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Marriott Hong Kong Ocean Park [Master Thread]

Marriott Hong Kong Ocean Park [Master Thread]

Old Aug 9, 2019, 6:52 am
  #91  
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Originally Posted by ftrichard

Where are you reading this description of an honour bar? It’s not terminology that is used in hotels in Asia. Similarly your use of the word “cocktails” is not reflective of beer, wine, and spirits with mixers that are self-serve in these lounges. But, whatever, some people may think a G&T qualifies as a cocktail.

Anyway, it’s rubbish. It’s an executive lounge. Booze is freeflow between certain hours. Serve yourself.
As I said, I saw it online. And interestingly I noticed it depends on what room type you look at. I noticed it on the Exec Suite because I'm attempting to use my SNAs. It also appears on the "Club Level - M Club Lounge Access - 1 King Bed" room but does NOT appear on the "Club Level - M Club Lounge Access - 1 King Bed Pool View" room. So someone has some bad copy & paste data it looks like.


BTW, at the end of the day I don't care if it's an honor bar or not. I just wouldn't have any drinks because I refuse to pay to make my own drink/cocktail. And, btw, a G&T or whatever else you drink is still a cocktail

PS - my SNAs already cleared and yet again I have zero email confirmation. Also, the hotel showed no availability at all for suites during my stay but somehow my SNAs have been successful. Guess I'll take a screen shot of the upgrade just in case I'm denied when I get there.

-RM
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Old Aug 9, 2019, 6:59 am
  #92  
 
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I don’t know but I wonder if the term honor bar here refers to something they put in the executive suite itself because the lounge is a normal lounge with booze out from 5.30-9.30pm IIRC.

Most Plats are upgraded to executive rooms which don’t have an honour bar or anything like it. I’ve yet to hear of anyone who’s been upgraded to this executive suite that you’re aiming for.
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Old Aug 9, 2019, 4:14 pm
  #93  
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Originally Posted by ftrichard
I don’t know but I wonder if the term honor bar here refers to something they put in the executive suite itself because the lounge is a normal lounge with booze out from 5.30-9.30pm IIRC.

Most Plats are upgraded to executive rooms which don’t have an honour bar or anything like it. I’ve yet to hear of anyone who’s been upgraded to this executive suite that you’re aiming for.
My SNAs confirmed. I don't know how since the website showed no Executive Suites available. I'm sure the rooms aren't that great but I have SNAs to burn so might as well use them.

Thanks,
RM
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Old Aug 17, 2019, 10:20 pm
  #94  
 
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So I've looked from a distance at this property as it's been build over my last couple visits, but never went in to check it out (left the day before it opened last year and used the Ovolo Southside this spring).
I'm heading over in October for ten nights, and grabbed a reservation, since I can revise it later, for the full trip. I was reading through these and unsure as a Convoy Platinum if I'm looking at a decent breakfast and appetizers/happy hour or if it isn't a guaranteed with the crowds and elite service.
I booked a deluxe room, and wanted to know if upgrade to the Club or M level was probable, and if upgrade was likely. Also, do you think it would be more likely if I broke it up into a smaller visit? I can always do some of my trip at Ovolo or elsewhere, just was hoping to get a nice room here for some of the trip.
Thanks for any advice or feedback.
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Old Aug 18, 2019, 12:39 am
  #95  
 
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Originally Posted by chewwook
So I've looked from a distance at this property as it's been build over my last couple visits, but never went in to check it out (left the day before it opened last year and used the Ovolo Southside this spring).
I'm heading over in October for ten nights, and grabbed a reservation, since I can revise it later, for the full trip. I was reading through these and unsure as a Convoy Platinum if I'm looking at a decent breakfast and appetizers/happy hour or if it isn't a guaranteed with the crowds and elite service.
I booked a deluxe room, and wanted to know if upgrade to the Club or M level was probable, and if upgrade was likely. Also, do you think it would be more likely if I broke it up into a smaller visit? I can always do some of my trip at Ovolo or elsewhere, just was hoping to get a nice room here for some of the trip.
Thanks for any advice or feedback.
I'm here now on my third visit. The lounge seems to have fallen off a little in food quality, but still serves 4 hot options in the evening from 530-730 with alcohol continuing until 930. They have always put me in a room facing the swimming pool. Lounge is filled with kids in the evening, but this trip it's so hot, the kids are worn out by the time they arrive so are very quiet as opposed to the winter months. The lounge staff is superb. I don't eat breakfast, but I asked and they said I could have breakfast in either the restaurant or the lounge, except on the weekend had to be in the lounge. I noticed this time when I downloaded some videos from YouTube that the internet is blazingly fast, probably the fastest I've seen in any hotel. Prices are much cheaper on Agoda, but I booked thru Marriott as I didn't want to argue over benefits etc. I didn't ask but just assume that if you are an elite then they automatically put you in the Club Wing. It's the best value in my opinion for HK Marriotts, but I might go back to the Macau Sheraton for the next trip if the prices are similar. Another big plus for this hotel is the room air conditioning. I love cold rooms and this is for sure the coldest of any hotel I've ever been in. Turn it down and it warms up very quickly. Great simple hotel in my view.
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Old Sep 13, 2019, 8:31 pm
  #96  
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I spent 4 nights here recently, and it was a fairly mixed bag. If anyone reads this review further down the road, note that it was written during the HK protests, with grotesquely low occupancy and rates.

