I stayed at the W the past four nights and would consider this property again but would set different expectations and I am unlikely to return specifically to mark a special occassion. It was a great value and stay but didn't entirely knock my socks off. I have touched on this in a seperate thread elsewhere in the forums but here are some highlights. I was celebrating my 30th birthday so I asked the Platinum Concierge line to notify the hotel and see if they would do anything to Wow me since it was an important milestone birthday. I booked a cash and points rate but figured it couldn't hurt to ask. I think it was $90USD + 4500 points a night.

Three days prior to my arrival, I was contacted via email by the concierge to let me know they were expecting me - they wanted to check if they could make dinner or spa reservations on my behalf. I told them we were arriving via Shenzhen and needed instructions and planned to celebrate my birthday with a bottle of bubbly. I was really happy at this point and thought this was a sign of how great the stay was going to be. One day before the stay I was notified via email I had been confirmed in a Cool Corner Room. It ended up being on the 17th floor, I was a bit let down because I prefer high floors but I had a good view and the room was nice. Maybe they thought this room would make me happiest because of the vantage point - I'll probably never know. I didn't even inquire about a suite because I wanted a view of the light show from my tub at night and I believe the suites may have harbor views.

The tranportation instructions from Shenzhen were detailed and helpful. We were given several options including a very reasonable cross-border car service (around $200USD) but ultimately just took the train and a taxi. The Whatever Whenever staff invited me to puruse their champagne list in advance of my stay but the list was not attached, was not listed on the internet, and in fact was not even in the binder in the room - it just said to ask at the Living Room what selections were available - lame. I had spent the previous week at the Westin Shanghai Bund Center where they comped a bottle of wine upon arrival, fresh fruit and flowers in the room daily, upgraded me to a suite, provided free drinks in the lounge each night, free internet, and sent a beautiful cake and handwritten card wishing me happy birthday (the treatment at the Westin in Shanghai was wonderful but the W in Hong Kong was just ehhh).

I received limited recognition as a platinum (was just told to charge internet daily and that it would be reversed out on the last day as a platinum benefit), was not asked about Platinum amenity, and most disappointing, I received no acknowledgement for my birthday whatsoever at the W (other than the emails in advance which had made me so hopeful they would make it super memorable). I really wanted to be Wowed and the room and hotel were just perfect but the service at arrival and throughout the stay really fell a bit flat for me. Maybe because my stay bridged a weekend? I am new to SPG so this might otherwise just be a brand thing where the W staff are too hip to make you feel super welcome and maybe Westin's are more my thing. This was a really special event for me and my expectations for service during the stay were just not met (again, my expectations likely were not realistic and certainly we were treated well, just not Wowed in the way I had wanted).

I had a problem with my return plane ticket and needed to contact United Airlines on Sunday. The concierge was busy, there were a ton of people checking-out, and the business center was closed?!? The 6th floor scene was frantic and nervous and I was upset about my ticket but couldn't find anyone willing to help me. Finally the concierge was free and told me to go downstairs and talk to the airport check-in people or wait until the business center opened at 2. Really?!? You've never had someone with airline drama stay at your hotel before? I could have used a little help or better problem solving but felt like I was being dismissed. I took the train to the airport and sorted out my ticketing nonsense but the day was pretty much wasted (I think a 20 minute phone call would have garnered the same results but I guess I would have needed to make the call from the room and paid big $$$ for it - lesson learned, next time I will have Skype set up before I travel). I'm a bit jetlagged so I will have to reflect again when I am not so tired, but I do think the Whatever Whenever (or Whatever WHATever as was the case that morning) staff could have done more to have helped me through an anxiety provoking travel snafu.

I love the location and the Airport Express train and check-in options downstairs. They have a comfy complimentary shuttle twice an hour to Tsim Sha Tsui shopping area and the MTR is downstairs. I did check out the pool plus the restaurant Kitchen and had room service one night. The room was super comfy and the bed is quite special. I liked the bathroom and tub and you just can't beat the yummy Bliss bath products (IMO Westin has softer towels and robes). A+ on all accounts but I am still a bit annoyed at the business center hours. I received a call in my room the evening before check out and that was really appreciated and made departing less stressful. I would recommend this property and will probably stay again but I would have to consider carefully whether I booked it for a special occassion.