I will be spending roughly about two nights in Shenzhen this time around. Looking at where to stay, I previously stayed at Hilton Futian back in March. That works very well with the location. I will still be staying there for my first night but since the second night rate was more or less the same as the Conrad, I figures that it is more worth to stay here and check out a new place. The location might be more suitable for business travellers since it is in the Nanshan area. The Conrad Shenzhen is the second newest Conrad in China with the newest being the Conrad Chongqing which I have also stayed before. Given the status of this hotel, the prices also reflected the premium. It belongs in the upper echelons of things and the most expensive Hilton property over here. 

Booking Process & Pre Arrival

I will be staying here for 1 night and got the base-level deluxe room. A couple of days out from my stay, I got a pre-arrival email for my stay to get my preference and all. I can also see from the app that I have been upgraded to their Executive Bay View Room which I understand is the highest upgrade they give out over here for Diamond members. They have also very nicely extended an early check in and a late check out at 4pm which is so sweet but not necessary since I have an early train. I can tell that their elite recognition is top notch here. This upgrade would have cost around 600 SGD for the Executive Bay View Room. The Conrad Shenzhen features 300 guest rooms and suites across 9 categories. You can find the breakdown below.

RoomsExecutive Lounge AccessBathtub
DeluxeNoYes
Deluxe Bay ViewNoYes
Premium Bay ViewNoYes
ExecutiveNoYes
Executive Bay ViewYesYes
Deluxe SuiteYesYes
Premium SuiteYesYes
Conrad SuiteYesYes
Presidential SuiteYesYes

Checking In

I took a Didi ride over from the Hilton which took around 20 mins or so. It was very affordable. I was amazed with how grand the place is as we pulled up. The entrance and driveway is so chic and quaint. This is a good sign. The bellboy immediately came over to help us with our bags and to usher us over to the check in lobby. The ground floor is just waiting area with some seats. The main lobby is located on the fifth floor. 

How impressive is this! I love the lobby look with a signature scent to welcome you once you enter. I always love to stay in newer hotels in China. The lobby was grand, warm and homely. It is nicely decorated with everything looking so pristine. The check in receptions is all the way at the end. I was helped by the friendly lady who assisted me and then ushered me over to the executive lounge for check in. I don’t usually do this but since the lounge is right behind, it is nice to have a sit down experience. 

Once at the lounge, I was invited to have a sit and offered drinks. Checking in is very polished from the guy assisting me. My room was reconfirmed and I was again asked if I would like to have a late check out. All sorts of information are provided and I was also informed that I could enjoy 1hr meeting room usage in the lounge and 2 piece pressing services per stay.

Executive Bay View Room

This is their highest room category that diamond members gets access to. It is also just one level below the suites. I was assigned a room on one of the higher floors of the property on the 20th. This room measures 56Sqm. This is huge and could be bigger than some suites. It felt more like a Junior Suite in this case. Let me give you an introduction to the place. Upon entry, there is a spacious and classy entrance way that is on the wider side. I love that they had a sitting area immediately to the right with a bench and a full length mirror. This is something that I appreciate having and so many places tend to forget it. It is so practical to have somewhere to sit and wear your footwear which you naturally place by the entrance. 

Moving along, you can find the entrance to the bathroom on the left. The bathroom is super grand with double sink that come with all sorts of amenities. Amenities over here are from Byredo, the usual in Conrad. The bathroom comes with a separate bathrub and a standing shower. The only complaint I can have here is the lack of a bath pillow. The bathroom comes with a sliding partition that allows you to close or opens it to the rest of the room. 

It also comes with a bidet toilet over here. The standing shower is super spacious with high ceilings. It comes with both a rain shower and a handheld shower head. The water pressure and temperature control is excellent. With the ceiling that high, it really feels like rain cascading down on you.

Back to the entrance way you can find three well equipped wardrobe with plenty of hangers, a safe, ironing kit, shoe kit and laundry bags. Everything is found inside. Do also take note that you got two complimentary laundry pressing available for executive level guests. There is a fair amount of space here and you can even fit a cabin size baggage inside the wardrobe. 

On the opposite side of the wardrobe you can find another luggage storage area were we could fit a medium size check-in luggage. 

Moving to the main space of the room itself. You will be impressed by the sheer size of it. It is in a squarish configuration. The large high quality smart screen television is mounted on the wall. It comes with a good number of both local and international cable TV channels. Underneath is a table platform which provide additional storage. This also act as a working desk in the event that you need to get some work done. The armchair does provide decent amount of back support. The power outlets and plugs are located within reach. The wifi connection is strong, do take note of the usual restrictions in China. 

Moving on to the other corner, it comes with a L-shaped sofa that curves around the wall. It looks so classy. This could fit 3 to 4 person. It can also be a bed for the little ones. It is nice to have a seating area like this. The table is big enough for dining too. I love the touch with the overhead lamp. 

Later on during the stay the staff brought over some fresh fruits and tarts as a welcome amenity for my stay. Very appreciative of them for treating me so well. 

On the other corner lies the minibar chest. I love the modern luxury antique vibe. It is very well stocked with plenty of drinking water, an actual Nespresso coffee machine and a kettle. Capsules and TWG tea bags are offered too. Below is alos a mini fridge that is stocked with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The mini bar is fully complimentary over here and replenish daily. No nitpicking over here.

