Welcome to Checking In, a review series in which our editors and contributors rate the best luxury hotels based on a rigorous—and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—10-point system: Each question answered “yes” gets one point. Will room service bring you caviar? Does your suite have its own butler? Does the bathroom have a bidet? Find out below.

Describe the hotel in three words: Art aficionado’s dream.

What’s the deal?

Hilton’s Conrad enters the high-tech, rapidly developing Shenzhen area, and it is a stunning debut indeed. Forget everything you think you know about the five-star brand, because this latest opening proves that it is never too late to learn new tricks, especially in the design department. Located in the Qianhai financial district, Conrad Shenzhen is a convenient distance to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and Shenzhen North Railway Station. 

Goettsch Partners designed the modern exterior, a glass-fronted building with full-length windows. George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg’s eponymous studio did exquisite work on the interior, across 300 guestrooms and 28 suites. Having completed projects for countless hotel brands, the visual identity of the Conrad Shenzhen nonetheless feels fresh and original. (We do note a cheeky nod to another Yabu Pushelberg project in the unusual shape of the photogenic fifth-floor staircase, but that’s a story for another time; this one is strikingly enveloped by a lighting installation that changes colour to reflect the time of day.)

Leaning on feng shui principles, contemporary design, and Chinese architectural details such as lattice patterns and partitions, the firm created a space of warm browns, soft greys, and burnished gold, artfully complemented by art and sculptural elements while maintaining an airy, uncluttered feeling of tasteful minimalism. High ceilings, local Taihu stone, decorative bodies of water, and natural flora help to bring the outside in, while the ornamental embellishments of the rooms echo fishing villages and maritime features.

The best room?

It’s tough to beat the Presidential Suite, which is even more luxuriously appointed than its smaller siblings but follows the same design thread. Its 310 square metres of living space feels palatial, and there is not one, not two, but three sitting areas for folks to gather. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room looks out at Qianhai Bay, while the bedrooms and bathroom, with a marble tub and long walk-in shower, tower over the urban cityscape.

Does the hotel have a standout perk?

Conrad Shenzhen is an art and design lover’s paradise. You can explore the hotel on your own to see all the contemporary installations, but we recommend asking a staff member to take you through the property, almost like on a guided art tour, to learn more about the concept that colours Yabu Pushelberg’s design approach of the hotel and the curation of the pieces. “A Story of a Dreamer” embodies the rapid evolution of Shenzhen from sleepy fishing village to leading technology megacity in its visual language; the narrative, focused on those who dared to dream and propelled Shenzhen as a pioneer of modern China, takes inspiration from Chinese motifs, crafts, art, and culture, translated through a modern lens.

A larger-than-life bronze sculpture, its figure-eight shape symbolising both the beginning of the hotel and the world, greets guests upon arrival, and the journey through the property is likewise coloured by imagery that represents the city’s fascinating transformation. More than 100 artworks are spread throughout the property, over a dozen of them by notable Chinese artists. Huang Qicheng’s Chen Yun, prominently displayed in the reception lobby, is an intricate creation that blends the distinctive traditional architecture styles of eight different cities. Paintings, abstract or otherwise, pay homage to China’s landscapes, nature, and artefacts. One sculpture, made up of small spheres frozen in time, is inspired by the tallest mountain in Shenzhen. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot to look at, and a lot to admire.

Did they greet you by name at check-in?

Yes—the guest relations team arranged a car and delivered us right to the doorstep. Luggage was efficiently whisked away and up we went from the ground-floor entrance to the fifth-floor reception lobby, where we were greeted by the staffers who were already standing at attention with our names on their lips and document portfolios in hand.

Was a welcome drink ready and waiting when you arrived? (Bonus points if it wasn’t just fruit juice.)

Yes—a hot orange tea from the Conrad Shenzhen’s seasonal curation, served with a dainty raspberry cake as we did a casual and relaxed check-in in the executive lounge. Yum!

Private butler for every room? 

Yes, upon request. Private butlers can be made available for all room types if the guest so wishes, though normally, the arrangement is made for guests staying in the suites.

Is the sheet thread count higher than 300? 

It is precisely 300 and supplied by Canasin, which makes sheets for leading hotels around the world as well as Conrad Shenzhen, so you are in soft, experienced linens. In true Conrad fashion, the pillow menu is comprehensive, with such intriguing options as tea pillows, said to “change the metabolism” of the body to reduce perspiration; cassia seeds pillows, with a natural grassy scent; and dried lavender and chrysanthemum pillows for deep relaxation.

