We were planning to post a comparison report here and are glad that Korea71 somewhat beat us to the punch. We just returned after staying at both properties. I am a Gold HHonors member.

Hilton: July 16-20 Paid Stay, Sing$140++/night. Checked in at approximately 1a.m. Conversation as follows:
"Welcome back MrOpus. We have you in an executive room on the twentieth floor (2022).
The bellman will take you to the room and BTW, please feel free to use the lounge at any time. Breakfast is 6:30-10:00, 11 on weekends. The lounge is on the 22nd floor. If you need anything please request it.

This is basically the same check-in experience that I had in January. Exception was the welcome back since in January I had not been at this property previously. Just a note: I was was dressed in blue jeans and a sport shirt and probably looked that I had been underway for 31 hours. MrsOpus was attired in slacks and a top.

Conrad Centennial: July 20-23, award stay. 63000 points on Point Stretcher. Rate was Sing$190++/night paid by the certificate. Originally had been booked as paid stay at Sing$180. Check in at 1130. No bellman in sight when we unloaded the baggage from taxi. As taxi was leaving, he showed up.
Check in conversation: "Welcome Mr&MrsOpus. We have given you a room on our executive floor (2611). (I then asked if the lounge was open) The lounge is closed for renovations, you may have breakfast at Oskars. (She then handed me a xeroxed sheet listing Gold entitlements). You have $10 credit on laundry, but the laundry is closed. (It was not as we learned from the card shoved under the door stating that we had not put out our laundry, $12 for a pair of pants). You should contact housekeeping for shoe shine." "What time are you checking out?" "4 am"
The bellman showed us to the room. Actually, I couldn't find the elevator at first. But, then again, I did the same thing at the Hilton despite having stayed there. Just call me "elevator-challenged" He reminded us that we required the key card to use the elevator and to turn on the electricity in the room.

Now the comparisons.

Service: The Hilton staff lounge staff comes across as somewhat over-solicitous. This is just my impression as a fairly non-pretentions American. Yet in the final analysis every request was quickly and graciously accomodated. Even though I was somewhat in violation of the dressy casual dress code posted in the room. Jeans and a shirt with real shoes are fine. The staff are trained and keep track of guests quirks. Mine are a mixture of mango and papaya juice for breakfast and ever flowing diet coke. An extra baggage stand was expeditiously supplied. A request from the conceirge for Malaysian and Singapore entry forms for a day trip to JB was quickly handled. At first he could not find one of the forms and chased us down as we were entering the elevator with it.
The Conrad staff was also responsive to requests. The ice issue is annoying, but normally promptly delivered after a call to housekeeping, normally via room service (the call not the delivery). A baggage stand was promptly delivered as were extra towels. The maid was great literally running to get ice one afternoon. The turndown chambermaid was quite endearing in an odd way. Singapore is having a contest for the best visitor service with a S$4000 first prize. She presented us with the forms and told us to vote for her. She even wrote down her name upon request so we wouldn't screw up. It could have been annoying, but really wasn't because she was pleasant and funny. The waiter in Oskars was not quite as endearing.

Breakfast: The Conrad has a great buffet. You couldn't ask for more, other than the dim sum could use some work. They even have made to order eggs and waffles. The Hilton Executive floor breakfast is excellent, just somewhat less variety and no made to order items in evidence.

Location: Conrad if one is there on business near Suntec and, perhaps World Trade Center. Fax in room useful if on a business trip. Hilton much better for pleasure visits. Both have shopping and more shopping, but we prefer Orchard Road for overall shopping.

Access to MRT: Hilton is 2 block walk to Orchard MRT station. Conrad is a jay-walk across a busy street to Suntec City, thru Suntec, to bridge across street to City-Link and long underground walk to Raffles Place Mall and finally to City Hall MRT. It is a long walk through endless shopping. In 2007 or later there will be a MRT station nearby. per a MRT customer service rep the sign that say "2004" are a lie.

Taxi: Hilton normally has taxis waiting. Conrad is somewhat hidden in location and taxis may take a little while. We never waited more than a couple of minutes.

Conceirge: Hilton's just seem a little more helpful and resourceful.

