best place to stay for Hong Kong New Year's Eve this year
Oct 5th, 2005, 05:41 PM
#1
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best place to stay for Hong Kong New Year's Eve this year
My Husband and I are thinking about planning a trip to China that would
include a stay in Hong Kong over new year's. Can anyone recommend a
hotel
that would be in a good location? Cost is not an issue but we try not
to be
too extravagant.
include a stay in Hong Kong over new year's. Can anyone recommend a
hotel
that would be in a good location? Cost is not an issue but we try not
to be
too extravagant.
Oct 5th, 2005, 06:43 PM
#3
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Actually, looks like there are rooms available at many top hotels in Hong Kong for New Year's Eve.
For example, when I checked Expedia, Peninsula is available for about $400, Island Shangri-La and Conrad for about $270, Kowloon Shangri-La and JW Marriott for about $240.
The brand new Four Seasons can be booked directly for the regular rate of HK$3,200 (about $420); Ritz Carlton for $2,600 (about $330). The only top hotel that seems to be fully booked is the Intercontinental.
Now, you won't be disappointed by any of the hotels I mentioned, but if you want to pay less, there's still lots of alternative. Including trying for Priceline (5* Tsim Sha Tsui and/or 5* West Hong Kong Island).
For example, when I checked Expedia, Peninsula is available for about $400, Island Shangri-La and Conrad for about $270, Kowloon Shangri-La and JW Marriott for about $240.
The brand new Four Seasons can be booked directly for the regular rate of HK$3,200 (about $420); Ritz Carlton for $2,600 (about $330). The only top hotel that seems to be fully booked is the Intercontinental.
Now, you won't be disappointed by any of the hotels I mentioned, but if you want to pay less, there's still lots of alternative. Including trying for Priceline (5* Tsim Sha Tsui and/or 5* West Hong Kong Island).
Oct 6th, 2005, 03:27 AM
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At this point I don't know if there will be fireworks in the harbor on New Year's Eve. If there will be, then a harbor view room would be at the top of my list, so the Peninsula, Intercontinental, Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Shangri –La (both Island and Kowloon side), the old Mandarin (if it will still be open),Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, YMCA Salisbury Road, Renaissance Harbor View would be good choices (and pretty much in that order IMO). Be sure to get harbor view. (I don't believe the Conrad has any harbor view rooms, if it does, it would be fine as well.) If this were my trip I would get a corner suite on a high floor at the Penninsula. You can find websites for any of the above yourself or do a search here as they are frequently mentioned. Even if there aren't fireworks, the buildings usually put on a pretty amazing light display, I have not seen the full show since I moved back here, but I understand it has been enhanced with more lasers, etc.
Whether or not there are fireworks, you have to decide whether to stay Kowloon side versus Hong Kong Island side; which is as hotly debated on this board as the Positano versus Amalfi/Ravello/Sorrento debate on the Europe board. If you want the picture postcard view of Hong Kong out your hotel window, you want to stay on the Kowloon side. However, for the most part, the stuff you want to see and do, other than some shopping, will be on the Hong Kong Island side, so in terms of convenience, it is a little better to be on the Hong Kong Island side. But getting across the harbor by the Star Ferry is one of the great rides of the world, so the "inconvenience" of staying in Kowloon is somewhat minor and might be seen by some as an advantage. The hotels are very good on both sides. The restaurants are better on the Hong Kong Island side, IMO. The shopping is also better on the Hong Kong side, IMO. (I live in Hong Kong.)
If you want to be out in the streets on New Year's (and God knows why you would), then you might consider staying on the Kowloon side and celebrating along Salisbury Road which should be closed to traffic that night. You could also stay on Hong Kong Island and go to the Times Square area which usually has a countdown celebration. (The new Stark-designed Jia Hotel would be a good choice for that, no views that I know of from those rooms, but two good restaurants. The Grand Hyatt/Renaissance Harbor View would also work.) I personally would avoid the expat bar areas of Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai as they get really really jammed to the point of being dangerous, esp Lan Kwai Fong; however if you are interested in that, then stay on the Hong Kong Island side so that you don't have to deal with public transport and can walk home. If you want to party in Lan Kwai Fong stay anywhere but the Grand Hyatt, Renaissance Harbour View or the Jia and you can walk, if you want the Wan Chai bars, then do the reverse. (Would be a long walk from the Jia.)
If there are no fireworks in the harbor, then you have to decide if you want a harbor view room anyway, which I would.
Felix mentioned above, is a very good restaurant and worth going to at some point. You will find, however, that Felix and other restaurants will be having set dinners on New Year's Eve which are quite pricey and of the party-hat-and-noisemaker variety (Felix usually also has a band) and may not be what you are looking for if it is just 2 of you. Check restaurant websites. Yu and Spoon in the Intercontinental would be other good choices, as would Hutong/Aqua at One Peking Road (website for the latter restaurants is http://www.aqua.com.hk/)
Weather in Hong Kong in December and January is glorious, we wait for it all year. Sunny, in the 70s and no rain. Great walking weather and there are numerous easy as well as challenging walks and hikes on Hong Kong Island, the outlying islands like Lantau (where Disney just opened) and in the New Territories. You can see a whole different side of Hong Kong, literally, including sweeping views of the South China Sea and empty green hills. Weather in other parts of China will generally be quite cold, but still can be beautiful if you are dressed for it and certainly fewer crowds.
