No Starwood properties on Koh PhiPhi. And after spending two weeks on Phuket do you really want more beach time?

Chiang Mai does have a couple of Starwood properties. Some people love Chiang Mai, some don't. I'm in the don't camp. If it were me (and it isn't), I'd opt for a layover in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a wonderful city with lots to see and do. And if you can get a Sheraton Towers room with a harbor view, you'll be wowed.

I second Kathie's advice. After 2 weeks on the beach, Hong Kong would be a nice contrast.

A 2-3 day layover in Hong Kong would be a great idea, IMO. From some ideas on what to do, click on "Destinations" above, and then scroll down to Hong Kong. A helpful description and basic itinerary suggestions will come up. The Fodors guide book to Hong Kong is excellent. Frommers.com also has a website with similar info and their guidebook is pretty good. You can get the 6-page fold-out paper Luxe Guide, see http://www.luxecityguides.com/; however there is very little sightseeing advice in it, it is mostly shopping and restaurants. Also check the Hong Kong Tourism Board website at http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/ for other ideas, as well as the Leisure and Cultural Services Department website at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/home.php to see all events and museums offered by the government. Finally, please search this board for my list of personal reccos called “Cicerone’s Reccos for What the Locals Do for Fun in Hong Kong (Hint: We DON’T Go to those Awful Night Markets....)” this should give you some ideas for what to do, including a list of walks and some sources for more walks. For a quick photo of one walk, click on my name above and see my profile. For a description of some of other favourite walks on Hong Kong Island, see my posts called “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Walks II: Paradise Found! From Happy Valley to Stanley in High Heels! (Almost) The Tsz Lo Lan Shan Path” and “Cicerone's Favourite Hong Kong Walks III: The Dragon's Back” and “Cicerone's Favourite Hong Kong Walks: Severn Road, The Peak “. You can find all of these posts by clicking on these links:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/cicerones-reccos-for-what-the-locals-do-for-fun-in-hong-kong-hint-we-dont-go-to-those-awful-night-ma.cfm http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/cicerones-favourite-hong-kong-walks-ii-paradise-found-from-happy-valley-to-stanley-in-high-heels-alm-1.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/cicerones-favourite-hong-kong-walks-iii-the-dragons-back.cfm and at http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/cicerones-favourite-hong-kong-walks-severn-road-the-peak.cfm.

May 1 is a holiday here (Labour Day), but I assume you will miss that. May 10 2011 is the Buddha’s birthday and the Cheung Chau bun festival, which is a public holiday and if you can brave some crowds, is an interesting day to go out to Cheung Chau island to observe festivities. (Hiring your own boat for transport avoids the crowd issue as far as waits for ferries, which really is the only issue. Joining a group tour which provides its own boat transport may be a good option as well, check the Hong Kong Tourism board website.). Tin Hau, the goddess of the sea and fishermen, has celebration days at various temples around May and June, you can check local calendars to see if any coincide with your visit. These are also worth making an effort to see.

With regard to Starwood hotels, while the Sheraton Towers currently has a good view from its Tower rooms, the hotel/mall across the street is being torn down and will be replaced by a 70-storey building which will affect views. It is unlikely that significant progress will have been made on construction in the next year, but I would say to check back in the next 6 months to see. (Once the foundation is in, the buildings go up at the rate of a floor a week. As the Sheraton is only about 20 storeys itself, even moderate progress could pose an issue.) There may be some noise issues and lower level views may not be as great as they could be as there will be cranes. (So go for as high a floor as possible in the Towers.) But otherwise the hotel is quite nice and is a good location for Kowloon (which I would otherwise avoid).

There is a W also in Kowloon, which tries very hard, but unfortunately is handicapped by a rather remote location and the fact that there are no views from the rooms to speak of (the building is blocked by the massive ICC tower in front of it; it has some nice western harbour views and some interesting eastern views, but neither are the classic Hong Kong harbour view which you could get from the Sheraton, for example). I would really think twice before choosing this hotel because you will spend a lot of time in transit in a taxi or on the subway; you literally cannot walk anywhere from this hotel as it is surrounded on three sides by highways and on the fourth by a huge piece of vacant land.

The Meridien Cyberport is the third Starwood option, and probably is not a great choice for just 2-3 days, although it could be quite interesting. It has lovely water and mountain views, and is quite off the tourist path; however it is not in any main downtown area so I am not sure if this would interest you. It is close to Aberdeen and some good walking trails (mostly uphill, or you can go downhill from the Peak back to your hotel); you can also get small ferries from Aberdeen to places like Lamma.

Thanks for the info here

Cicerone!!! Wow...I just read your reply and you are a wealth of information! Everytime I checked to see if I had new replies, it looked like I'd read them all...but you responded late in the day. So, today I decided to read all my replies again and saw yours for the first time. Thank you so much! I will spend the entire weekend clicking on all your links. Thanks again!

jewel, did you see Cicerone's last post on the "16-hour layover in Hong Kong" thread - amazing post. I, too, will be spending the weekend reading all of Cicerone's posts (we'll be very prepared for our 3 days in HKK in March 2011 )

NO...I didn't, but I'm going to read it right now! Thanks!

I agree that it is likely worthwhile to stay over in Hong Kong for a few days. In fact, my husband and I did the same thing on our way home from Thailand in April 2010. We had 2 nights/3 days, which we found to be enough time to do everything we wanted to do. We even had enough time to travel to Stanley market and enjoy the morning walking around near the water, which we enjoyed. We are not big shoppers, though, so if you want to spend time shopping in the enormous malls, you might want another 1/2 day.

We stayed at the Sheraton (on the Kowloon side) and thought the location could not have been better. It is short walk to the ferry terminal with a subway stop right outside the hotel. We walked most places on the Kowloon side and took the ferry across to the other side when we wanted to go. Getting around could not have been easier! To be honest, we weren't in the room long enough to notice or care about the view.

