scubaccr

IC Grand Stanford, HK

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Not sure. Reason being same side harbour view upgrade as when I last stayed and booked room 3categories higher

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked:- Entry level Superior / Deluxe rooms
Modded:- J/Suite w/o Club Lounge
Upsell :- as RA single person club at 490++

How are the rooms?
2-room, angled windows to opposite building and harbour. Mostly can just see far side, but depends if J/S is the one at fron (street) of hotel or back (harbour) end of the side of hotel

Different from previous visit, lefthand versus righthand mirror image, and road end versus harbour end

Bedroom- King Bed, 40" TV, work desk facing wall (other J/S faces window)
Bathroom- single sink, bath ans walkin shw cubicle
Living Room- sofa, small table, minibar. door to walkin cloak/storage room

How is the exec. lounge?
quite nice size and view direct to harbour on first floor
pleaseant and attentive lounge staff
good b/f offering
ok afternoon offering
good evening 2-hour offering with Moet Champagne

Did you receive a welcome gift?
Chocolates, Red Wine

How was the minibar?
Water, Cans of Beer, soda, drawer with 6minature spirits

What was good and what was bad?

-Good
+ discounted Lounge for single occupancy
+ Lounge covers b/f in Lounge or restaurant and evening drinks of Moet champagne.
+staff polite and helpful throughout hotel

-Bad
- Not the full harbour view I expected AND also poorer road end of hotel to boot view wise. Their loss, I immediately decided to choose club over this virtually useless harbour view in future here.
- taxi drivers reluctant to take fares here
- watch out taxi driver doesn't go to Hongkong Island via Western tunnel ! Instead of nearest tunnel at $65 fare and $10 tunnel fee, I got driver asking $90 fare (longer route) AND $70 Western Tunnekl RETURN fare ($55 1way)
Driver tries saying went western tunnel as traffic .. an outright lie , driver wanted extra $25 fare which I dont mind BUT I wont pay the $70 tunnel fee for dribver to get $25 extra on distance

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
Not really when you add Room Rate plus Lounge Upsell together.... As almost same as IC-HK entry category room, RAs should then book IC-HK

Checkin staff on first visit had strongly suggested take upgrade and upsell of lounge as a better/cheaper option than take foc club lounge and pay to upgrade.

Choosing zero extra costing of foc club lounge will work value wise though

Would you return?[/QUOTE]
Yes, choosing lounge foc over room upgrade. Once IC-GS rate room+lounge aproaches IC-HK base room rate, RAs should really stay at IC-HK

The upgrade is poor (to me) side harbour view is not really worth having, although bigger room is no doubt nice for some. I want a good harbour view over a bit of extra space