Originally Posted by
jpdx
Just saw the IC GS master thread pop up and thought I would write a review of the Crowne Plaza. FWIW, most of my HK stays these days are at Hyatt Regency TST, although I’ve spent a few hundred nights all over the city in the past decade. I had an expiring 40k IHG credit card free night and had a choice of all hotels except the Regent. I deliberately didn’t choose IC GS, because I prefer the Crowne Plaza. IMO, the racecourse views are even more spectacular than the part of the harbor one can see from IC GS, and Causeway Bay is far more lively and better connected than the somewhat awkward East TST location of IC GS (which is still ok if one is comfortable getting around by bus).
Arrived just after 15:00 and noticed pretty quickly from the mad typing and whispering that the Racecourse view room the app had been showing as an upgrade wasn’t available just yet. I was thus given an Executive Suite. These are probably 80-90 square meters, very large and well appointed, with a very pleasant view over Happy Valley. Back when the hotel opened, I commented that I didn’t understand why they didn’t turn it into an IC, it certainly had the hardware. That hardware has now aged quite a bit, but it’s still a great hotel. What’s new is that rooms now are equipped with a water station rather than plastic bottles.
There’s no dedicated lounge, but drinks and snacks are available on the 28th floor next to the rooftop pool from 17:00 to 20:00. There is some daily variation in the menu, but regrettably it skews American — mini hot dogs, fries, chicken drumsticks. Decent selection of drinks.
There are two areas where the CP is clearly inferior to IC GS. First is late checkout, which is obviously not guaranteed, but they generously offered 14:00 despite being full. The second and perhaps more important inferiority is the breakfast. It’s offered in the first floor restaurant, which is a little cramped, and the selection is rather limited unless you want Western stuff. Despite this, this is an excellent CP, which I’ll continue choosing over IC GS in the rare event I don’t find myself at Hyatt or Regent.
I stated in that suite last October using a CSU, and it was a fantastic deal. I also stayed in another suite in that hotel which was more of a city view and I think a little smaller. I'm going to be there next week and have again booked a suite. I've requested the racecourse view but as of yet no reply.
I love the benefits they give you in Club 28. I've gone there before with 4 people and they let us all eat and drink (for free) under my Diamond benefits; I was amazed. The frustrating part is that at times they will close off the terrace for private events, which then makes the place kinda suck. The pavilion mentioned in the thread after yours is closed often as well; not sure why.
I too have had hundreds of nights over the years, and I know am pretty monogamous to IHG, and specifically this Crowne Plaza and the Intercontinental Grand Stanford. I might like the IC GS a little better. Yeah, the racecourse view at the CP is nice, but the harbor view at ICGS is also spectacular, especially Hong Kong island skyline at night. I find the area around the CP to be dead after 8 or 9 pm. With the IC GS, there are many places within a 5 minute walk. Many restaurants and bars adjacent the hotel on water with a skyline view, as well as restaurants directly across the street. Also many choices if you are willing to walk 10 minutes or so. Causeway Bay seems lively, but it seems much for oriented to shopping than to drinking and entertainment.
I think the walk to the MTR is probably not much longer from Crowne Plaza than it is from the IC GS. In both cases the station entrance is not far, but then it feels like a 5K walk from the entrance to the trains! LOL!
Anyway, thanks for the pics... I often want to show the suite to people and now it will be easier because your pics are much better than mine!