Bruiser

I would have to agree with the folks who liked the Ritz - we have stayed at lots of hotels in Hong Kong; the IC (Regent), the MO, the Pen (twice), and the Grand Hyatt and this past visit elected to try the Ritz. Great suite overlooking the harbour, wonderful service, smaller hotel so less "tourist" traffic, comfortable beds etc.etc. Although we did like the Pen, the lobby is a zoo and the excellent view hardly compensates for uncomfortable beds. The tower harbour view rooms are also hot in the afternoon sun - (but the restaurants in the hotel are great if that is what you are looking for). And even though as a hotel guest you are able to even get in for tea in the lobby, it is a pretty frenetic experience. And the location of the Pen is becoming more and more formidable with lots of crowded ferries, tunnels, and busy, busy streets of Kowloon. I am not saying it is not a great hotel with good service and nice rooms - I just think it is getting pretty busy and crowded with people just coming in for a look.

Just personal opinion however but we do prefer Central.

miles4all

So it sounds like one needs to line up ones preferrences first. Like do you mind tourists in the lobby or do you want the view.

My 2 cents about the view; people familiar with Hong Kong can take in the view from both sides, but if you are here for the first time, then you really need the view of Hong Kong island. That would mean a room at the Pen, Sheraton, MP Hong Kong or IC.
One would also need the plan the time of year. Over the past 2 days it was impossible to see across the water due to high levels of (GD) pollution .

flamboyant 1

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3125756

I am at the Peninsula now and must say the lobby area is so overrun, loud, loaded with people on cell-phones and even a few in tank-tops I saw. Wonderful atmosphere...

Rooms are great, though someone must have screwed up with my booking. At least I met the very friendly starter of this thread personally. We had breakfast this morning together and had to ask for bakery stuff several times and then just some croissants came, not the promised pastries. Pool and gym are great. View is hard to beat, though I was more pleased with the service at the MO.

Pickles, I will be there this afternoon 3-4 PM! If you see a young guy in the lobby, approach me! Please!

My report from my HK stay:


Wednesday, August 18, 2004

Flights UA 996 and SQ1 were both very good, but of course no comparison. I met very friendly JP Morgan employee Kevin Clare on UA 996 LAX-SFO which is his weekly commute. SQ1 is Singapore Airlines premium route, Suite 1B was great for 8 hours sleep and 5 hours of good entertainment and fine dining. Lots of lobster. First Class disembarked first, then the curtains were opened for Raffles Class. First class bags came out first, the Raffles then economy class bags. What a great distinction of class this airline manages to maintain. Was met by MO man at the MO hotel counter, shuttle �Hotel Link� bus was waiting, departed with just three passengers on board, a bus that could seat at least 50. 40 minutes to the hotel. Early check-in granted into Connought Suite 2126 Corner Harbour front suite. Club suite 2110 has a better view east to Statue Square and the Bank of China and Citigroup Buildings. I face North across Victoria harbour and west to the new Four Seasons Tower. Salisbury Gradens, Museums, Intercontinental, Sheraton and Peninsula Hotels are right across the Harbour. Can almost peek into the rooms with the courtesy binoculars. Went to the Hang Hin Mansion Hankow road 38 to meet my tailor Sandy Cheng, a real professional 5 minutes north of Pen hotel. I will get two suits done in the 4 days I am here. Today was the second fitting. Tomorrow is the third. First afternoon here I went up Victoria peak with the tram and was astonished about the commercial shopping center on top of the peak. Unfortunately there was so much smog the last two days here I could not make really nice pictures. 30/85 degrees and 90 percent humidity, at least, feels hot and wet. Pool at the MO, HK�s only hotel with balconies on all rooms, is very refreshing. In the evening I attended a birthday party of Sean and Graeme, two very nice gentlemen, from Britain, working here. They hosted their party at the Crow�s Nest, a restaurant / bar establishment on D�Aguilar road, where all the multinational bars are and lots of folks hang out after work. Nice mix of people from all over the world at the festivities. Got back to my room at 2245, woken up by a call from my parents at 0630. Then got up at 0910 and had breakfast at the Mandarin grill until almost 11 o�clock. Best breakfast buffet since I was in the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne � maybe my best breakfast ever � poached eggs on toast with bacon, all fruits, juices, bakery products one can imagine and a great European selection of hams and cheese. Wonderful preparation, nice aquariums and fish in the restaurant. Then I went off again to Kowloon (pronounce in German: Kaulun) to my tailor. Tonight is a run up and around Victoria peak with Rupert Chamberlain, KPMG Director, scheduled. I hope I am fit enough to run 1h 30 minutes. I need to get water, a torch and a backpack.

