Farewell to the Excelsior Hong Kong (and the Dickens Bar in particular)
Oct 9, 2018, 6:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: South Glos, UK
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Farewell to the Excelsior Hong Kong (and the Dickens Bar in particular)
Yes I know it's not strictly BA related, but for many years it has been the BA crew's home from home and as there are a few who frequent FT, I'm sure there are plenty of readers who have fond memories of staying at the Excelsior, and in particular the famous Dickens Bar.
Time and tide wait for no man, particularly in Hong Kong where nostalgia cannot stand in the way of commercial gain.
So, on 31st March 2019, the hotel will be no more.
Sad. So many great nights in there, often with newly arrived BA crew. Many tales to tell, but I'm too polite to share them on this forum.
Cheers to the Dickens. Thanks for the memories.
Time and tide wait for no man, particularly in Hong Kong where nostalgia cannot stand in the way of commercial gain.
So, on 31st March 2019, the hotel will be no more.
Sad. So many great nights in there, often with newly arrived BA crew. Many tales to tell, but I'm too polite to share them on this forum.
Cheers to the Dickens. Thanks for the memories.
Oct 9, 2018, 6:40 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
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Nice eulogy 
Stayed there on my first-ever trip to HKG (and that’s a good few years ago now ......)
Was pleased to see it still going strong when I happened to pass by it in a taxi a while back, but now sorry to hear it is not long for this world.
Stayed there on my first-ever trip to HKG (and that’s a good few years ago now ......)
Was pleased to see it still going strong when I happened to pass by it in a taxi a while back, but now sorry to hear it is not long for this world.
Oct 9, 2018, 7:57 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Brighton, England
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That's a real shame, spent my longest ever hotel stay there once 43 nights. Hopefully BA will find a hotel in town for the crew, rather than one of the newer soulless hotels near the airport.
Oct 9, 2018, 8:00 am
#4
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Oct 9, 2018, 8:32 am
#7
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Oct 9, 2018, 8:39 am
#8
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Oct 9, 2018, 8:39 am
#9
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I remember it from when I was little. That hotel is almost as old as Hong Kong itself. Those were the days, the early 1970s, when it was amazing watching from where we lived (Tai Hang Road) planes take off from Kai Tak. The dirtiest were Cathay Pacific, leaving immense amounts of smoke behind them, quite a reputation they had back then.
Oct 9, 2018, 8:58 am
#10
Community Director
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Because of the need to ensure a decent sleep, BA will not place aircrew in airport hotels. The challenge, quite possibly, is finding somewhere in a city as busy as HK which doesn't face similar noise pollution issues!
Oct 9, 2018, 9:13 am
#11
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Somewhere I still have marshmallow tin, in the shape of the hotel tower. Indeed it was an interesting place, but what goes on downroutes best stays downroute......
Oct 9, 2018, 11:40 am
#15
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We stayed there on the first leg of our honeymoon in 93. On the 28th floor. It was bonkers watching the traffic at 3am looking like London rush hour.
And the brilliant view of Kai Tak.
Very fond memories of the place.
And the brilliant view of Kai Tak.
Very fond memories of the place.