Preamble: both of these hotels are in contention for being the best mid-range chain hotels in the world. Both are excellent and it's splitting hairs to compare them.

My call: the JW.
I have stayed at both the Conrad and the JW multiple times. I just spent 5 nights at the JW this month. I've made the choice of MC over HH because I found that HH is very inconsistent overall. I found at HH that I always had to ask or beg to get recognition, whereas at MCs recognition comes automatically and without requesting.

I am MC Gold and the JW in HK always upgrades me to the executive floor, even when I stay at a super low rate. When I was HH Diamond at the Conrad I had to ask. I tore up my HH Diamond card and it was the best choice I ever made. I am happier with my lower status at MC.

The JW has high speed internet. The JW exec. lounge is open for free breakfast, afternoon tea, happy hour including free booze, and deserts in the late evening. They have free non-alchoholic drinks all day.

The Conrad lounge charged for any drinks outside of its special hours.

All JW rooms are corner rooms with huge windows. Almost all rooms therefore have a view to some direction. The Conrad rooms are higher than the JW rooms and have a better view when you get a view, but there is a 50% chance of a no-view room.

Interestingly, Conde Naste recently rated the JW a low 80s score for location, the Conrad a high 90s, and the Shangri-La a high 80s. They're all in the same mall!

[This message has been edited by PaulSEA1 (edited 12-29-2002).]