Is there a heated floor in the bathroom? What about a bidet?

No heated floors, which is not needed in the temperate climes of this part of the world, anyway. As is the case with most new hotels, the bathroom comes equipped with a modern and user-friendly Toto washlet, which includes bidet functions and more besides.

Are the toiletries full-sized? 

Yes, and the aroma is wonderful—it’s the Mojave Ghost line by Byredo.

Is there a private pool for the room’s exclusive use?

No private pools; the Conrad Shenzhen is a city hotel, so space is at a premium, but you do get a 23-metre indoor heated pool on the seventh floor with a hot tub and a handful of cosy cabanas on the adjoining terrace overlooking the city—a lovely spot to watch the sunset over the bay. After your laps, keep your body moving in the 24-hour fitness centre next door.

Is the restaurant worth its salt?

100 per cent. Ch’ao highlights local Chaoshan cuisine in a space that harmoniously blends traditional Chinese design elements with sumptuous colour, marble, lacquered wood, and delicate lighting fixtures, divided into an inner dining room, sunroom looking out at green landscaping and a reflective pond, and private rooms decorated according to the five-elements theory of fire, earth, water, wood, and gold. On the menu, a wide range of marinated, double-boiled, braised, deep-fried, baked, steamed, and roasted dishes embody the breadth of Chaozhou gastronomy. Our favourites were the glossy crispy roasted pigeon and the fragrant wok-fried rice with tiny dried sakura shrimp and preserved vegetables, and the signatures of the restaurant include the baked lobster, served with house-made rice cake in aged rice wine, and the pan-fried Chaozhou chive dumplings in a translucent dough skin.

The Common Room, semi-buffet breakfast hall by day and French-leaning fine dining by night, dishes up à la carte and degustation menus; think Australian Wagyu beef tenderloin, Boston lobster pasta, endive langoustine salad, foie gras terrine, and signature truffle porcini mushroom fregula. All this gastronomic magic happens thanks to chefs Chuck Xing and Owen Ou, whose careers have taken them to starred restaurants in China and beyond.

Do you want to spend Friday night in the lobby bar?

Yes; will it be at the Azaleas Lounge with its warm-hued armchairs, gingko-leaf-patterned floor coverings, nine-metre-high ceilings, and digital fireplace, or further out on the terrace in the sultry confines of the Collective Bar, while a singer croons to musical accompaniment? 

We think both—begin the evening at the Azaleas Lounge with a green tea highball or jasmine gin fizz, and step into the geometric-design-driven Collective Bar as the night goes on. Choose seats overlooking the Qianhai Bay for the best experience. Whether it’s American, Irish, Canadian, Scotch, Japanese, or even French and Taiwanese whiskies that you’re after, the Collective Bar’s extensive menu covers all the above territories, in addition to rum, Cognac, vodka, gin, tequila, mezcal, as well as Chinese liquor and rice wine. 

Wines, too, are aplenty, spanning Old and New World labels and producers. China’s rising Puchang Vineyard is on the list, as are Legacy Peak from Ningxia’s Helan Mountains and Jade Vineyard, which produces a fine Marselan vintage. (As the resident wine and spirits experts at Robb Report note, China’s wine production has gotten really, really good, and is worth paying attention to as the business of winemaking enters a new era.)

Would you buy the hotel if you could? 

Sure would, if just to spend more time admiring the artwork and design details, and nosh on the utterly delicious Chaozhou handmade shrimp rolls crusted in salted egg yolk at Ch’ao whenever the heart desires. Approaching the magnificent Zhang Xian sculpture in the driveway never gets old, either, and the views over the bay are stunning from day to night. 

As the up-and-coming Qianhai district continues to develop its business, financial, retail, and recreational attractions, the Conrad Shenzhen will no doubt stand to benefit from the action—and what could be better than to be in the heart of all that excitement?

Score: 8

What Our Score Means: 

1–3: Fire your travel agent if they suggest you stay here. 

4–6: Solid if you’re in a pinch—but only if you’re in a pinch. 

7–8: Very good. We’d stay here again and recommend it without qualms. 

9–10: Forget booking a week. When can we move in permanently?

All images courtesy of Conrad Shenzhen.