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Luxury with a view?
I'm looking at 4 nights in Hong Kong next June over my wedding anniversary. My wife is currently undergoing a spinal surgery, and will likely be having problems with extensive walking then. As such, we would like to book ourselves into a well rated hotel with excellent views - minimizing at least some of the walking and sightseeing.
My trouble, however, is what to book! - One thought is to split my stay across a hotel each in Kowloon and Island, and grab views from either side. Does that make any sense? Do remember that since we will be a bit mobility impaired, I'd rather have good views when I can get them. Also, I believe Island has the best dining and shopping scene, while Kowloon is a bit grittier (though we like our cities to have a bit of both). - For Kowloon, is the Intercontinental (the flagship one, NOT Grand Stanford) a good choice? I'm not quite convinced with their decor, but they seem to be running a very tight ship. The harbour view room suits my budget as well. - Other Kowloon options include Hyatt Regency and Sheraton as they fit the budget and offer bang on views of the main bits of Island. How do they compare against IC? - Is it worth considering options further east, viz. Kowloon Shangri La and ICON? - Is it worth knocking off a night and staying at Ritz-Carlton? I'd also include the Peninsula here, but they seem to be a bit too expensive. - On Island, what works best? Grand Hyatt, Island Shangri La, or Conrad? I'll only consider these if my Island - Kowloon split stay is a go, though. - Again, is it worth knocking off a night and settling in at the Four Seasons? - Is there any thing worth considering around Victoria Peak? Something that has the iconic view across Island, the Harbour, and Kowloon? Hope the biggies here can help! TIA! Also, do let me know if there are any good offers I should be looking at! I did check out Virtuoso for IC, RC, and Pen, but will have to wait a while till they come up with 2018 rates. Cheers! |
I can't do comparisons for you, but I can tell you that the view we had from the ICON was amazing. Harbor, Christmas lights (december trip). We had booked a Club 38 Harbour room and were upgraded to a Harbour Suite. I could swim in the bathtub! There are lots of photos (of the room and the view) online so I want bother trying to find mine, but we loved our stay there.
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Thanks! Thats one point in favour of ICON. It seems to have rather good reviews.
Just wondering whether the harbour view there is as direct as from, say The Peninsula or The Intercontinental? I'm quite taken with the thought of being able to see the evening light show from bed... |
Originally Posted by esotericidiot
(Post 28807507)
My wife is currently undergoing a spinal surgery, and will likely be having problems with extensive walking then.
While wedding anniversary is worth to celebrate, planning a trip for the recovery period may not be wise. Keep in mind - travel insurance is not going to cover any flare-up from the surgery. Also, while the healthcare cost in Hong Kong is relatively cheap, it is not as cheap as you think. |
Discussion of the view (and some links to photos) for HK hotels can be found in these threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...vs-ritz-3.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...g-kong-17.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...g-kong-67.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...e-tourist.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...ritz-penn.html |
@garykung - Of course, her recovery comes first. I'm just scouting as of now, and will only book things once we are more confident of her health. This is actually her second surgery, and we did a Thai holiday in the intervening period. She managed fantastically. Hoping that repeats itself.
@jerry a. laska - Thanks! These are very helpful! |
Originally Posted by esotericidiot
(Post 28807507)
- One thought is to split my stay across a hotel each in Kowloon and Island, and grab views from either side. Does that make any sense? Do remember that since we will be a bit mobility impaired, I'd rather have good views when I can get them. Also, I believe Island has the best dining and shopping scene, while Kowloon is a bit grittier (though we like our cities to have a bit of both).
