer visitors tons of shopping and dining options within a stone’s throw from the hotel. Nearby the hotel, visitors can find the famed Marina Bay Sands Shopping Mall and Raffles City Shopping Mall within mere minutes of walking from the hotel, adding to the long list of shopping and dining options for guests at Conrad Centennial Singapore. In addition, there are two MRT stations, Promenade and City Hall MRT stations, within a 3 to 5-minute walk from the hotel, making connectivity to the other parts of Singapore convenient for guests at the hotel. Conrad Centennial Singapore was renovated in 2018, giving the outdated rooms and suites a refreshing and relaxing feel.
The Conrad Centennial Suite
The refreshed 63m2 Conrad Centennial Suite was renovated in 2018, exuding a minimalistic and clean vibe throughout the entire suite. Gone were the outdated and clustered furnishings that made the suite feels smaller. The last time I stayed in the Conrad Centennial Suite was in 2014 (read about it here), where the décor feels outdated even for 2014. I liked this refreshed feel of the suite, which brings out the true size of the Conrad Centennial Suite.
The Living Room
The living room is the first part of the suite that greets us as we enter through the main entrance to the Conrad Centennial Suite, which is undoubtedly the largest part of the suite where first impressions are formed. Gone were the ugly yellow walls with dated furniture, replace them are the more contemporary beige coloured walls and minimalistic lounging furniture. I like the refreshed living room, exuding a comfortable and modern vibe. The hotel did a fantastic job in using space in the suite.
The minibar area is flushed into the walls, which in no way hampers entry into the Conrad Centennial Suite. It also makes the entryway look cleaner and neater. The minibar area has your usual suspects as what one would find in any hotel establishment, a fridge, coffee machine and kettle. I like using the drawer-styled mini fridge (which, unfortunately, struggles to chill our drinks). Convenient for us to access our drinks. Above the fridge is another drawer where we would find cups, tea and coffee. Nespresso coffee machines seem to be the gold standard in most hotels these days, and the more posh hotels would equip their suite with higher-end Nespresso machines. Conrad Centennial Singapore is no exception. An entry-level (good enough) Nespresso machine sits on the minibar area, providing me with the caffeine I need in the mornings. I like the empty shelving opposite the mini bar area, which provided ample storage space for the snacks we brought for this staycation.
Now to the main part of the living room. I thought flushing the furniture against the wall was a clever way for the hotel to create space in this part of the suite. Tucked in one corner is a large work desk for me to do some work. The space-saving study light provided additional illumination without taking up too much space. The only power outlets in the living room are located on the study table, which allows me to charge up my laptop while rushing my assignment.
The bulk of the living room is occupied by the extra-long day bed cum sofa that runs along the entire length of the living room. The use of remote-controlled blinds and sheers, when opened up, lets a lot of daylight into the living room with an unobstructed view of the surroundings. The sofa is very comfortable to sit on and certainly very comfortable to laze on while watching the numerous channels on the 55″ LED TV mounted onto the wall. The inclusion of the L-shaped ottoman provides more sitting space, but it is also perfect for one to laze on. We requested extra pillows and blankets from the hotel to make ourselves comfortable lazing on the sofa and watching TV (the aircon is very strong in the living room). I like using a single movable table in place of a coffee table light enough to be shifted along any part of the sofa, allowing us to “customise” how we want to use the sofa space. There is no need for another coffee table, which will spoil the minimalistic Japanese Zen vibe. It will also be a waste of real estate in the living room. I also liked the running lights underneath the entire length of the sofa. It provides illumination but gives the entire living room a clean and comfortable feel.
Conrad Centennial Singapore can fit a small dining table in the living room with the clever use of space and the thoughtful choice of furnishing. I find the dining table is of the right size, large enough for two to enjoy a decent meal on and yet not taking up too much space. I particularly like the dining table as it doubles up as an additional workstation should both need space to do our work.
