Conrad Centennial: In the heart of Singapore

It so happened that I was at the right and luxurious location. And from there, everything was just so easy and convenient. This time, it was an unhurried trip to Singapore and I managed to catch up on the new things the city has to offer, mainly the art exhibits that I had been wanting to see.

On a short trip, of course, location is key. Conrad Centennial Singapore is right in the heart of everything you’d want to see, buy and eat in Singapore: it’s near the new shopping mall Marina Bay Sands and old favorites like Marina Square, Suntec City Mall and Esplanade.

Contemporary in design, the hotel has 482 luxurious guest rooms and 25 suites, each appointed with everything a traveler needs — from its 16 types of different pillows (okay, maybe not every tourist needs to have those choices, but if they did — well, there it is, a menu of pillows!), wireless Internet, Acca Kappa toiletries, and 46-inch flat-screen TVs.

The executive suite at Conrad. The hotel boasts spectacular views of the city’s marina.

Conrad Centennial pulled out all the stops with its Asian art collection valued at $6 million. About 3,400 original artworks are scattered in the public areas, F&B outlets, and guestrooms. These include the sculpture “Turbulence” by the famous Venezuelan artist Rafael Barrios, a 15-foot geometrical sculpture located in the lobby; and “Harmony,” by Richard Sparling, a gigantic wall sculpture in the hotel’s driveway.

If your type of art is more of the culinary kind, you won’t be disappointed. Conrad’s Golden Peony, a multi-award winning Chinese restaurant, offers an innovative menu with dim sum selections not found in other restaurants — and that’s saying a lot because, if anything, Singapore is a gourmet’s haven.

Conrad director of marketing communication Vivian Tung and I had a degustation lunch before I left. Vivian is such a lovely girl — with a spirit for adventure and all things beautiful are alive within her. We talked over a long, leisurely lunch about everything, from her university experience in Australia to traveling together someday and her family.

Vivian revealed that Golden Peony holds regular epicurean dinners hosted by Singapore’s renowned wine connoisseur and wine journalist Ch’ng Poh Tiong, where diners are treated to a sumptuous six-course dinner and excellent wine pairings.

Golden Peony restaurant, a multi-award winning Chinese restaurant offering an innovative menu with dim sum selections not found in other restaurants.

For a more international cuisine, there’s Oscar’s, which has over 40 selections of wines and is open 24 hours a day. If you happen to be at Conrad on a Sunday, don’t miss the champagne brunch appropriately called Amazing Graze Sunday.

Not to be outdone, the Lobby Lounge of Conrad boasts 38 tea selections, sweets, pastries and savories, as well as an executive lunch buffet. When seated there, don’t forget to look up, and you’ll notice that the ceiling is capped by 24-carat gold leaf. In the evening, guests come to the Lobby Lounge for the selection of cigars and malt whiskies and port.

Conrad is the kind of hotel that’s great for the Filipino art lover and shopper. When I was there, there were two art exhibits that I saw, the first being “Dali: Mind of a Genius” and the Van Gogh show at the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum in the Marina Bay Sands complex, which is within walking distance from Conrad, and the Terra Cotta Army exhibit at the Asian Civilization Museum, just a short cab ride away.

First, Dali. The exhibit encompasses all of his surreal art forms — sculptures, paintings, film, and drawings. It also shows just what kind of a showman he was and his obsessions with women, time and lobster.

The outdoor pool on the fourth level has spectacular views of the skyline.

On the walls are some of his more unforgettable quotes: “I find it harder and harder to understand how other people can possibly bear to exist without being Salvador Dali” and “Every morning when I wake up, I feel an exquisite joy — the joy of being Salvador Dali. And I ask myself…What wonderful thing will he create today, this Salvador Dali.”

Of course, this is the guy who melted time, who thought of dreams as being more real than reality, and subverted proportion in his work.

Also at the ArtScience Museum is a wonderful Australian production of Van Gogh’s works. There are no actual Van Gogh paintings here, but the way images of his works are projected on the walls of the large hall — and accompanied by moving music — makes the exhibit worth seeing. It is a wonderful tribute to the disturbed artist in larger-than-life form.

I had been wanting to see the Terra Cotta Army for so long. A couple of years ago, a Filipino friend living in London, Richard de Villa, took me to the British Museum to see the traveling exhibit from China — 120 pieces of the warriors, dating back to 3rd century BC. Then we found out that you needed to book tickets online for that special show. It was my last day in London and it broke my heart that I didn’t get to see the warriors.

So when I found out that Singapore was having a Terra Cotta exhibit, I felt I shouldn’t pass up the opportunity. The exhibit features only seven pieces from the Xian collection. Yes, the number is terribly underwhelming, but looking at the warriors displayed at the Asian Civilization Museum — and with a little imagination — you can still feel that sense of wonder.

This is perhaps one of the best stories of an archeological find. A group of farmers digging a well accidentally discovered several pieces in 1974 east of Xian. What they thought was just a couple of pieces turned out to be 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses — majority still unearthed from the pits.

Conrad Centennial Singapore is located within the city’s liveliest business and entertainment districts of Marina Bay.

For the Filipino tourist, the art of shopping will certainly not be overlooked. Across the street from Conrad is Suntec City. Millennia Walk, Marina Square, Marina Bay Sands with its brand-new mall, and the Esplanade are mere minutes away on foot.

There are more than 1,000 shops and 300 restaurants in the area, ranging from high fashion houses to local brands, from fine dining to street fare.

Also nearby is the Singapore Flyer, which gives you a view of the city from way up. I took this ride last year with colleagues during the World Gourmet Summit. We had champagne and chocolates onboard and…laughed all throughout our slow spin inside the glass capsule.

The lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands complex is within walking distance from Conrad.

Vivian mentioned something that struck me about how cities develop and evolve. She said this part of Singapore is becoming the new commercial, leisure, cultural and business district — all rolled into one. While Orchard and its numerous malls are still on top of tourists’ lists when it comes to shopping, the marina area is fast becoming the favorite destination.

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Conrad Centennial Singapore is locaed at 2 Temsakek Boulevard. Call the toll free number +800 0026-723 or +65 6334-8888. E-mail singapore@conradhotels.com.