zack14

why didn't you ask for breakfast at the restaurant?

Kacee

Just to be clear for future guests at Conrad Hong Kong with Hilton Gold or Diamond status, you do not need to "ask" or receive an "invitation" to take breakfast in the restaurant. Just do it. They will not charge you.

I actually think it's quite an excellent breakfast, though the dim sum is a bit disappointing.

evergrn

Maybe he was content to have breakfast at EL as some people do. Maybe he didn't feel like asking. Why do you care to ask why he didn't ask? I wouldn't doubt TBS' travel savvy if you've seen all his various posts.

Don't get me wrong. It is very good indeed. But standard of HKG 5-star hotel breakfast buffet is quite high, and I do think it falls a bit short based on that very high standard. Again it is very good, but Harbourside (IC), Cafe Too, Cafe Kool, JW Marriott, even Sheraton's buffet are all better imo. Dim sum is disappointing as you say and, while buffet dim sum is generally never that great, Cafe Too/Kool's are definitely higher quality. (Conrad Tokyo's breakfast dim sum way tastier, actually.) Conrad's Chinese tea is tea bag, whereas it's higher-quality and loose leaf at most other places in HKG. Fried rice also not good. No wonton at noodle bar... only fish ball type things. But their bakery items (eg, croissants) are pretty good.

evergrn

Good to know that there could be a silver lining when EL is closed!
Is the makeshift lobby bar EL operation only open during evening cocktails and afternoon tea? Or is it open all day long with espresso and tea available on-demand?

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I felt that the buffet brekafast at the lounge was more than adequate, it is closer to the room and having breakfast by the window whilst overlooking the habour was beautiful (cloudy but good visibility apart from one morning when the tallest builidngs were in the clouds)and the lounge was more tranquil than the bustle of the buffet. If I was staying here more often I would try the buffet in the future and the queues for the buffet seemed longer than for the lounge on this visit

Regards

TBS

teemuflyer

The two times I have encountered this scenario (New Years, CNY), it has been for the evening cocktails/HH only. They would close down the EL upstairs around 17:00 for the rest of the evening.

anabolism

By the way, before the remodel, the Conrad Hong Kong lounge had loose-leaf tea.

anabolism

The last few years I haven't bothered to go down to the restaurant for breakfast. The lounge is usually calmer, and the food there has satisfied me.

teemuflyer

We go downstairs for breakfast simply for the hot noodles and broth with the meats and veggies of the day. Spice it up with some of the available hot pepper pastes and flakes and you have a great start for the day!

evergrn

Their EL still has loose leaf tea for 2 or 3 kinds of tea. Can't remember the names of them, but one tastes like oolong and another tastes like puer-er.
But yes for vast majority of tea types (jasmine, sencha, English, chamomile?, watermelon something? tea, etc), it's now TWG.

I think tea bags are fine for EL. But at Garden Cafe, I think they really should do loose leaf.

evergrn

If I ate breakfast downstairs and then head to EL for round 2, do you think the staff could see on the system that I'd already had my breakfast?

I've seen folks posting in this thread that they've done breakfast at both in the same morning. So I know it's doable. But I haven't done it, since I'd be too embarrassed by the possibility that the staff recognizes I'm partaking in the second freebie and hence looking a bit piggish. But sometimes I've seen an appealing item or two in EL that I didn't see downstairs.

bitterproffit

Do it! I loved the downstairs buffet. I loved all the fruit and the baked goods.

One morning, I did the buffet and then walked around a bit. Then I went up to the EL for some coffee later (at least that's what I told myself), but I had a couple nibbles while there. I have no shame or guilt. I was still hungry.

pauleeepaul

Zero chance of any issues.

anabolism

I don't think the lounge staff would see that you had already had breakfast downstairs, nor would they care. Last time I went to the restaurant for breakfast, they had a printout with all the rooms that were entitled to breakfast in the restaurant that day, and crossed mine off. It wasn't an online thing.

The restaurant and the lounge have different things, so no reason not to go to both if you like. For example, my recollection is that the restaurant doesn't have the sushi-style salmon that the lounge has.

teemuflyer

As others have already mentioned, no problem at all. And I don't think anyone from the staff could really care less.