Thursday, August 19, 2004

The run with the fading light of a bad torch was very dangerous but I survived the adventure. Quite an experience to be down at the lower Aberdeen Reservoir at night without light and hard to find back to the right side of the hill. My last night at the Oriental was great, the Breakfast at the Mandarin Grill spectacular once more and the at 1 I asked the MO Concierge to call the Pen to ask about the hotels check-in time, and I was told 2pm which is also stated in the Peninsula guide here on my room. I arrive at 2:10 and am told my room will be ready in 20 minutes, a lie, after twenty minutes I was asked to wait another 40 minutes, had to wait a total of an hour and was told, no late check-out granted, although the Amex Cent. Package includes it. At least afternoon tea and breakfast are included. When I reserved the room I thought I had reserved a Deluxe Harbor View room. Well, there was none available at check-in and I was given a Kowloon View room in the Tower which has a horrible view, well, I am so spoiled. I keep the shades closed. So no Amex FHR/Centurion upgrade, rather a downgrade, no late check-out, late check-in. I will ask for the manager tomorrow. My two small bags took 15 minutes to get up to my room, I should have insisted to carry them myself. Mandarin Oriental staff was friendlier in my opinion. The famous afternoon tea is overrun, crowded with people on cell-phones, in army shorts and tank tops, of course this group of folks make up only 5 percent, but they create an image that is not in congruence with my expectation of the Peninsula Hongkong. Gladly my new friend Peter from Amsterdam got the right room. He is a great new Flyertalk member. We saw a good laser/light show from his room 2409. I have 1801 which is facing the other side, strange since we both have odd numbers. Actually my room is next to the elevator which is not loud at all. The pool and gym at the Pen have a fantastic pool, Felix is an overpriced bar/restaurant with the best view in town. I guess that is what you pay for. I keep my large bags at the MO and just went across the harbor on the Star Ferry. Tomorrow I will get back over and take the MO limousine which is only 1/5th the price of the Pen's Rolls-Royce back to the airport from where I will fly to Singapore and then the day after to Jakarta.

WearyBizTrvlr

I'll write up a more detailed report after I get home on Monday, but here are my initial impressions. I stayed at the Pen last night in a Deluxe Harbor View room in the Tower on the 24th floor. I'm really glad I let you lot talk me into staying there as the view is absolutely stunning. I highly recommend it for any first-time visitor to HK. I met up with flamboyant1 last night and this morning, and had a very pleasant chat. It was my first meeting with a Real Life FTer since I discovered this place a few months ago.

Two minor points (in addition to those made by flamboyant1) about the Pen:

1) I liked the techno-wizardry of the control panel, which was virtually identical to the one in NY. What was missing though, compared to NY, was the complimentary six daily bottles of water. It's a small touch, but one that does make a difference.

2) The hot chocolate that is advertized as "sinfully rich" in the room service menu isn't. It's OK, but it's nowhere near sinfully rich. As an inveterate chocoholic my taste may be a bit more demanding, but still... for truly sinfully rich hot chocolate, go to the Carlton Baglioni in Milan. It's so rich that it's actually hard to pour from the pot.

I'm now at the RC for two nights, and I must say I like it better. I have a club level Peak View room courtesy of the Exceptional Summer package, and the presentations I have seen thar far are pretty good. I'd probably come back here rather than the Pen, but I have yet to sample the rest of the amenities and services here.

Thanks again for all the comments!

wideman

I'm a bit surprised that more people who seek the view but are put off by the Pen's lobby hubbub do not find that the IC is a good solution.

The IC has the best view of the HK island skyline, period. It is the only hotel in TST (as oppsed to TST East) with an unobstructed view of the harbour. And for those who want a public area to hang out, the IC Club is pretty darn good, very possibly the best in town (tho I haven't seen the Kowloon Shang's new club).