- For Kowloon, is the Intercontinental (the flagship one, NOT Grand Stanford) a good choice? I'm not quite convinced with their decor, but they seem to be running a very tight ship. The harbour view room suits my budget as well. - Other Kowloon options include Hyatt Regency and Sheraton as they fit the budget and offer bang on views of the main bits of Island. How do they compare against IC? - Is it worth considering options further east, viz. Kowloon Shangri La and ICON? - Is it worth knocking off a night and staying at Ritz-Carlton? I'd also include the Peninsula here, but they seem to be a bit too expensive. - On Island, what works best? Grand Hyatt, Island Shangri La, or Conrad? I'll only consider these if my Island - Kowloon split stay is a go, though. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing 2 nights in TST, 2 nights on HKG side. If it were up to me, and if the view were the prime consideration, I'd just spend all 4 nights in TST. The iconic HKG view is from the TST side. Kowloon, for sure, has a bit more downmarket and touristy feel and a lot more hustle and bustle than Admiralty (think office buildings, expensive mall, lush greens of HK Park) or Central (think even more office buildings, malls, pockets of local flavor). But TST is a very fun place with a wide range of shopping up to the highest-name brand, as well as tons of great food. So I wouldn't say that there's better food and shopping on HK side necessarily. Intercontinental is a great choice and the views are unbeatable, but you will have to walk quite a bit to get to places like Harbour City or MTR (takes me 7min to get to MTR platform from the lobby, and I'm a fast walker). Hyatt Regency is very convenient wrt MTR and shopping (adjoined to K11 mall), but it's set back a bit from the harbour and there will be many other buildings in the foreground when looking out towards the harbour. Sheraton is a great reasonably-priced option for a 4.5-star with amazing harbour view. You'll want to stay as high as possible, though, definitely higher than 10th floor. You get great view of Central, but IC obstructs the view from around Wan Chai and onward east. Love Kowloon Shangrila. Very easy to access the harbourfront promenade. MTR platform ~same time as from IC, but there's a moving walkway most of the way which will help your wife. The harbourview is certainly not as good as IC or Sheraton since you can't see from ~Admiralty and onward west (ie, can't see Central). But you'll have a full-on unobstructed view of Wan Chai and everything else due east. I've not been staying here recently since their pool is a joke, but that may not be important to you. Peninsula is an experience to remember. The service is impeccable. IC is great, but Peninsula is in its own league over on Kowloon side. Their indoor pool is one of my all-time favorite. Spring Moon is my favorite dim sum place, even though they don't get talked about for some reason. Pen is very expensive, so I've only been able to do single-night stays there (stay somewhere cheaper on other nights). If you can afford it, I think it's worth it. Harbour views from the Pen are probably second only to IC, although I would imagine that there might be some view obstructions if you stay on a lower floor. Our floor was up in the 20's. Never stayed at Grand Hyatt. Island Shangrila and Conrad are great. They're pretty similar to me. Conrad is currently my choice cuz of Diamond status and lounge access. If it weren't for that, I might take Shangrila only because it's easier to catch a cab there. Both are adjoined to Pacific Place mall via elevator, but it does take me ~7min to get to MTR platform. Both with nice pools. Right by entrance to HK Park. Keep in mind that both of these hotels are generally more expensive than all of the hotels I mentioned over on TST side. |
Originally Posted by evergrn
(Post 28809545)
I'm familiar with most of the view hotels in TST and the ones in Admiralty.