I arrived from the airport via Airport Express/MTR, and as has been pointed out above, this involves a fair bit of walking at Central and Admiralty stations, so wouldn’t be my recommendation if you’re a first-time visitor to HK and/or traveling with a lot of luggage.

There’s a walkway from the MTR Ocean Park station to the hotel (note that much of it is not covered, so you’ll get wet if there’s a downpour). I managed to walk right past the lobby (poorly signposted IMO; it’s immediately to your left when you get down the escalator), but ultimately found my way to the club building and had someone buzz me up to the club lounge. There, I was greeted by the club manager, who seemed to spend a lot of time typing (apparently, they don’t pre-assign rooms here, and my online check-in was ignored), but she ultimately handed me my keys. We had some small talk about the protests and low occupancy, so I was surprised when I walked into a small-ish club room on the lowest floor, overlooking a busy street. I hate haggling for upgrades, but I did go back to at least ask for a pool view. It’s a little odd that with occupancy WELL under 50% and all room types and suites showing online they couldn’t find me a better room. Apparently, the upper floors are “under construction.” I offered to take a room in another (non-club) wing, and, to my surprise was given an even smaller room, albeit with a pool and Ocean Park cable car view.

The hard product is quite nice – beautiful wood paneling, everything looks well designed and high quality. The room doesn’t have a work desk, so you’ll have to make do with a little round table that sits next to an extremely uncomfortable couch. The mattress was comfortable, but the bathroom is weird. The water pressure in the shower was weak, and the temperature fluctuated a lot. The toilet is extra wide, and my 200lbs American butt sunk into it; not sure how small Asians deal with this. Everything else is designed for smaller frames, and I found the seating in the room and club lounge extremely uncomfortable.

The lounge is odd. On the first three nights of my stay, it was fairly empty, with a handful of businessmen and 3-4 larger families. The design is visually appealing, but the seating is terribly uncomfortable for tall Westerners. Super low chairs, and I couldn’t fit my legs under the table. The fourth night (Friday) was fairly busy, and I got a sampling of the scenes described in earlier posts – at one point, there was a line waiting to enter, some kids running around, I was asked to share a table with strangers. Hard to tell based on one semi-busy day, but it seems as though the lounge would be way too small for normal occupancy levels, considering that the entire Club Wing has access.

The selection and quality of alcohol in the lounge is above-average, but the food is just weird. In four nights, there was no change at all in terms of appetizers (salami, coppa, salmon, large bowl of lettuce and small bowls of tomatoes, onions, olives, and cucumbers) and desserts (mini macaroons, cheesecake, brownies, fruit). The exact same stuff, every night. The hot stuff was even weirder if that’s possible. On nights 1, 3, and 4, there was pasta with mushroom cream sauce, and on night 2, red sauce. Usually turned to mush, edible on night 3 only. Two nights saw mini hamburgers, two nights had ribs, three had chicken teriyaki. Fish didn’t make an appearance, but one night had a fried tofu dish that was ok, and another had a “Nuremberg sausage” that would make any German butcher weep. I suppose you can make a meal out of these lounge offerings in a pinch, especially if you’re used to Cathay’s economy meals, but it’s really odd by Asian standards.

Due to low occupancy, the lounge is currently closed for breakfast from Monday through Thursday. The restaurant breakfast is quite nice – a generous buffet with high quality items. Do note that you are allowed to have breakfast at the restaurant ONLY on the days the club lounge is closed. (I was informed about the lounge closure on check-in and told to “please have breakfast at Marina Kitchen,” but the second, and IMO more important part of the message, “but you must have breakfast at the club when it’s open” was not spelled out, and IMO this needs to be specified, seeing how many Asian hotels allow restaurant breakfast).

The place has perhaps the best hotel pool in HK, although my assessment may be influenced by the low occupancy -- on weekdays, I never saw more than 2-3 people at the pool at any given time. It did pick up significantly on Friday, and I imagine if the place is full, it can be quite crowded. Strangely, the place is classified as a hotel, rather than a resort, so when I timidly requested a 1 or 2pm checkout, I was told that I had automatically been given a 4pm checkout.

