Conrad is one of the luxury brands of Hilton Worldwide Hotels, named after the founder’s father. I’ve had some very memorable stays at Conrad hotels – read my overview to see who they are and why you might want to consider them for a luxury stay!
Who are they? Conrad was the top brand of the Hilton group, until it was replaced by Waldorf Astoria a few years ago. With 29 hotels around the world, it is the most globally distributed hotel brand of Hilton, focused on major cities and popular vacation destinations! Over 50% of them are in Asia, including some great properties like the Conrad Rangali Maldives or Conrad Macau!
In their own words, “Conrad Hotels and Resorts promises our guest stylish accommodations, seamless service, infinite connections, and value at sought after, urban locations and luxury resort destinations.”
While you usually find a lot of marketing speak, this is actually a very good description of what to expect from Conrad. You can expect stylish accommodations and great service in cities and resort destinations – the value is as always a matter of perspective when it comes to luxury brands!
What experience to expect? Conrad hotels are a complete luxury hotel offering. They are in the top cities and leisure destinations, so if New York, London, Hong Kong or the Maldives are on your travel plans, you are in good hands. But with only 29 properties, their reach is much more limited than Sofitel or InterContinental!
They do offer service that you’d expect from a luxury hotel – on each of my stays, it was seamless, professional and friendly and in some cases the staff was even able to “anticipate my needs” which is rare and what I’d consider the pinnacle of hospitality!
The room, facilities and restaurants are generally in line with other brands in this category. It’s difficult for global brands to differentiate themselves. I’d consider Conrad contemporary luxury – modern, yet settle. Not as stylish as Sofitel, more like Intercontinental or JW Marriott.
Conrad also participates in the Hilton Honors rewards program with 4,875 hotels in total. That gives you a chance to earn points at mid-scale hotels in the US and with credit cards, and treat yourself to a luxury stay at a Conrad around the world! Most of my Conrad experiences were courtesy of reward points. Because Conrad hotels generally have nice lounges and beautiful suites, it’s especially nice to stay as a Gold or Diamond member – you will be able to enjoy the luxurious environment of the lounge for breakfast or happy hour and, with a little luck, be upgraded to an amazing suite, like we were at the Conrad Macau!
To get a better idea of the experience you can expect, you can read my reviews of Conrad properties:
Conrad Rangali Maldives
Conrad Macau
Conrad Manila