Bedroom
While most of the changes to the Conrad Centennial Suite in Conrad Centennial Singapore are done in the living room, the bedroom received some subtle updates. The first noticeable change in the bedroom is the doors. Replacing the 80s styled wooden doors are the modern sliding doors that would become “invisible”, freeing up space for the hotel to get creative with the space in the suite. The use of the colour tone in the bedroom is coherent with that of the living room, giving the bedroom a very comfortable and cosy feel. The use of mirrors on either side of the bed not only made the bedroom looks larger it also allowed guests of the Conrad Centennial Suite to tidy their attire before heading out. I like the clean headboard by the bed, making the bedroom look simple and clean. The king bed looked like two twin beds combined into a king bed, which is still very comfortable and provides great sleep quality. To ensure guests get better sleep, Conrad Centennial Singapore offers a menu of 14 pillow types for the guests to choose from (I opted for the Cuddle “U”, Japanese Tatami and buckwheat pillows). A couple of bedside tables stood guard beside the king bed, equipped with power outlets on top for us to charge our lifestyle devices.
The biggest update to the bedroom in the Conrad Centennial Suite is the wardrobe space and the TV placement in the bedroom. The TV used to be housed in a cabinet, placed in one corner of the bedroom, making it difficult to watch as it is angled. Although the new placement of the TV sacrifices the view of the city from the bed, I find this sacrifice is a great decision. After all, who will be lying on the bed looking out into metal buildings? In addition, the TV placement directly in front of the bed makes watching TV on the bed more pleasant.
The biggest update to the bedroom in the Conrad Centennial Suite would have to be the wardrobe space. The renovated bedroom sees the inclusion of two huge wardrobes with a dressing table sitting in the middle. Compared to its pre-renovated predecessor, these wardrobes can swallow weeks of clothing. One of the wardrobes comes with drawers and a huge safe tucked in one of the drawers, giving more space to put our stuff. The other wardrobe houses the ironing gears and can use purely for the hanging of clothing. The top of the dressing table can be opened to reveal a mirror with LED lighting and houses the hairdryer. But for those who do not find a dressing table useful, this table can double up as a place to put some items or even for work.
Bathroom
I thought the bathroom received the least updates of the three main areas in the Conrad Centennial Suite. The sink, the bathtub and the toilet are where it was before the renovation. Despite not having many changes, the bathroom feels luxurious with the use of marble. The bathtub sitting at the far end of the bathroom is huge, and the water pressure ensures this huge tub gets filled up with water in no time. The walk-in shower enclosed in glass with regular and rain showerheads is at the end of the bathtub. The toilet still sits in the same corner with only the walls painted light grey. Perhaps the biggest change in the bathroom is the sink area. It still comes with dual vanity with the same amount of countertop space, but the sinks feel larger and more contemporary, totally in sync with the design throughout the suite. I find it disappointing that Conrad Centennial Singapore ceased to provide Shanghai Tang bath amenities (which is a fragrance I liked very much). The hotel also ceased giving its guests options on the bath amenities they prefer (I guess all in the name of saving the earth and reducing wastage).
Service
Most of the staff in Conrad Centennial Singapore feels friendly and warm. They are not stingy with their greetings and certainly are not shy in engaging in small talks with their guests. Our first interaction with the great service around Conrad Centennial Singapore is at the check-in. While Fatimah was processing our check-in, she still managed to engage in small talk with us. Upon learning that we were returning to the hotel after eight years, Fatimahcan immediately recalled the suites before its renovation and how she agreed the suite required a make-oven. This talking does not seem to slow her efficiency in processing our check-in. She still manages to process the check-in without having us wait too long. Fatimah was very detailed in providing us with information on the lounge timings and the breakfast timings. She helped us book the time slots for afternoon tea and evening cocktail hours. I was pleasantly surprised that Fatimah could recognise me and greeted me by my last name the next day when I walked past the reception despite interacting with so many guests in between. Her greetings feel like a friendly greeting another when bumping on the streets.
We had a great time knowing Dila, who was at the swimming pool. Dila is a staff at the swimming pool and came across as bubbly and cheerful. We knew we would enjoy our time at the pool when we bumped into Dila. She was not shy in striking a conversation and felt genuine when she asked how our day was. I was surprised that Dila remembered our name and room number the second day at the pool. The moment we were at the pool, Dila warming welcomed us to enjoy the pool. I even overheard her telling her colleagues our room number and that she had verified our booking slot. Other than Dila, the staff at the swimming pool were great. They helped us look for a perfect spot for suntan and even brought us a nice cold drink. In addition, the pool staff were attentive and were seen patrolling the pool to top up water for guests.