I’m glad I gave this hotel a try, but I can’t imagine returning when the HK protests are over and they’re back to their normal rates (which I’m sure they’d like to be around HKD2000 on summer vacation days). As it stood, the standard rate for my stay was HKD776/nt, and with a BRG and Citi 4th night free, my actual cost was somewhere near USD60. For comparison, other Marriott hotels also had crisis discounts -- Ovolo had posted rates of HKD550 and Sheraton/Mira Moon HKD1100, although Courtyard SYP and ST as well as LM were basically at their normal low-season rates (around HKD1000). I may come back to Marriott Ocean Park a couple of times this Fall if the crisis deals persist, but strictly during midweek, and I will probably give the lounge food a pass.
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Old Sep 13, 2019, 8:54 pm
  #97  
 
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Thanks for the informative review. I have never been tempted to stay here(mainly because of its location) but after reading your review, I doubt if I would stay here in future even if they had low rates.
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Old Sep 14, 2019, 4:01 am
  #98  
 
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I also avoid this hotel due to non-compliance with offering Bonvoy Elite benefits, and even lying about the situation to get out of honouring them.
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Old Sep 14, 2019, 2:11 pm
  #99  
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Thank you very much jpdx for the detailed report. Very useful. We decide to keep our CY ST booking for a Mid October stay. To us the CY ST has a better location than Ocean Park, especially if one knows how to take buses. CY ST also has a regular shuttle to TST. There is a bus 680 goes to Admiralty via the tunnel at North Point.

Last edited by Happy; Sep 14, 2019 at 2:17 pm
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Old Sep 14, 2019, 10:39 pm
  #100  
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Originally Posted by Happy
Thank you very much jpdx for the detailed report. Very useful. We decide to keep our CY ST booking for a Mid October stay. To us the CY ST has a better location than Ocean Park, especially if one knows how to take buses. CY ST also has a regular shuttle to TST. There is a bus 680 goes to Admiralty via the tunnel at North Point.
Not sure in what world Sha Tin is a better location than Wong Chuk Hang unless you're visiting families in NT. WCH is <10min drive from Wan Chai, Admiralty, Central etc. MTR one stop to Admiralty and then connect to anywhere there.

Picking a random place in Central, Google Maps says it'd take 1h5min from Sha Tin by MTR/bus, vs. 30min from WCH. By taxi: 30min & $300 vs. 10-15min & $50.
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Last edited by helvetic; Sep 15, 2019 at 4:12 am
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Old Sep 15, 2019, 1:37 am
  #101  
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Originally Posted by helvetic
Not sure in what world Sha Tin is a better location than Wang Chuk Hang unless you're visiting families in NT. WCH is <10min drive from Wan Chai, Admiralty, Central etc. MTR one stop to Admiralty and then connect to anywhere there.

Picking a random place in Central, Google Maps says it'd take 1h5min from Sha Tin by MTR/bus, vs. 30min from WCH. By taxi: 30min & $300 vs. 10-15min & $50.
Different people have different needs.

We were from HKG. CY ST is perfectly fine for our purpose to visit HKG, that never is being a tourist so you can understand why we could not care less for any of the above locations you mentioned, especially Wan Chai.

At 12.5K a night with 5th night free, CY ST is the best value for a lengthy stay in Hong Kong. There are quite a few local eateries at / near the MTR station Shek Mun, that have good reviews on Open Rice, all within 7 min walk from CY ST. Dont think Ocean Park location can be as convenient as the closest local residential center is Wang Chuk Hang which requires transportation and the area is rather spread out.

And no, family members do not live in NT, but at Braemar Hill. The 680 route works well in case we want to go up there for a homecooking meal with the old style Cantonese soup, as 680 has a stop near Tin Hau from where there are either the Green minivan or the 25 bus to go up Braemar Hill.

Also unlike others who rush to places, we dont. We have tons of time to kill and often go to the country parks / trails / outer islands when we stay in Hong Kong. I would bet very very few people on this forum would go hiking when they visit HKG, for example.

