Hong Kong and Macau - Hotel for 1st timer

I realised this topic must have been covered to death but a search did reveal surprisingly little.

Myself and my partner are spending 3 nights in HK next month (week nights).

We are not part of any hotel programs with HK hotels. Despite our best efforts we are no wiser on hotels. One friend (who lives there/Robinson Rd) says do not pay extra for views etc... Another says do so, but avoid RC etc... as the area isn't the best so I was hoping some unbiased view from HK regulars would help us.

Budget is quite fluid but we'd rather not spend more than $600/night. Views would be preferrable and breakfast as well (we are not the kind of people who go looking for places to eat at 9-10am). The Hotel Icon seems far out of the way; so does Langham Place. The Grand Hyatt would appear okay but the rooms seem very corporate. Not drawn to the Peninsula as our budget wouldn't include the rooms we want. I guess we'd even go for a Holiday Inn should it have great views, but we tend to stay more at Langham-type properties.

How are the Harbour rooms at the Upper House? Or even though warned not to go to the RC, I have a rate that allows upgrade to Harbour/Island view. Or is the Icon good enough even though it is TST East? As we are doing a two-week mini-RTW trip I prefer the rates at the Icon but from another thread it seems to be of less decent value now than in the summer.

Thank you

I have always been well content with the location, quality, and harbor views at the Conrad. It is on Hong Kong Island, is attached to Pacific Place Mall, has good public transport easily available, and has some good sightseeing immediately adjacent with the tea museum and the park. I've stayed lots of places on both sides, and this is where I return. I prefer the location over that of the Grand Hyatt which is attached to the Convention Center. You'll find extensive coverage of the Conrad in the Hilton forum should you want to read more.

The Marriott and the Shangri La are also attached to Pacific Place. It's been a decade since I've stayed in the Shangri la. It was lovely, but my experience is too old to have validity. The Marriott is consistently cheaper than the Conrad, and I choose it when that matters. However, its rooms are smaller and not as many have a water view. In the case of both the Marriott and the Conrad, the executive lounges are excellent and i would pay for access.

An alternative is to pay for the harbor view rooms at the Intercontinental. It is on Kowloon side. Much as I love the Conrad, I actually enjoyed the views from the IC more. Lower floors allow a better view of the water craft going by.

Is that $ budget US or HK!!! I assume US...

There are some good rates showing on the BA Holidays website - if you don't have any status in hotels then you don't lose anything by booking through an agent like that.

Personally I like the Excelsior in Causeway Bay. It's shopping central, right on the MTR & tram lines, and to me it's a bit more "Hong Kong" than being in Queensway/Pacific Place, where it can all seem a bit generic.

The Island is also a better location than Kowloon in my opinion.

Thanks; I think we decided on the Island Shangri-La, it is £875 with breakfast and harbour view although BA did have the IC for £671 including late check-out till 1800...

If you are looking for a hotel near the Admiralty, JW Marriott, Conrad and Island Shangri La are the best in that area.

Yes, I'd go for a harbour view room if your budget permits.

There are also other equivalently nice or one star lower hotels with harbour view in other more traditional tourist districts such as Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui.

I wouldn't go to Grand Hyatt or the Renaissance near the convention centre as their locations are far inferior. Most people stay there because they are attending events at the convention centre.