The level of service in the IC does not approach that of the Pen/MO, and its size is enormous compared to the Ritz. And I suspect that it lost some of its cachet when it took on the not-so-exclusive name of IC. But if view and a wonderful public area are your most important priorities (and I know of no cityscape more spectacular than the view from Kowloon), the IC may well be the best choice.

luxury

I think this thread represents the precise dilemma I am having -- I have an overnight stay in HKG (coming in from LHR via SIN on SQ on the 29th, depart on the 30th on AC) and I just cannot make up my mind as to where to stay -- the Pen, IC, Ritz and M-O all sound so good. . . . arrgghhhh......

SoManyMiles-SoLittleTime

I posted on this before, and second this opinion. The IC view/location are the best in HK. The b-fast buffet is everything the previous poster mentioned at the MO, plus the superb dim sum. I've stayed at a couple of hotels in HK, and visited many others. The IC wins hands down.

Note that there are two ICs in HK, the Grand Stanford and the ex-Regent. The GS has great views too, and it's a fine hotel, but it's a notch down from the IC/Regent.

flamboyant 1

The breakfast at the MO's Mandarin Grill had very nice thin cut European style hams, salami, prosciuttu, a decent cheese selection and most importantly: Real bread, good rolls, a swiss style baguette, freshly baked pastries, all sorts of fruits, juices, etc.

Eggs prepared perfectly, great service. Very unlike the American Breakfast at the PEN. You have to ask for everything and then you are told, juice or fuits only. Not and!!! Only one glass of juice, etc. I dislike this frugality, furthermore I was alone at the Mandarin Grill after 9:15 and had the whole staff for myself, very pleasant to chat with. Unlike the busy PEN waiters.

Pool and Gym are better at the PEN for sure. I suggest luxury to try the IC/Regent and post a brief report here.

TheLifeYou'veAlwaysWanted

Ladies and Gentlemen....

Wow... I must share with you my experience at Plateau... this new 11th floor spa + gym + garden + pool + restaurant concept at Grand Hyatt. Just amazing... my wife had to push my jaw up for me all the time (when she was not having a massage and facial there!).

Such a beautiful place. The garden and pool have always been there. I remember there used to be a big rock-waterfall by the pool before... and the pool was very tropical.. very blue... now it is all sand coloured.. tranquil to say the least... AND.. a very quiet environment to lay by the pool right in the middle of the city and all those skyscrappers! Mixed grill and lemonade was divine .. the pool side serves really great food... and impeccable service too.

The gym, man, is really something. The club that I go to in London is very busy... loud funky music, etc etc.. (you know those gyms!)... but now at Grand Hyatt, this gym is for hotel guests only (used to have one across the garden that was shared with the hotel next door). The equipment was great... all so new, so chic... I went for a run on the threadmill.. built in TV with many channels... no music in the gym but you have your own headphones from your machine... And they even have chest-bands for running junky like me!

I had a Plateau massage... with a Detox balm. So soothing. I had asked for a male masseur. His name was Vali. So good. I fell asleep and I woke up feeling totally detoxed.. mind and body.

My wife also had a Plateau massage, a facial with Carita products... She said "All Good!"... and that was good, no questions asked!

I am going back December or January.. on business this time... will definitely find time to enjoy more at Plateau - oh! the pool is now heated year round!

WearyBizTrvlr

Having stayed at both the RC and the Pen, my preference (as I indicated in my initial impressions) is for the RC. Compared to the madding crowds of the Pen's lobby, it is truly an oasis of calm. I do exaggerate a little, as the Pen isn't all that bad, but it is a victim of its own fame. The pool and the gym are great, and service was decent too, except for the breakfast. Toiletries were the standard Peninsula-issue (new style). I still prefer the more artfully shaped old-style Pen toiletries. (OK, it's purely an issue of the shapes of the bottles...)

The free broadband is a definite plus and the view is amazing. However, if you don't get a good harbor view room, I would not recommend staying there. The view makes all the difference, and without it, you're better off in Central.

As for the RC, the club had fairly decent food presentations, though was limited in its choice of wine. It's not truly a substitute for a good meal at a restaurant, but I don't expect that from a club lounge in any case. The first I ventured into the lounge I was greeted by name by an employee I am sure I had not met... either they have very good communications there, or they have some spooky surveillance system.

I also like the fact that the room was furnished with complimentary bottled water, as much as I liked. Toiletries were of the Bulgari green tea variety, although they mysteriously vanished and were replaced by white tea upon the first service. I liked the white replacement much better than the green, so I am not complaining. I had a "peak view" room, which does indeed offer something of a view to the Peak, but it's nothing to write home about. The view of the harbor commands a higher price, but it's not worth it. Kowloon simply isn't that impressive to behold.