Last time we stayed at JWM we once took a very long walk on the elevated walkway all the way to almost Edinburgh Square where the elevated walkway ends. Then we went to IFC to have lunch. After that we walked to the escalator to go Midlevel and to HKU. We also spent 2 afternoons at the Aviary of Hong Kong Park watching the birds. Bet you none of the readers here would ever do such things.
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Last edited by Happy; Sep 15, 2019 at 1:52 am
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Old Sep 15, 2019, 1:48 am
  #102  
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Agree with helvetic, I don't think the location of Marriott Ocean Park would be an issue for the typical visitor. Including the walk from your room to the MTR station, you'll be at Admiralty in 10 minutes, then 3-4 minutes to connect to Island Line or Tsuen Wan line. I had to be at an office near HKU station, and it's a 20 minute affair at most. (Same story from Hyatt or Sheraton TST, it's really not a big deal to get around HK via MTR, even if you are on the south side or across the harbor in TST. I often see these discussions in hotel threads, where people claim that the Grand Hyatt or JW or whatever is the only place that's well located, and I always lol). Lots of things at this hotel that are not so amazing, but the location isn't an issue IMO (apart from the fact that there are no restaurants/stores in walking distance).
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Old Sep 15, 2019, 1:59 am
  #103  
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Originally Posted by jpdx
Agree with helvetic, I don't think the location of Marriott Ocean Park would be an issue for the typical visitor. Including the walk from your room to the MTR station, you'll be at Admiralty in 10 minutes, then 3-4 minutes to connect to Island Line or Tsuen Wan line. I had to be at an office near HKU station, and it's a 20 minute affair at most. (Same story from Hyatt or Sheraton TST, it's really not a big deal to get around HK via MTR, even if you are on the south side or across the harbor in TST. I often see these discussions in hotel threads, where people claim that the Grand Hyatt or JW or whatever is the only place that's well located, and I always lol). Lots of things at this hotel that are not so amazing, but the location isn't an issue IMO (apart from the fact that there are no restaurants/stores in walking distance).
Key word - for the typical visitor and we are not the type.

The environ of the CY ST within easy walking, is far more pleasant than Ocean Park, plus the numerous local eateries nearby, those are the elements we are in favor of CY over Ocean Park, not to mention the cost of stay. Seriously we have no need to go to HKG but since we are doing a RTW and would be in the Pacific side, then why not add HKG in the itinerary? Hence the cost consideration is part of the equation.
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Old Sep 15, 2019, 4:09 am
  #104  
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Originally Posted by Happy
Different people have different needs.

We were from HKG. CY ST is perfectly fine for our purpose to visit HKG, that never is being a tourist so you can understand why we could not care less for any of the above locations you mentioned, especially Wan Chai.

At 12.5K a night with 5th night free, CY ST is the best value for a lengthy stay in Hong Kong. There are quite a few local eateries at / near the MTR station Shek Mun, that have good reviews on Open Rice, all within 7 min walk from CY ST. Dont think Ocean Park location can be as convenient as the closest local residential center is Wang Chuk Hang which requires transportation and the area is rather spread out.

And no, family members do not live in NT, but at Braemar Hill. The 680 route works well in case we want to go up there for a homecooking meal with the old style Cantonese soup, as 680 has a stop near Tin Hau from where there are either the Green minivan or the 25 bus to go up Braemar Hill.

Also unlike others who rush to places, we dont. We have tons of time to kill and often go to the country parks / trails / outer islands when we stay in Hong Kong. I would bet very very few people on this forum would go hiking when they visit HKG, for example.

Last time we stayed at JWM we once took a very long walk on the elevated walkway all the way to almost Edinburgh Square where the elevated walkway ends. Then we went to IFC to have lunch. After that we walked to the escalator to go Midlevel and to HKU. We also spent 2 afternoons at the Aviary of Hong Kong Park watching the birds. Bet you none of the readers here would ever do such things.
I mention Admiralty / Wan Chai because it's directly across the tunnel from WCH. There's some decent food near Wong Chuk Hang MTR stop which is about 10min walk away from the Marriott Ocean Park. For North Point / Braemar Hill, sure, the distance difference is less pronounced, though still noticeable. Personally I spend most of my time between Kennedy Town / SYP / Sheung Wan / and Central which is a lot closer to South Island than NT.

But then again, even Ocean Park is too far for me. I live here alternating between Sai Ying Pun and North Point.

I like to enjoy HK's natures from a junk… hiking (especially in summer) is rather brutal in HK.
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Old Sep 15, 2019, 5:26 am
  #105  
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Wow the description of the room assignment was enough for me. Can't stand it when hotels play those room assignment games. I'll keep at them until they give me a decent room, even if it means going down to the front desk two or three times.

I also was in the camp of "not really interested" already so this description fully confirmed that.
Originally Posted by Happy
Last time we stayed at JWM we once took a very long walk on the elevated walkway all the way to almost Edinburgh Square where the elevated walkway ends. Then we went to IFC to have lunch. After that we walked to the escalator to go Midlevel and to HKU. We also spent 2 afternoons at the Aviary of Hong Kong Park watching the birds.
Yes, reasonable walking proximity to all these locations, especially Hong Kong Park plus Bowen Road for running, is why I like the Pacific Place location so much.
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