gregorygrady

Nice cop out by GH HK on the Suite upgrade!!! The saddest part is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you bitc* and you bit*h loud (or pester Julia and/or Karen as 2 other FTers have done for recent GH HK visits), then you'll get the upgrade, otherwise forget about it. That is just sad that you have to either complain or go through Karen. Like I said above, why doesn't GP clamp down on this type of behavior by the hotels??? If they are going to just say that availability can come from a "certain stock", then really there is no need to even put upgrades as Diamond benefits. Hyatt Diamond benefits may as well just say that the hotel CAN upgrade you if they want to. Same difference.

RTWSTARALLIANCE

IMHO. We all know the new rules. Maybe the Hotels do not even know the old rules. Given all that is known and has been published within FT what is the problem with any person working towards getting what they are due? If a Hotel is in frequent violation of the Diamond terms / conditions and I know this. I am going to write some e-mails to make sure it offers all items I am due as a Diamond in good faith. That is the reason I am a Diamond with Hyatt. Karen is noted a as Concierge. That means she is meant to be spoken to respectful way. I appreciated what she did. It was one of the first e-mails I made from the GH HK to thank her. It disgusts me also I had to spend a minute wondering if I would get my benefits. As stated many times before Hyatt should crack down on offending Hotels. IMHO

gregorygrady

RTWSTARALLIANCE,

I really didn't mean for my post to sound like you were complaining to Karen to get you an upgrade. I re-read my post and I realize it did sound sort of like that, so I apoligize. Don't get me wrong, I would be the first person in line to e-mail Karen if I was going to be staying at the GH HK in the near future. What I meant to convey is that it is SAD that we should even have to be worrying that the only way we can get an upgrade at GH HK is to e-mail Karen about it. I'm sure Karen doesn't want to be burdened with requests to get GC access when it is due us per the Diamond T&Cs. I sure wouldn't want that if I was the GP Concierge. I would rather that the individual hotels actually gave the benefits that they were supposed to give in the first place.

So again, sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to put you down, rather I meant to put down the GH HK for putting us in a position where we have to complain to and/or contact Karen to get an upgrade.

Pickles

Just checked into the GHHK for a two night stay, one paid one FFN. Given harbourview Grand Club room without asking. No complaints, obviously.

747heavy

Dear RTWSTARALLIANCE and others,

How would you compare the Grand Hyatt with the Conrad in Hong Kong?

Thank you!

RTWSTARALLIANCE

About the same given all the pluses and minuses of each. Such as Conrad is much easier to MTR. The Grand Hyatt lounge is way over the top versus the Conrad.

rbAA

For the HR HK, get off the Airport Express at Kowloon and shuttle or taxi to the hotel. HR HK is close to the MTR, so you take that to HK Island and get off at Wan Chai, or walk/taxi from Admirality if you don't want to transfer. It seems to be a long walk from Wan Chai and the taxi's are cheap. I did a taxi from the Regal Kowloon to GH HK and it wasn't bad at all. Something around US$11 if I remember.

For the GH HK, take the AE to HK and shuttle (they usualy stop the free shuttle before I arrive,) or taxi (about US$4 and more convenient as the shuttle drops you at the entrance of the convention center, between the GH and Ren. A pain to carry luggage up stairs or around the block to checkin. Taxi is the way to go here.)

The last couple of times I was in HKG, the AE ticket sellers were checking for CX boarding passes for the half price tickets. They used to let anyone use the discount coupons (printed off the internet site for CX specials.) I think the most recent coupon expires like March.

saimike

as a lowly platinum on a weekend award stay, my confirmation email said that i was given a "garden view". how is that? what else is available? someone mentioned "harbor view", but granted that i probably wouldnt get any upgrades (perhaps its time to use that upgrade cert i'm supposed to have) ... what are my options?

ohbahsan

yeah it's too bad the shuttle doesn't stop at the GHHK entrance, but for a first-timer to HK the shuttle is like a mini-tour of hotels in HK island

westers

For 4 people going to the GH HK is it just as easy and cheap to get a taxi from the airport or are we better staying with the Airport Express

rbAA

I would think it's a push, with the taxi being a little more convenient. I know that I have been offered a ride to the airport for about what it would cost for the "full" AE fare, when I had my son with me. It was early morning and I don't think the cabbie had much else to do.

neuro0

If everythings fit in one taxi, I would suggest a taxi unless you can use the airport express coupon from cathay pacific.
From airport to hongkong station is HKD100pp one way X 4 = HKD400 plus the taxi fare from the station to GH
It should cost around HKD350 by taxi form airport to GH.
YMMV depends on the traffic.

cardenio98

Getting to either Hyatt is easy and choice for me depends on what I am in HK to do. The previous posts show that they are both easy to get to from the airport express and the MTR.

I stay at both hotels. When I am there for a trade show at the Convention Centre, the Grand Hyatt is the way to go, for other things, the HR gives a good compromise between service and price.

If you're there for tourism, then the HR is the way to go. Kowloon side is much better for fun and travel unless you're into the Wan Chai night scene!!
^

Good luck and see you in HK next time!!

cardenio98

nologic

The HK Express is very easy. I took the train and then took the very cheap taxi from the station to the GH. I din't have any HK$, so the doorman paid, and then I got some HK$ at the hotel and reimbursed him.

I like the GH HK very much...there's a very cool air about it and the Grand Club is very good.

SethLevy

I have stayed at the GH Hong Kong several times and have always taken a taxi or reserved a car from the hotel. All that changed with my trip there last weekend. I was set to take the taxi as usual upon arrival, but had no HK dollars, so i walked around the airport looking for an ATM, finally I exchanged dollars with the exchange vendor, she asked me if I wanted a ticket for the train, I told her I was going to take a cab, she said to where, told her the GH, she said, don;t be foolish take the train, I said, Ihave too many bags and can;t walk through HK station with all my bags, she said trolleys are right there as you exit the train, taxis a few feet away. Took her advice, everything worked out. WIll never take a taxi to the airport again.

trains run very often, trolleys are waiting at HK station, taxis stand a few steps ahead as you exit the train, checp fare less than $4 to GH. I got from the airport to check-in in less than 30 minutes.

Price aside, the train is faster than a taxi, factor in price and It is a no brainer.

Enjoy HK and the GH.