Two minor marks against the RC: the a/c wasn't quite as cold or quiet as at the Pen, and the high-speed internet service suffered frequent, albeit brief, outages. Even at the coldest setting the a/c never quite managed to cool the room down to my desired setting, although it was at all times adequate and never uncomfortable. This is in stark contrast to the arctic chill the Peninsula was able to conjure up. The a/c unit at the RC was definitely more noticeable than the one at the Pen. As for the high-speed internet, it died about five times on me, usually for a few minutes, before reappearing again. Not good enough if I'd had a lot of work to do.

The RC has an outdoor heated pool. It's big enough for some serious swimming, although they do close it when there are thunderstorm warnings. Occasionally a waft of unpleasant city odors will reach the pool area, but I guess that's inevitable. Overall the gym and pool are a small notch below the Pen's, but certainly adequate. Service at the RC was good throughout.

I have determined I have to go back to Hong Kong, so I'm already weighing the options for my stay there. Unless some other brave soul tries it first, I may go for the Intercontinental to soak up the view. I had dinner at Yan Toh Heen, one of the IC's restaurants with a view of HK. Food was good, but the windows looked like they hadn't been cleaned in decades. A thick layer of grime disfigured the view, especially at gloaming. Once the sun had set, it was not so noticeable. The restaurant also faces southeast, so it misses out on the best views of Central. I wonder how the view from the hotel proper compare to the Pen. While the IC is directly on the waterfront, the Pen is higher and set back a little, which could improve the viewing angle. I might give it a shot. As for staying in Central, the RC is definitely an option, although I might be tempted to try the remodeled MO or the new FS, depending on when I manage to go back there.

wideman

I did post a report on the IC earlier this year, end you can read it by clicking right about here.

My guess is that you'll find that service at the IC is good, but not in the same (very exclusive) class as the Pen or MO. However, the views are the best (unlike the Pen, no traffic or museums that get on the way), the restauramt choices are wonderful (Yu is exceptional), and the lounge is the nicest I've seen. I haven't stayed at the RC and will be interested to hear how you compare the RC and IC lounges.

WearyBizTrvlr

Thanks for the pointer to your trip report. Based on your comments in that report, I'd say the IC lounge beats the RC, but I'll reserve judgment until I've tried the IC too.

A-340 GOT

Just a brief question as you all seem to know a lot, what about the Grand Hyatt in HKG, is it way below the PEN or IC, I'll be in HKG on an Award trip late october and looking to book as good hotel as possible, having never been to HKG before aswell ? Any suggestions what to pick as for the view that do sounds like on priority, as well as maybe health club & pool, i�m only ordinary Hyatt Gold member, no status with any of the others !!

hfly

The PEN doesn't really have "status" that you allude to, neither do the MO or many other true quality hotels. The Hyatt, yeah its pretty good compared to other Hyatts worldwide (much as the Conrad HK isn't so bad) but these chains really pale in comparison to the top HK hotels and Asian chains.

mad_atta

We're heading to Hong Kong over easter for 5 nights, and as it is my first visit (since the age of 4, anyway) I'd like to get the full HKG experience. It's also my partner's first proper holiday for a while so it's a good excuse to pamper ourselves a little, within reason (i.e. paying for harbour view rooms at the Pen is probably out of our league).

We have the first 2 nights covered, thanks to a reward stay at the Conrad. What I'd like is some suggestions for the remaining three nights. I've found on our company intranet that we have corporate rates at the following places (which appear to be significantly less than what I can find on the hotel websites) - what would you choose from this list, and why?

• Renaissance Harbour View $980
• Regal Hong Kong Causeway Bay $1,000
• Langham Hotel Hong Kong $1,200
• Grand Hyatt $1,400
• Mandarin Oriental $1,480
• Ritz Carlton $1,500
• Conrad $1,520
• Island Shangri-La $1,700
• Kowloon Shangri-La $1,750
• JW Marriott $1,750

Bear in mind that a great pool / fitness complex is a big plus for us, and we tend not to prefer places that are ultra chintzy or with lots of fussy detailing. I also quite like the idea of trying out a different area of Hong Kong from Pacific Place (where the Conrad is located).

Alternatively, should I see what I can get through Priceline?

All thoughts and opinions welcomed!