A WEDDING of a family member brought me and the clan to Conrad Manila. It was the venue of the wedding reception and we all found it convenient to stay there for the weekend.
Now on its third year, Conrad Manila is the first Conrad Hotel that opened in the Philippines. This luxury brand of Hilton International is located right in the heart of the Mall of Asia complex, perched at the upper floors of the high end S’Maison commercial center, and a stone’s throw away from the waters of Manila Bay.
True enough, the stay in Conrad was a good decision because it made things easier for us. Before going to the wedding at the Manila Cathedral, we just had to cross over a bridge link to the Mall of Asia for beauty salon services. After the wedding, we had the chance to go to our rooms to freshen up before proceeding to the C Lounge for cocktails. The lounge with its huge picture windows, provided a breath-taking view of the legendary Manila Bay sunset. It was a perfect backdrop for the guests milling about and relishing their drinks and canapes.
Dinner was an elegant affair at the classy Forbes Ballroom, that night all aglow with shimmering lights. Tables were set up beautifully and the stage was set for the cake-cutting, the wedding dance, the video presentation and some fun games. At that time the hotel had just concluded its wedding showcase dubbed “Inspired Beginnings 2019: A Bespoke Wedding Experience,” and the Events Management team made sure that everything was in place for that “Bespoke Wedding Experience.”
Luxury and comfort are the hallmarks of Conrad Manila. All rooms feature state-of-the-art facilities and have spacious bathrooms. My room looked out to the bay while down below was the inviting swimming pool and pool bar. Since I was on the Executive Floor, I had access to the Executive Lounge where an array of drinks and goodies are offered for breakfast, snacks and cocktails. Coffee, tea and drinks are available the whole day.
Most of the action in the hotel take place at the third level. It houses the Lobby and Reception, the Ballrooms and Function rooms; the panoramic C Lounge; the iconic China Blu resto by Jeremy Leung (we had a sumptuous family dinner there); the all-day dining outlet Brasserie on 3 with its super duper breakfast buffet... and not to forget, the link to the bridge leading to Mall of Asia and the SMX Convention Center.
In its three years of operations, Conrad Manila has chalked up 45 industry awards, citations and recognition foremost of which are the ASEAN MICE Hotel Award, and the ASEAN Green Hotel Award, the award general manager Laurent Boisdron, an advocate of sustainability and green principles, is most proud of. Cheers!