Andaz vs Conrad vs IC Robertson
 

This is my third trip to SIN (Feb 2018), but I cannot decide on hotels. Previous visits involved stays in Fragrance/Hotel 81 type places, but I am looking for an upgrade this time around. Want to take advantage of my faux status and point earning potential, so I am limiting to chains that I have a CC for:

1. Andaz (SG$392): the Andaz in Tokyo is my absolute favorite hotel in the world. I prefer it over the Park Hyatt/gold-plated places. The design, style, and pool are sublime. I know very little about the new Andaz aside from the minute info on their website. From what I can tell, it is probably not as superb as Tokyo, but it is the same category. Another perk of Andaz is free mini-bar and free wine reception (regardless of status). This is a bit more than I want to pay, but the location is great and I will probably enjoy it. No free breakfast, but who needs that when there are hawker stands downstairs with $3 meals?

2. Conrad (SG$359): I was gifted with Diamond status due to a status match, but that will expire a month after this trip. I would only pick the Conrad if I knew that my status would make the stay worthwhile. Room upgrades seem to be hit and miss, but the remodel should be completed by then. Not sure if free breakfast is a deal breaker. This is the only place where I would get lounge access, but I may be too busy to bother. I keep hoping for a Hilton Asia sale, but the current price is a bit more than I want to pay.

3. IC Roberson Quay (SG$300): this is another new hotel with limited info. I have always enjoyed IC hotels, and my lowly Platinum status has provided me with a number of 1-category upgrades. The location is not great, but not terrible. I will not get free mini-bar or free drinks, but the price is considerably cheaper and the design looks very nice. I would not consider the other IC as long as the price is $100 higher.

whats the question?
go with what you can afford, and location

If you're looking to stay somewhere new then the Conrad is out. Conrad hasn't renovated their property in ages so it does show.

Andaz and IC Robertson Quay are so new they haven't even opened yet and both are in very different locations. If you're someone looking for cool restaurants and bars to hang out in, the IC Robertson Quay will be a nice call, it's next to the Singapore River and you can hang out everywhere and bar hop. The Warehouse Hotel next door has a great bar and restaurant to check out. The Andaz is in the Bugis area and is more cultural, Haji Lane opposite is more for the younger set with indie shops and middle eastern foods. The Atlas Bar at Parkview square next door houses the largest gin collection in the world - def worth a check out.

Conrad renovation is well underway and will be completed by my stay.

I am not terribly thrilled with the location of the IC. Bugis would probably be more my speed, but not sure if it is worth the extra money. Are there any food hawker stalls near the IC? The quay area seemed to be a bit too sterile and high-end for cheap dining options, but I really did not explore much beyond the riverfront.

They all seem to be very similar properties, so it seems that the only logical way to differentiate them is price and proximity to the MRT. IC wins hand down in price, but I do not want to be isolated from the rest of the city.

Honestly, just creating this post helped me organize my thoughts. I just figured that it wouldn't hurt to get some feedback from people who know this city better than I do.

Hawker stalls near IC RQ. Yes actually. There is a smallish hawker centre just within a 7 minute walk of the IC.

It's in a small sleepy estate called Jalan Kukoh. It's very residential, very local and open mostly in the morning.

Alternatively, u can just walk along the river for approx 15 minutes to Zion Riverside, or take a 7 minute bus ride to Tiong Bahru market.

Lots of local options if you know where to look.

Good to know. I would like to explore that area a little more on this trip.

I was about to book the IC with a free weekend cert, but the 'free night' value was greatly compromised by nightly price increase required for the cert versus the standard booking rate. Fortunately, Andaz just lowered the price by 15%, so I decided to bite the bullet. It is still a little more than the IC, but the room is much larger and they have better perks for non-elites. And since we will be traveling mainly by MRT, the location is hard to beat. I just hope they release more photos soon because the ones online right now leave much to be desired. This lack of information seems to be one of the biggest issues with booking a new hotel, along with delayed openings.