We were well taken care of by Charmaine, the staff at the Executive lounge. Charmaine found us a great seat with an excellent view on the first day we were at the lounge for afternoon tea. After settling in, Charmaine checked with us about our food allergies and ensured this message was passed to her colleagues. after getting our orders for drinks, Charmaine brought the food to us and took the time to introduce food to us. She even popped by to check if we needed more food and how we found the food.
Most of the staff we met at the Conrad Centennial Singapore were pleasant and welcoming, less one of the reception staff. Approached the reception to check for late check-out, the said staff only granted us an extension of 30 mins as a form of “late check-out”, stating the suite was already assigned for the next guest. When I asked to speak to the duty manager, the staff, instead of getting her manager approached her colleague standing next to her. after 5 mins, we were told the hotel could extend the late check-out till 3 pm, “but just for this time”, she told us. The staff came across as condescending, and I wondered if I had not asked the duty manager, she would not have taken the initiative to find a solution for my late check-out. What appeared to be easily resolved by her colleague was not done by her. We left the reception feeling being patronised.
I managed to speak to the duty manager about the staff. Manolo came across as empathetic and listened to my feedback without being defensive. While he attempted to explain the action of his staff, he did not come across as finding excuses and was apologetic the whole time we conversed. the way that Manolo handled my complaint showed how he deserved to be a manager. He was professional and keen to find out from the staff what the shortfall was and help her improve her people-to-people skill. Despite the small incident, we found the staff at Conrad Centennial Singapore were generally welcoming.
Hotel Facilities
Executive Lounge
Our stay in the Centennial Suite entitles us access to the Executive Lounge. The hotel adjusted the lounge operation timing due to COVID-19. The lounge provides afternoon tea from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm and evening cocktails from 6 pm to 8 pm, where bite-size snacks are served. After which, the lounge would only serve drinks up to 10 pm daily. The Executive lounge is perched on level 31 of Conrad Centennial Singapore. The ambience at the lounge is relaxing and provides a great view of the hotel’s surroundings. The food served during the afternoon tea and evening cocktails was delicious. The Executive lounge in Conrad Centennial Singapore offers a great variety of drinks. It is a good place to chill.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool at Conrad Centennial Singapore is located on level 4 of the hotel. The swimming pool is fairly small but still allows guests to do some decent laps. The pool is furnished with ten pairs of deck chairs and four cabanas. There is access for younger guests at the side of the pool; however, as the pool was built for laps, there are no shallower areas suitable for younger guests to play by themselves. Due to the COVID-19 rules, the number of visitors to the pool is very tightly controlled, making getting a spot in the pool very easy. Guests are entitled to one booking of 2 hours per day at the pool. In addition, the absence of high rise buildings and vegetation around the pool makes the swimming pool a great spot for getting some vitamin D.
Gym
A small gym is housed at level 4 of Conrad Centennial Singapore, next to the swimming pool. Similar to the swimming pool, the usage of the gym is limited to one slot of two hours per day per room. Despite the gym’s size, it is well equipped with machines that one would find in any fee-paying gym. Other than the cardio machines like treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes, there is an area in the gym dedicated to weight training with both free weights and machines. Guests would be able to get a good workout at the gym.
Breakfast at Oscar’s
Guests staying in executive rooms and suites are entitled to breakfast. However, due to the pandemic, instead of serving up breakfast at the Executive Lounge, suites guests would get their breakfast at Oscar’s. There is quite a huge food selection for breakfast, ranging from cold cuts to hot local and international food. The food is delicious, and the hotel made some minor changes to the breakfast menu daily. Breakfast is served in assisted buffet style due to the pandemic, which is very close to pre-pandemic times. Therefore, guests are at liberty to eat as much as they want. Breakfast is served between 6.30 am to 11.00 am on weekends. We found the ideal time for breakfast was around 10 am when most of the crowd had already left during our stay. Food was seen being topped up, despite operating at the last hour of breakfast.
Overall
I like the refreshed Centennial Suite in Conrad Centennial Singapore. The suite feels clean and cosy and not too cluttered. The sleep quality on the king bed is good, coupled with the hotel’s extensive pillow menu. Service is top-notch, and some staffs even go all out to remember guests’ names and preferences. In addition, the facilities at Conrad Centennial Singapore make it a great place for staycations.
