forumpersona999

Given how busy this place is and how the average room rate has been creeping up I can't imagine it being a Cat5 anymore.

Perhaps we could look at the list of Cat changes for 2016 and see if it was mentioned in there as a 5->6 or 6->5 ?

Oxon Flyer

I doubt you'll get any further than getting a correction made to the hotel site front page and an apology for it not being updated.

If you click through that "SPG Category 5" link to make a booking, it takes you to the "Global Starwood Preferred Guest Hotel List", where it is listed and bookable at Cat 6. The hotel is also listed in the Starwood Corporate Master Directory as a Cat 6, and this will surely trump the property site.

3rdworldresident

before i read this thread, i'm afraid it will become a cat 7 hotel.

luckily, it remains the same (cat 6).

Starwood Lurker IV

Hi fakeman,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The W Hong Kong is a category 6 hotel. We will let the W Hong Kong know about the website error, and have it fixed asap.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to send us a PM or an email to the address below.

Kind regards,

Janine Jones
Specialist, Social Media
Starwood Hotels and Resorts

[email protected]

MSPeconomist

This was my reaction too.

fakeman

That's why I am confused, I check the SPG hotel category changelist immediately and found nothing for HKG, I already guess that probably a dream only

robertw477

I have stayed at this hotel a few times. As a Plat never got an upgrade. They always seem busy. Great breakfast buffet. The attached mall is nice. To take the subway into Central Hong Kong you have to use the long moving walkways to transfer over.

Centurion

If you could stay at W Hotel or Peninsula for a 24 hr layover but wanted a feel for Hong Kong cost not a factor what would you pick? If we did W I would use airport express as just have a roller bag. If I did Peninsula I would do Rolls transfer but I wonder if I would be shielded from real Hong Kong. I want to visit Temple Street market type of places and not high end shopping. I like nice places but also enjoy street markets over fancy drinks etc.

MSPeconomist

The Peninsula is closer to the ferry. If cost is no object, pick the Pen for it's more traditional Hong Kong atmosphere and iconic nature.

If cost is truly no object, either book the Pen's car service, using their own fleet and including staff assistance inside the terminal, or better yet take the private helicopter service between HKG and the top of the hotel, including the private waiting room at the Pen decorated with artifacts from the history of aviation in Hong Kong. Either form of arrival is likely to result in an assistant manager meeting you as you alight......

helvetic

I'm planning a long weekend 4-night stay at the very end of July as a SPG Gold. I'd really like to be upgraded to a room with a nice view of the harbor / hong kong island. Is there any chance of that happening as a Gold who booked the lowest category room?

jpdx

There's no chance at all of getting a nice view of HK Island from the W, even if you're a 1095-night Plat who sleeps with the manager of the Ambassador program. There is a fair chance of getting a harbor view, but it's hard to describe that part of the harbor as nice -- it's mostly a view of the Western Harbor Tunnel plaza and some rusty barges.

helvetic

Do you think under the same conditions I'd be more likely to get a nice view from the Sheraton? I hear the property is a bit run-down but in a better location. I'd be willing to make that trade-off if the view is worth it.

Happy

Do you not realize part of the post from jpdx is to hint you the limitation of the location of W?

W is located on West Kowloon right across a very busy highway from the industrial harbor on the West Kowloon. The side of Hong Kong island the West Kowloon faces, is the West side of Hong Kong island, West of the Central, a lot west.

As a Gold I suggest you do NOT have any expectation on upgrades etc in either property. If you want the view at Sheraton, book the rooms that claim to have it.

For similar price point as the Sheraton at TST, you might have better luck to book the Hyatt Regency at K11 - some of the rooms at the 17th and up floor do face the Hong Kong Island with view of the Convention Center and even a bit of central, albeit it is across the roof tops of the tall buildings in front of Hyatt, hence it needs to be at 17th and up floor. You can even see the ICC (where the Ritz is located in) on your right side if you look out at an angle. We had 3 nights of point stay at Hyatt Regency in June and were upgraded to one of those rooms. You can find more information on the Hyatt forum about this hotel.

K11 is a much much more convenient location than where W is located.

seawolf

Unlikely to get harbour view without paying. Platinum gets upgraded to a city view suite not harbour view room.

jpdx

Huh, at the Sheraton? They have way more Plats than suites, so IME, the typical upgrade is harbor view room. I have that maybe 9 times for every one time I get the suite. I have no idea what they give to Golds, but with dozens of Plats (and presumably some non-status guests who pay for harbor view rooms), there may not be a whole lot of harbor view rooms up for grabs. Generally, I'd echo Happy's comments -- SPG Gold is worth very little, and it's worth exploring other options in HK, where SPG is quite weak.