Coming to the view.With this being a Bayview room you are guaranteed to get a gorgeous view of the surrounding area. I can’t say that the Shenzhen Nanshan area has the best view but it’s pretty nice to have a unblock view of the surrounding area. The blinds and sheers are electronically controlled over here. 

Coming back to the highlight and the centrepiece of the room is definitely the plush beds. I went with twin beds and they are using extra large twin size beds. The mattress is awesome and offers great back support. Plenty of pillows are found  and they also have some harder contour ones which provide excellent neck support. The sheets were very high quality and smooth. I loved that there is an additional nightstand in the middle in addition to the ones flanking both side of the bed. It comes with controls for the power outlets and lighting. 

In front of the bed, there’s also a little ottoman or couch with a side table. It does feel a little out of place. I will prefer if they can put a pair of them given the twin beds. It is always nice to have additional seating capacity. Turn down service are automatically offered in the evening with the room refreshed.

Fitness Centre

Located on the seventh floor and open for 24 hours, the gym is a top notch facility. It comes with a good view of the greenery outside. You can find towels and water provided. The facility is also staffed during the day and after hours, you can simply access it with your key cards. A full set of equipment can be found with exercise balls, yoga mats, dumb bells, bakes, treadmills et cetera. Well equipped and maintained. Do note that the facility is managed by an external party.  

Swimming Pool

The gym and the pool over here are managed by external party, so the hotel simply have a agreement with them for hotel guests. As per the norm over here in China, you do need to have a swimming cap to use the pool. That is something crucial if you want to use pools over here to prevent buying overpriced one at the entrance. The pool is lovely and consist of one main size pool with a jacuzzi at the side. It is more suitable for doing laps rather than one for lounging. There is a huge number of cabanas and day beds by the side which is quite nice. You can also find an outdoor area which should be lovely in the right time of the year. 

Executive Lounge

The executive lounge is located on the fifth floor, just behind the reception. This is a unique one! Got to be a first for me. It does make it rather convenient to offer an exclusive check in check out experience. I love the executive lounge. It is so bright and cosy with high ceilings and large window panels which brings in so much natural light in. It also comes with a rather lovely view of the surrounding area. The lounge is open from 10am to 11pm daily. It is not overly huge, with seating for 30 or so. This will be a nice spot to work from if you want a change of scenery. 

Throughout the day, you have some soft drinks, juices, water, fruits, as well as some snacks. I am impressed with the artisan water that they are providing with Evian bottled water and San Pellegrino water. 

For afternoon tea from 3pm to 5pm, they have some cakes, sandwiches and fruits. They tasted pretty good and delicious. This is not too shabby and worth popping by if you have access and are in the vicinity. It will be nice to pop back to put your shopping bags and to rest your feet. 

The more substantial offerings will definitely be the evening cocktails which is served from 6pm to 8pm. It is so elegantly set up by the staff over here. I was down here right on the spot and got very nice pictures. Drinks wise you have two bottles of red, two bottles of white. One of them is even a local China produce one which is surprisingly good.

The also offer some simple mixers and cocktails. I caught my eye on a Lychee Liquor which looks interesting. Besides this, you have the usual choice of spirits like vodka, tequila, whisky and gin. Letty was amazing. She is so lovely and made these amazing cocktails for us. I love how proactive and hospitable she is. She even took up the initiative to brush up her cocktails skills to make drinks for guests. I love her lychee martini and various unique cocktails that she made over the course of the evening.

Moving onto the food. This is always a strong aspect in China. You have some salad, cold cuts, cheese, bread, soup and a couple of hot dishes. It is quite an extensive spread with mains and meats. This can easily be a dinner replacement. I love the grilled pork. 

I enjoyed the evening cocktails. The drinks were amazing. Both the Napa red wine and the China one turns out to be very tasty. This is further added on with amazing cocktails from Letty.  

Breakfast at Qi’An Western Restaurant

Breakfast is served at the hotel Qi’An western restaurant from 6.30am to 10.30am on weekdays and till 11am on weekends. I appreciate the extended timing on the weekend. This is included for elite members. Breakfast is quite a treat, we were shown in and the ambience is very comfortable.

They also took our drinks orders and we were presented with a menu. This is impressive. It supplements the buffet selection. Here is the à la carte menu. 

Let me give a brief introduction of the breakfast area. I can find most of the typical western items, asian dishes, stir fries, dimsums, pastries, juices, cold cuts, cheese and salads. 

There’s also a noodle station that serves up pretty good wantons noodles. The dimsum were also impressive as it should be in this part of the world.

Here are some of the items that I tried from the menu. 

Definitely do not miss out having breakfast over here if you have access to it. This is fantastic and one of the best I ever had in China. This probably just rank below the Waldorf in Shanghai.

Conclusion

The Conrad is definitely the best Shenzhen property for Hilton. This is the second newest Conrad property in China after the Chongqing one. I far prefer this if we are comparing. It is so luxurious and comfortable. Everything and everyone is close to perfect. I love the area too, there are plenty of malls nearby and even the historical ancient town that is worth visiting. The hardware is excellent. Special mention also goes to the breakfast. I should have stayed here longer. I can’t wait to be back.