I turned the big three-two last Sunday and my family stayed at the Conrad Manila as a consolation to me (haha!). When you enter the hotel, you have to go up to the 3rd-floor lobby to check in. After checking in, you can use the Central, South or North lobby elevators to get to your room. We booked a twin deluxe room, but when they found out that it was my birthday, they gave a free upgrade to a Bayview twin deluxe room and had a chocolate mousse cake sent up as well. For families with kids, they give a free stuffed toy for the little ones. Our room had fluffy twin beds and a long couch near the huge window overlooking San Mig by the Bay and the SM Mall of Asia. My son loved how close the MOA Eye was and how he could see all sorts of planes and helicopters fly by.
The bathroom was big enough, separating the toilet from the shower. We appreciated how there was a kiddie shower as well. The best features for me was having a lighted make-up mirror and the aromatherapy toiletries. Bathrobes and room slippers were both fluffy and we loved having them. Would you believe in-room bar had an espresso machine? How cool is that! There is also cable TV and free WIFI so this was handy since my hubby and I work online.
We took a quick swim after settling down in the room. Their pool is huge; there is a small kiddie pool that connects to the big adult pool. My son loved splashing on the bridge and we spent a lot of our time at Conrad at the pool since we are a family of water babies. There is a separate deck for sunbathing and gorgeous lounge beds. There is a pool bar where you can order food and drinks, but these were priced extremely high in my opinion. Hubby didn't like the far end of the pool claiming organisms bit him, and he had red spots all over that first day, so we avoided that area and stayed near the kiddie pool instead.
For my birthday dinner, we booked a table at Conrad's main restaurant, Brasserie on 3. It was so nice that they had high chairs for kids and low stools for our bags and stuff. The main dining room was huge, and they had family rooms tucked into the sides. There is also an outside deck but it was closed that night. I liked how the dinner selection focused mainly on proteins and fiber. I especially liked the salads, the cheese, the seafood and the homemade ice cream. I didn't like how the drinks are not included, we had to pay huge bucks for the drink of the day! Good thing it came with a stuffed toy. I kinda missed a big Japanese selection but happy to have fresh sashimi though I wanted tempura. My companions were very happy with the meal and claimed to be stuffed for days!
The next day, we tried the breakfast buffet as well. This time the selections were more carbohydrate-based though they also have a detox juice bar which I personally loved. I made the most of their egg station and the huge selection of bread. Kids would love the pancake station where they can watch while their orders were made, I know my son did, as he had waffles and pancake made! Hubby loved the taho corner and how they had Filipino fares like Arroz Caldo and Champorado with Tuyo available. Looking back, I enjoyed both dinner and breakfast buffets for different reasons, and that is perfectly fine.
For two nights and three days, Conrad Manila was our home. There is a bridge connecting Conrad to the SMX Convention Center and to the Department Store of the SM Mall of Asia. It was so easy going back and forth especially since we had a toddler. There is also a mall connected to Conrad Manila called S Maison which had specialty shops and high-end restaurants. My son had a blast running around and checking out the shops.
We ran out of time checking out the other amenities of the hotel like the spa and the gym, but you can see them here. I would love to stay there again and have more time checking out the whole place. It is a great hotel for families and where you can spend a special occasion like birthdays and anniversaries. I highly recommend Conrad Manila for those wanting a break from the hustle and bustle of the city but don't actually want to leave the city (like me, haha!). The price tag may be a bit steep but well worth it for me. Thank you, Conrad Manila for making our stay a memorable and happy one!