I don't think there's anything wrong with doing 2 nights in TST, 2 nights on HKG side. If it were up to me, and if the view were the prime consideration, I'd just spend all 4 nights in TST. The iconic HKG view is from the TST side. Kowloon, for sure, has a bit more downmarket and touristy feel and a lot more hustle and bustle than Admiralty (think office buildings, expensive mall, lush greens of HK Park) or Central (think even more office buildings, malls, pockets of local flavor). But TST is a very fun place with a wide range of shopping up to the highest-name brand, as well as tons of great food. So I wouldn't say that there's better food and shopping on HK side necessarily. Intercontinental is a great choice and the views are unbeatable, but you will have to walk quite a bit to get to places like Harbour City or MTR (takes me 7min to get to MTR platform from the lobby, and I'm a fast walker). Hyatt Regency is very convenient wrt MTR and shopping (adjoined to K11 mall), but it's set back a bit from the harbour and there will be many other buildings in the foreground when looking out towards the harbour. Sheraton is a great reasonably-priced option for a 4.5-star with amazing harbour view. You'll want to stay as high as possible, though, definitely higher than 10th floor. You get great view of Central, but IC obstructs the view from around Wan Chai and onward east. Love Kowloon Shangrila. Very easy to access the harbourfront promenade. MTR platform ~same time as from IC, but there's a moving walkway most of the way which will help your wife. The harbourview is certainly not as good as IC or Sheraton since you can't see from ~Admiralty and onward west (ie, can't see Central). But you'll have a full-on unobstructed view of Wan Chai and everything else due east. I've not been staying here recently since their pool is a joke, but that may not be important to you. Peninsula is an experience to remember. The service is impeccable. IC is great, but Peninsula is in its own league over on Kowloon side. Their indoor pool is one of my all-time favorite. Spring Moon is my favorite dim sum place, even though they don't get talked about for some reason. Pen is very expensive, so I've only been able to do single-night stays there (stay somewhere cheaper on other nights). If you can afford it, I think it's worth it. Harbour views from the Pen are probably second only to IC, although I would imagine that there might be some view obstructions if you stay on a lower floor. Our floor was up in the 20's. Never stayed at Grand Hyatt. Island Shangrila and Conrad are great. They're pretty similar to me. Conrad is currently my choice cuz of Diamond status and lounge access. If it weren't for that, I might take Shangrila only because it's easier to catch a cab there. Both are adjoined to Pacific Place mall via elevator, but it does take me ~7min to get to MTR platform. Both with nice pools. Right by entrance to HK Park. Keep in mind that both of these hotels are generally more expensive than all of the hotels I mentioned over on TST side. Apparently IC might close for a refurbishment which leaves me back at square one. I'm hoping the new Rosewood opens in time and has some doable soft launch deals worth considering. If not then maybe a twin Shangri La stay... or a shorter stay at Pen... Sigh. Too much. |
Grand Hyatt is awful with the construction going on for the new underground tunnel or road. The construction hours are somewhat unpredictable and noisy. Not very much in terms of views going on there anyway.
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Just want to clarify one point:
There are the two INTERCONTINENTAL, GS and Harbour. The Harbourview rooms at the Harbour (18 Salisbury Rd)is what this classic HK Harbour view is all about. I have hosted two Chinese New Years firework parties in one of the suites. The opposite view from HK would be the Grand Hyatt at Convention Centre or the Renaissance Harbourview. The RC, W, and FS offer view from high up. Your view will be dependant on the weather and cloud cover ICON hotels is a different local chain not affiliated with IHG. |
Originally Posted by Aventine
(Post 28809857)
Grand Hyatt is awful with the construction going on for the new underground tunnel or road. The construction hours are somewhat unpredictable and noisy. Not very much in terms of views going on there anyway.
Originally Posted by tentseller
(Post 28810778)
Just want to clarify one point:
There are the two INTERCONTINENTAL, GS and Harbour. The Harbourview rooms at the Harbour (18 Salisbury Rd)is what this classic HK Harbour view is all about. I have hosted two Chinese New Years firework parties in one of the suites. The opposite view from HK would be the Grand Hyatt at Convention Centre or the Renaissance Harbourview. The RC, W, and FS offer view from high up. Your view will be dependant on the weather and cloud cover ICON hotels is a different local chain not affiliated with IHG. GH I'm ticking off the list for now - too many naysayers. Renaissance... I don't quite fancy the chain. Any thoughts? Doesn't RC preclude W's views? In any case, W is a bit too flashy for my tastes. RC is still an option, but I've heard the cloud cover is a serious bummer. Don't know if its worth the expense. Didn't know FS suffered from the same issue... ICON... a LOT of people have been recommending this to me, and the hard product looks quite good. But from what I can figure out, its views are of the non-prime portions of Island. I'd prefer being able to see Central. |
IC HK probably fits the bill quite well. Excellent service, rooms are well maintained (yet I'm looking forward to the 2019 renovation).