Whether or not there are fireworks, you have to decide whether to stay Kowloon side versus Hong Kong Island side; which is as hotly debated on this board as the Positano versus Amalfi/Ravello/Sorrento debate on the Europe board. If you want the picture postcard view of Hong Kong out your hotel window, you want to stay on the Kowloon side. However, for the most part, the stuff you want to see and do, other than some shopping, will be on the Hong Kong Island side, so in terms of convenience, it is a little better to be on the Hong Kong Island side. But getting across the harbor by the Star Ferry is one of the great rides of the world, so the "inconvenience" of staying in Kowloon is somewhat minor and might be seen by some as an advantage. The hotels are very good on both sides. The restaurants are better on the Hong Kong Island side, IMO. The shopping is also better on the Hong Kong side, IMO. (I live in Hong Kong.)
If you want to be out in the streets on New Year's (and God knows why you would), then you might consider staying on the Kowloon side and celebrating along Salisbury Road which should be closed to traffic that night. You could also stay on Hong Kong Island and go to the Times Square area which usually has a countdown celebration. (The new Stark-designed Jia Hotel would be a good choice for that, no views that I know of from those rooms, but two good restaurants. The Grand Hyatt/Renaissance Harbor View would also work.) I personally would avoid the expat bar areas of Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai as they get really really jammed to the point of being dangerous, esp Lan Kwai Fong; however if you are interested in that, then stay on the Hong Kong Island side so that you don't have to deal with public transport and can walk home. If you want to party in Lan Kwai Fong stay anywhere but the Grand Hyatt, Renaissance Harbour View or the Jia and you can walk, if you want the Wan Chai bars, then do the reverse. (Would be a long walk from the Jia.)
If there are no fireworks in the harbor, then you have to decide if you want a harbor view room anyway, which I would.
Felix mentioned above, is a very good restaurant and worth going to at some point. You will find, however, that Felix and other restaurants will be having set dinners on New Year's Eve which are quite pricey and of the party-hat-and-noisemaker variety (Felix usually also has a band) and may not be what you are looking for if it is just 2 of you. Check restaurant websites. Yu and Spoon in the Intercontinental would be other good choices, as would Hutong/Aqua at One Peking Road (website for the latter restaurants is http://www.aqua.com.hk/)
Weather in Hong Kong in December and January is glorious, we wait for it all year. Sunny, in the 70s and no rain. Great walking weather and there are numerous easy as well as challenging walks and hikes on Hong Kong Island, the outlying islands like Lantau (where Disney just opened) and in the New Territories. You can see a whole different side of Hong Kong, literally, including sweeping views of the South China Sea and empty green hills. Weather in other parts of China will generally be quite cold, but still can be beautiful if you are dressed for it and certainly fewer crowds.
Oct 6th, 2005, 07:04 AM
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There's no special fireworks for New Year's Eve. Like Cicerone says, the most popular area to hangout are the Tsimshatsui promenade, Time Square in Causeway Bay and Lan Kwai Fong.
In recent years, locals seem to like the Time Square party the most with many local singers performing on stage, etc. But that probably won't interest you and your husband.
Also keep in mind that roads are blocked by late afternoon in all of Tsimshatsui. If you're arriving late in Hong Kong that night, it's be quite a hassle to just get to the hotels in that area.
The Conrad should have both harborview and peak-view rooms; the higher floors will be better as there are shorter buildings in front of it.
One thing to be aware of is that virtually all of the hotel restaurants will have special New Year's Eve dinner that costs significantly more than their regular fare.
In recent years, locals seem to like the Time Square party the most with many local singers performing on stage, etc. But that probably won't interest you and your husband.
Also keep in mind that roads are blocked by late afternoon in all of Tsimshatsui. If you're arriving late in Hong Kong that night, it's be quite a hassle to just get to the hotels in that area.
The Conrad should have both harborview and peak-view rooms; the higher floors will be better as there are shorter buildings in front of it.
One thing to be aware of is that virtually all of the hotel restaurants will have special New Year's Eve dinner that costs significantly more than their regular fare.
Oct 6th, 2005, 07:47 AM
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Thanks to everyone for your responses. They will be really helpful. I will post if I have any other questions.
Also, I was having some computer trouble last night so you will see a similar post from me today but just ignore it.
I didn't see this post ever show up so I reposted today but not before I found these responses. Sorry for the confusion and again thanks to the posters who already replied!!!
Also, I was having some computer trouble last night so you will see a similar post from me today but just ignore it.
I didn't see this post ever show up so I reposted today but not before I found these responses. Sorry for the confusion and again thanks to the posters who already replied!!!
