Due to the ongoing restrictions on overseas travel, American Express has made special arrangements for AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend cardholders to use their annual Hilton free night voucher at the Conrad Centennial Singapore and Hilton Singapore.
This arrangement was originally valid for stays up till 31 March 2021, but has now been extended till 30 June 2021. The T&Cs of the voucher have been updated accordingly:
| There is a third Hilton property in Singapore in the form of the Hilton Garden Inn Serangoon, but it’s still serving SHN duty, and with all due respect, isn’t exactly an aspirational redemption. |
Redeem your KrisFlyer Ascend voucher at Conrad/Hilton Singapore
To redeem your free night stay, visit the booking portal and enter the first six digits of your AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend card plus 10-digit voucher code for verification (don’t worry, you’re not committing to use your voucher yet). You’ll then be able to select from a list of participating hotels.
The voucher books you into the lead-in category (i.e the lowest one in the hotel), and does not come with breakfast. Disappointingly, Hilton Honors elite members will not receive any benefits on these stays, as they’re considered “third party bookings” (despite the fact the entire booking process is done through the Hilton website).
I used my voucher at the Conrad Centennial, and was offered the following options upon checking in (I’m a Hilton Diamond, but I doubt that affects the upsell pricing):
- Pay S$30++ per person for breakfast (usual: S$40++)
- Pay S$90++ for an upgrade to an Executive Room including breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails
- Pay S$140++ for an upgrade to a Centennial Suite with the same perks as above
I sprung for the Executive Room upgrade, and had a very good experience overall. Special shoutout to the breakfast, which I’d rank among the best of all my staycations so far. Parents will also appreciate the fact that the hotel has set up a kid’s club area, with all-day activities for the little ones.
For both the Conrad and Hilton, bookings are fully refundable if done by 11.59 p.m local time the day before arrival (do note there are some special dates where a S$180 deposit will be taken, and in those cases you need to cancel at least 7 days prior).
Key Features: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card
As a reminder, here are the key features of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card.
 Apply Here |
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| Income Req. | S$50,000 p.a | Points Validity | 3 years |
| Annual Fee | S$337.50 |
Min. Transfer |
N/A |
| Miles with Annual Fee |
None | Transfer Partners |
|
| FCY Fee | 2.95% | Transfer Fee | None |
| Local Earn | 1.2 mpd | Points Pool? | N/A |
| FCY Earn | 2.0 mpd (Jun & Dec) |
Lounge Access? | Yes |
| Special Earn | 2 mpd on SIA and KrisShop, 3.2 mpd for Grab | Airport Limo? | No |
| Cardholder Terms and Conditions | |||
American Express is currently offering double the usual MGM referral bonus till 31 March 2021, which means 15,000 miles with S$2,000 spend in the first 3 months. Spend a further S$3,000 (i.e S$5,000 total), and you’ll receive:
- 6,000 base miles (S$5,000 @ 1.2 mpd)
- 15,000 miles from MGM
- B&O Beoplay E8 2.0 earbuds
- 10,000 miles sign-up bonus (if new to AMEX)
- 5,000 miles first-spend bonus (if new to AMEX Singapore Airlines cards)
A full review of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend can be found below.
Full Review: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend
Conclusion
Between the Hilton Singapore and the Conrad Centennial, it’s a no-brainer for me. The former has run-down rooms (unless you get a renovated suite) and a miserable breakfast; the latter is pleasantly modern with an excellent lounge experience and breakfast (pay the extra S$90, seriously).
Depending on your voucher validity, however, you might just want to hold out and see what the second half of 2021 has in store for Singaporeans. Australia might yet beckon…