ICON is also a very good hotel, I like the IC better though. The views are not as "direct" as at the IC. Views from the RC excellent, however, I'd save the money and head there for drinks if the weather is nice and the hotel is not in the clouds (no view!). Sheraton does not fulfill "luxury". I'd stay in KWL for the view and omit staying at HK Island. |
When fog/clouds roll in, the views from the RC can become nothing.
For the Peninsula, only the higher harbor facing rooms, primarily in the newer tower, have good views. I'd think in terms of interesting stuff your wife could do without leaving the hotel, such as high tea or spending time in the lounge to avoid feeling trapped in a hotel room. I'm assuming that swimming won't be a possibility, but if this is wrong, the Pen, RC, and W all have great (but very different) pools. Limited mobility could make it tough to do many tourist activities, even if they're nearby, and also difficult to change hotels every day. I don't know whether it's still true (with some new buildings along the waterfront), but some rooms at the YMCA in Kowloon (located next to the Peninsula) were always said to have great views. If you could confirm this, or especially a suite, it might be a cost effective alternative. Think of it as a three star hotel. |
Originally Posted by Chinatrvl
(Post 28811031)
IC HK probably fits the bill quite well. Excellent service, rooms are well maintained (yet I'm looking forward to the 2019 renovation).
Originally Posted by Chinatrvl
(Post 28811031)
Sheraton does not fulfill "luxury".
Originally Posted by Chinatrvl
(Post 28811031)
I'd stay in KWL for the view and omit staying at HK Island.
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Originally Posted by Chinatrvl
(Post 28811031)
IC HK probably fits the bill quite well. Excellent service, rooms are well maintained (yet I'm looking forward to the 2019 renovation).
ICON is also a very good hotel, I like the IC better though. The views are not as "direct" as at the IC. Views from the RC excellent, however, I'd save the money and head there for drinks if the weather is nice and the hotel is not in the clouds (no view!). Sheraton does not fulfill "luxury". I'd stay in KWL for the view and omit staying at HK Island. My only thought behind notching a few nights on Island was to make it a bit easy for us to move around. I'd rather push a wheelchair through the streets than wait for a cab morning and evening.
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
(Post 28811090)
When fog/clouds roll in, the views from the RC can become nothing.
For the Peninsula, only the higher harbor facing rooms, primarily in the newer tower, have good views. I'd think in terms of interesting stuff your wife could do without leaving the hotel, such as high tea or spending time in the lounge to avoid feeling trapped in a hotel room. I'm assuming that swimming won't be a possibility, but if this is wrong, the Pen, RC, and W all have great (but very different) pools. Limited mobility could make it tough to do many tourist activities, even if they're nearby, and also difficult to change hotels every day. I don't know whether it's still true (with some new buildings along the waterfront), but some rooms at the YMCA in Kowloon (located next to the Peninsula) were always said to have great views. If you could confirm this, or especially a suite, it might be a cost effective alternative. Think of it as a three star hotel. I think its safe to junk RC then. Pen... depends on if I get a good deal. Pool should not be a problem - she attends hydrotherapy, and will be happy to splash around. We typically book pool rooms on other leisure holidays for the same purpose. Limited mobility is an issue, but we seem to manage a decent amount of exploration still. As long as there's a path, I'll push a wheelchair on it. :)
Originally Posted by evergrn
(Post 28811174)
Agree.
Actually, Sheraton HKG to me is a legit luxury hotel. It's not 5-stars, but it's definitely more luxurious than your average US Sheraton. Out of all the luxury hotels with full-on view of the Central skyline, Sheraton probably offers the best value. I've stayed in their harbourview room for as little as ~$2200 breakfast for two included (but that was a few yrs ago). +1. |
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