Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - checking in early at HK - assistance appreciated

Hi,

I am new to this forum, as I dont usually fly cathay. I have a business class flight from HK to Sydney, which leaves at 9am...I have a "connecting" flight from shanghai on China Eastern, that arrives late on the night before. I want to check in the night before if possible, so I dont have to worry about my luggage, can utilise the lounge, and not have to go into HK. In addition, I have some friends who are transiting, and who I would like to meet up with "in" the airport.

Also the only airport hotel is exorbitantly expensive, and I can get a "sleeper" room at the airport, but need to get my boarding pass to get accesss to that (it would only be afew hours anyway)

can anyone advise if there is any way I can check in and get a boarding pass the night before my flight. Any advise would be appreicated.

I did not book the flight online, and am not a Marco Polo club member, hence I cant do an online checkin.

Thanks.

CX's onliine/web checkin doesn't have a BP printing facility so that wouldn't have been of any use.

Have you looked at the Regal hotel's website for specials?

Not sure if you can use the lounge overnight. I wager you can't.

When you leave PVG, try to have your bags checked through to SYD if MU can do this for you. If you can do this, then when you get to HKG, don't exit through immigration but try to go through flight connections. You can stay airside that way.

There is a Plaza Premium Sleeper service in the airport. But aftr personal experience, I will not recommend this to you as you pay about HK$400 for something resembling a thin mattress in a large room full of other travellers. There are areas which are sectioned off but basically you can't even change as well, people can see you.

But if you insist, you may check it out yourself... read this forum beforehand:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=312732&highlight=Plaza+Premium


Scroll down to #15 which is my post.

I was actually contemplating the Plaza lounge sleeper things, but considering your description, I will pass and get a hotel in the city. Things aren't that tough that I need to sleep on a matress on the floor in a dorm style thing.

I think I will stay at one of the two Novotels, and advise as to which one, and transport from the airport ?

Thanks again.

I was actually contemplating the Plaza lounge sleeper things, but considering your description, I will pass and get a hotel in the city. Things aren't that tough that I need to sleep on a matress on the floor in a dorm style thing.

I think I will stay at one of the two Novotels, and advise as to which one, and transport from the airport ?

Thanks again.

You should look at the airport Regal - it is no palace but they often have great web rates and when you take into account the return fare on the train you may end up about the same

HKD 400 can get you a real hotel in Kowloon (albeit low end, but not unreasonable) ... HKD 600 gets much nicer. Add to this HKD250 for the train/taxi from the airport (unfortunately you can't use the free same-day return). http://www.asiahotels.com/hl/Kowloon-Hong_Kong.asp
Lots of stores are open at midnight if you fancy a bit of shopping. The CX lounges are closed from midnight to 5 am (roughly), so you can't stay in a lounge at the airport in any event, even if you manage to get airside (not easy to get airside unless you get the connecting boarding passes issued at your first leg, even then they may notice the date and not let you through at HKG).

Add to this HKD250 for the train/taxi from the airport (unfortunately you can't use the free same-day return).

However, if you use octopus card (prepaid IC card) for Airport Express train, roundtrip within 24 hours is regarded as same day return. So your round trip journey to downtown can be oneway price (i.e. return journey is free).
I usually use this trick for overnight connection at HKG.

This behavior of octopus card is unpublished. But, I have several times experience. I hope this trick still works.

I think Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong Superstop (http://www.cathaypacific.com/au/offers/online/0,,41315-111589,00.html) might be handy for you. A$70 for a night at Majestic (in Jordon area, next suburb from Tsim Sha Tsui) or A$76 for a night at Royal Plaza (right next to KCR Mongkok station) is pretty good value. But again, you'll have to fetch out an extra $24 for a return bus transfer.

Note that if you are arriving on CX you can get a one month roundtrip ticket for HKD100 using the coupon here:
http://downloads.cathaypacific.com/cx/offers/yumsing/ys04_transport_c01.jpg
(valid until 15 april 2005)

Thank you, christep!!

Great find! christep. ^

Thanks,

that voucher will come in handy !!!!

I can only get a "free" room (using a accor voucher I have) at the Hotel Ibis - any ideas on its position for a short night of shopping, and wandering ???

any ideas on its position for a short night of shopping, and wandering ???

I don't "oppose" but would caution against foreigners wondering around the potential "red district" of HK. Yes shops are open, but the stores you can find real bargains, or boutique designers are all closed by the time you get into city. Assume you can get to city around 10:30pm, there are still places for you to eat and wonder around in Tsim Sha Tsui, or visit the "lady street" in Mong Kok.

Having said this, if this is your real first time in HKG, I think it's better to take it easy and stick to Regal hotel. Do you have ways to change your 9am flight to 7pm flight? Then you can REALLY enjoy the time you have in HKG.

There is an Esprit store on Nathan road which is open until midnight. I'm not sure if that counts as being in the "red light district" but it is a nice store with great prices for what seems to be genuine product. There are a mixture of seedy stores and even stalls on the street selling LV or Gucci (would anyone have any doubt about their authenticity?) but I've never felt unsafe anywhere in Hong Kong. It seems viable to shop at midnight with surprisingly nice, normal stores still being open. And shopping for counterfeits is also quite good if you look closely at what you buy.

I can only get a "free" room (using a accor voucher I have) at the Hotel Ibis - any ideas on its position for a short night of shopping, and wandering ???Ibis is in North Point. It would be just about my last choice of where to stay in Hong Kong (ignoring the hotel quality aspect). Not awful, but I'd consider staying at the airport instead.

North Point is totally fine, for locals like myself, it is at the HK island east. But definately not for foreigners, because people in that area speak little English. Hotels in that area generally target visitors from mainland China, as a cheaper option to those 4 and 5 stars hotels in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. There are not much to shop around North Point either, even for locals, consider to be a lower to middle class area.

Thank you all for your help. HK is one of the few "hub" cities I havent been to, so am totally unaware of where to stay, etc.

It sounds like the IBIS is a waste even if its free.

So assuming I dont want to stay at the Regal, which area is the best to stay at. My flight arrives at 7:50pm, and I would need to leave the hotel at 6am the next day.

In terms of what I would want to do, probably shopping, I not into drinking by my self....so if there are any decent markets, stalls, shopping centres open late, then I would consider staying near them, otherwise probably just stay in the airport.

Thanks again,

Alex

How about the Eaton Hotel in Kowloon ??? I can get a rate of about 600.....

Eaton hotel is a good choice, so is Concourse or most of those listed by Asiahotels.com (caveat, I haven't stayed at any of these but did eat in the restaurant in the Concourse hotel once and it was remarkably good for an economy hotel restaurant, and reviews on the web seem ok). These are in an interesting location (you'll know you are in Hong Kong) making travel a bit more of an adventure (in a good way).