When I first reviewed the Conrad Singapore Orchard in December 2023 right after its opening, I concluded it was hotel with good potential, but teething problems meant I recommended its sister property – the Conrad Centennial – instead. Many months and stays later, I am delighted to say my opinion has taken a 180-degree turn and this is now my favourite Hilton property in Singapore. In fact, it is one of my favourite Conrads globally.
I’ll admit a good part of the positive feeling is down to familiarity. I am a familiar face to many of the staff there, and that no doubt elevates the level of service. Nonetheless, the Conrad Singapore Orchard has several positives that make it my preferred Conrad in Singapore. Many of those positives were already evident even in my previous review, but with the hotel now a well-oiled machine, most of the negatives have disappeared as well. I won’t write a full review of the hotel again, but here’s some of the reasons why the Conrad Singapore Orchard has changed my opinion:
The strengths
Food & beverage quality is top-notch
In my opinion, The Conrad Singapore Orchard has the highest quality of hotel-operated F&B offerings amongst the Hilton properties in Singapore. From the well-regarded Basilico to the Michelin-starred Summer Palace, and Manhattan bar – one of the best in the world. These aforementioned F&B outlets are all hotel-operated, which means the Hilton dining discount applies. I visit Manhattan on occasion and find it one of the best uses of the 25% discount I receive as a Hilton Honors Diamond member.
The F&B quality extends to the Executive Lounge
This is a standout item I mentioned in my earlier review as well. Too often, executive lounge offerings consist of cheap, frozen items. Not at the Conrad Singapore Orchard. Every evening, there’s a soup from Summer Palace and a pizza or pasta from Basilico. The quality isn’t quite the same as in the restaurants, though still very good. Admittedly, the food variety isn’t the biggest, but I have no complaints about the quality. I’m not going to turn down soups like fish cartilage or eight treasures with abalone. Don’t ask me what the eight treasures are though!
The staff are great
I’ll admit this one may be a little subjective, given how familiar I am to several of the staff. I’ve also met and interacted with the GM on a couple of occasions. However, I should point out that I used to be somewhat regular at the Centennial and have never felt the same level of warmth or general hospitality from the staff. I know the Centennial has many fierce supporters, but I simply don’t share the same view.
As I shared in my review previously, even the doormen/bell staff are incredibly friendly and warm. The front desk and lounge staff, which are the two touchpoints I interact with most, are also warm and engaging. Familiarity helps of course, but even when I meet with a staff member whom I’m not familiar with, service is always great.
For me, this contrasts heavily with the Centennial. There, I’m either ignored there or the staff just go through the motions. Aggravatingly, the one and only time I received excellent service was when I was wearing office wear, which differs from my usual weekend outfit of polos and berms or jeans. That shouldn’t be happening. Given that Orchard usually has lower rates than Centennial, I can’t see myself returning to the Centennial anytime soon.
The improvements
The biggest problem I encountered when I stayed at the Conrad Singapore Orchard during opening weekend was that it felt like a hotel that wasn’t quite ready for operations. Limited rooms available, shortage of amenities and a general lack of Diamond recognition. I’m glad to say that all of those problems have been largely resolved.
The lack of rooms during opening weekend created 2 problems: few upgrades and no late checkout. Thankfully, with all rooms in operation, these aren’t really issues anymore. Of course, given the limited suites, it’s not possible to get a suite on every stay. I’m grateful that I’ve been upgraded to a suite on all but one occasion in the half dozen or so stays after opening weekend. Again, familiarity and my pattern of short stays no doubt helped, so I can’t guarantee other HH Diamonds will enjoy the same experience.
I’ll take this opportunity to quickly share some photos of the Deluxe Balcony Suite as well:
Late checkout hasn’t really been a problem, and I typically get a 2pm checkout nowadays even when upgraded to a suite. I understand for some elites that’s not good enough, but honestly late checkouts are a weak point of Hilton Honors programme. The hotel could try being more generous to gain more loyal elites, but 2pm is the usual checkout I receive everywhere, so I don’t find it an issue. I’ll admit the Centennial occasionally gives later, which gives it an edge in this area.
The hotel has also done a great job saving my room and bedding preferences, so my preferred pillow from the pillow menu has been preset in my room for the last few stays. A small but welcome gesture. Speaking of welcome gestures, on various stays I’ve received welcome amenities including a bottle of Manhattan cocktail to a half bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne. These aren’t on every stay of course, but still very much appreiated. A welcome card is standard, signed occasionally the GM himself or various members of the Executive Lounge team.
The bad
The Conrad Singapore Orchard isn’t perfect, and many of the deep-rooted hardware issues I noted during my earlier review are still present. Some of these are fundamental problems that can’t be fixed (easily), such as the tight bathrooms. It’s disappointing that even the deluxe suites have the same sized bathrooms as the standard rooms. It also mildly irritates me that the bathroom flooring wasn’t changed and clashes with the overall room aesthetic in my opinion.
The breakfast selection at Basilico never changes, which could be a problem for long-staying or regular guests. The Conrad Centennial definitely offers a larger buffet at Oscar’s. That said, I’ve stayed at other hotels elsewhere is exactly identical each day (looking at Hiltons in Japan). Basilico is also clearly unable to cope at breakfast when the hotel is at capacity, judging by the line I once saw that stretched into the lift lobby.
While there’s undoubtedly some flaws, what’s important is that in 7 or 8 stays since my initial review, I’ve not found anything new worth complaining about. To me, that’s evidence the hotel has improved and remained consistent since opening.
Conclusion
After opening weekend, I was left frustrated with the Conrad Singapore Orchard and advised staying away while teething problems were sorted. I’m delighted to say that things have improved, and this hotel is now my favourite Conrad in Singapore. While there’s still minor hardware issues that persist, the positives of my experiences far outweigh any negatives. My opinion may be slightly skewed by my personal relationships with the management and staff, but it’s them that make me go back. As long as a big bathroom isn’t a dealbreaker, I can now wholeheartedly recommend the Conrad Singapore Orchard.