Executive lounge: Conrad has none available. Hilton's is good.

Food other than breakfast: We ate dinner once in each hotel. Hilton restaurant (cannot remember the name) is continental. Preparation and presentation excellent. Wine is outrageous, but this is Singapore. Service consistent with expectations. Entree and salad, no wine (I think each of us had a Tiger beer) was S$129. Service was excellent and attentive. BTW, they have a great bread with sun-flower seeds.

Conrad: Our last night we had the buffet at Oskars; they also have ala carte. Great value at S$40 for unlimited cold seafood including slip lobster, oysters, scallops and shrimp, salads, soup, deserts, fruits with unlimited portions of a choice of five or six entrees. MrsOpus compared Caesar Salad preparation with the restaurant manager. Unfortunately it had too much dressing and the anchovies didn't taste anchovyish. The entrees were well prepared by their chef, I had veal with a mixture of vegetables and MrsOpus had chicken. They were perfectly prepared and delicious. MrsOpus also had their wine buffet. S$18 for all the wine one could drink. Whites and Reds were predominately Australian and French. An absolute steal for drinkable wine in wine tax heaven. This is definitely a loss leader in Singapore.
The only down-side came when I paid the check and the waiter explained that service went to the restaurant and not to the employees. I did not expect that approach especially after his insistence that we vote for him as best waiter in the contest. Service was spotty. Personnel would disappear from time to time for extended periods.

Room: Hilton and Conrad are comparable in size. The difference is in the bath. Conrad has a nicer bath and better bath amenities. Baby powder for the tropical climate, bath gel and nicer packaging and a larger selection. But who lives in the bathroom.

Hair Dryer: Hilton has a permanently mounted hair dryer in the bath. Conrad's is in a bag in the closet.

Electrical Plugs in Bathroom: Hilton and Conrad Lurkers take note. MrsOpus and other women travelers are livid because you do not provide a plug in the bath for electrical items such as curlers. Conrad does an even worse job because the hair dryer in the closet cannot be plugged in in the bath. Very inconvenient as I heard each morning.

View: Our room at the Hilton overlooked green space that include a construction crane meaning that perhaps the next time the green space might be replaced by concrete. The Conrad view was to the North looking out on the water and nearby buildings as well as what is touted as the tallest fountain in the world when it is turned on. Which is rarely. Can someone tell us what the people are doing when they stand around the non-functioning spouts?

Noise: Hilton quite quiet in the room. Conrad: The first night there was some type of activity around the fountain. It was quite loud 26 stories up. What we thought was traffic noise turned out to be the air conditioning. Still it was noisy, but not unbearable.

Beds: We'd be happy with either hotels' at home.

Ice: As mentioned above. Call for ice can be annoying. One afternoon at the Conrad we called four times in 45 minutes before it showed up. In all honesty, this was an aberration. Unfortunately, the one time they failed, we were parched. Hilton lounge always has ice for the drinks.

Diet Coke (Coke Light): For most people, a non-issue. Unlimited at the Hilton. Conrad: 7-11 at City Link Mall. S$1.15 for can or bottle. They ran out of cans during our Conrad stay. They will have them today and asked me to return for them. Of course, one can order from room service or go across the street to one of the food locations.

Checkout: Hilton: bill under door, sign and leave in room, if correct.
Conrad: Call at 4a.m. to schedule bellman and order taxi. No bill under door. The only incidentals were two phone calls. They stated that they did not know we were checking out early and would send us the bill. Why do I expect to receive charges for 3 nights and the phone calls?

Final Analysis: The Conrad is perfectly fine as a place to stay. We will not be returning and I plan to cancel my Conrad Bangkok stay since I can Priceline for about $42 in November and probably stay the one night at the Novatel rather than spend $120 for the Conrad without breakfast because of 6a.m. flight. When I stayed at the Hilton in January, they delivered a room service breakfast at 3:45 a.m.. I did not even request this service from the Conrad because of the bureaucratic approach to "here are your benefits".

The Hilton wins our business because of the service, the executive lounge and the location. We will return to them as long as they are competitive in the marketplace.

[This message has been edited by opushomes (edited 07-25-2003).]