With respect to the rest of your time in Thailand, we travelled around a lot, visiting Bangkok, Chiang Mai and two beach locations (koh phi phi and Krabi) and even went to Angkor Wat (which we thought was amazing and totally worth it!). We LOVED Chiang Mai and would recommend it, but it's a very personal thing. We went hiking, rode elephants (twice!), did a cooking class and we just thought that the contrast with the beach locations and bustling Bangkok was amazing.

Good luck with your planning!

YES. We have been there three times in two years and cannot wait to get back. You already have a wealth of information in the previous replies to your question.

Can I hop on this thread a half year later please? Jewelhawg, did you do the Hong Kong layover? And all others...I want to do a three night, two full day layover in Hong Kong on my way back from Bali in early December 2011. I think that the opportunity to see another place, for no extra ticket charge on Cathay Pacific is exciting.

However, I think that out of the four people that are traveling, I am the only one. I understand. We will be coming from this amazing and relaxing environment, into the hussle and bussle of a big city. I figure that on the way back, there won't be a real jet lag issue, because it's only a 1 hour time change. I wanted to stay at the Novotel Nathan Rd, which has a great deal with Cathay Pacific. I want to see the famous Museum of History and Victoria Park and do maybe a little shopping and check out the night market, which is across the street from the hotel.

I don't want to 'talk them into it' and have them feel like they missed their last couple days on Bali. Should I just let it go, or should I continue to encourage this layover? Thanks!

I think a layover in Hong Kong after the trip to Bali would be great. It will be a real copntrast. I love Hong Kong, I've been there several times and am always ready to go back. Cicerone is a wealth of information about Hong Kong. Read a number of her informative posts and offer them to your traveling companions.

If your fellow travelers really don't want to go, why not go by yourself? I've spent time in Hing Kong on my own and loved it.

It sounds like seeksocean might be asking if s/he should reduce time in Bali by 3 days and spend that time in Hong Kong.

If so, then I'd say it's entirely an individual preference choice: the laid back, tropical experience of Bali, or the energizing urban throb of Hong Kong. Personally, I'd go for Hong Kong, but I love being in the midst of great cities.

I'd also say that early December is the absolute best time to be visiting Hong Kong. First, the weather is fantastic: dry, daytime temps in the high 60s/low 70s (19-23C). Next, the Christmas lights will be up, and places like the Promenade and harbour skyline will be even more amazing than usual.

Hong Kong is great for a stopover, but hotels are not cheap there. Also, the Museum of History is fine, but I'll never call it "famous". Victoria Park has basically nothing to offer, except a little open space in the middle of the city.

If you need to take time out of Bali to do Hong Kong, then don't.

Thanks all! Yes, it would reduce our stay in Bali by 3 nights. I guess, I used the term 'famous' for the museum, because it's TA's #1 attraction and got so many great reviews. Probably a poor choice of words.

Through Cathay Pacific Holiday, you can get a really nice higher floor room at the Novotel Nathan Rd, with breakfast, airport transfers (that alone is worth it's weight in gold), and taxes for under $200 USD a night. That seems like a pretty good deal to me. More expensive than Bali though.

The other traveling companions are my husband and another couple that are very close friends. They would all do it if I pressed the issue...but that's not what I want to do.

We haven't bought the tickets yet. And also, if we do buy them and change our minds and want to make the layover, it's $130 a ticket to make the change. Thanks...keep the ideas coming!

Lordy, lordy, lordy. To anyone who wants certified proof that TripAdvisor's rankings are 100% useless (and assuming that seeksocean isn't making this up), I offer to you TA's ranking the MoH's the #1 attraction in Hong Kong. That's like saying that the Frick is the #1 attraction in NYC, or that the Galleries Lafayette department store is #1 in Paris. Yeah, they're nice enough place, but someone is missing the point.

[Oops. seeksocean was lying. The MoH is #2, and Victoria Harbour is, rightfully, #1. But still.]

Wow...'lying'? That's harsh. Sorry that I had it wrong!

"Incorrect" might have been the better choice of word

The Novotel is a fine hotel; but $200/night is just okay, not great. Airport transfer is worth little because all they use is a contract shuttle that drops off at many hotels. You're better off just taking a taxi (HK$250 or US$35) each way; or taking the Airport Express train (HK$140 for two persons each way) and then transfer to free shuttle or taxi).

"Lying" was intended to be facetious, and no offense was intended. Sorry.

Apology excepted rizzuto. Thanks. But I have to say that I come to the Fodors and TA sites for ideas and opinions and maybe to share a little bit of my experience of the few places I have been lucky enough to visit. Maybe I don't have the knowledge that others do, but I only hope that in the opinions and feedback we give others, we treat each other as we would want to be treated ourselves. With kindness, I would hope....facetious or not. I try to live that way and try to help my kids and grandkids learn to treat people that way as well.

With that said, thanks all for your help with this! -Seeks

seeksocean, I am in the midst of planning (on short notice) the exact same trip you are talking about. However, my husband and I have no qualms about taking time off from Bali to visit HK- coming from Canada, it's not often you get the opportunity to just pop into Hong Kong, for essentially no extra costs in airfare. We are looking at Hong Kong for 3-4 days followed by Bali, or vice versa. Any opinons on which way is better?

We decided not to go to Hong Kong. The others just weren't into leaving paradise for any amount of time earlier to be in a big city, Hong Kong or not, So, we're going to take those extra days and go to Lombok for two nights. Fine with me.

My opinion is to go on the way back. You've already dealt with jet lag and I think it's only a 1 hour time difference between Bali and Hong Kong. So, you'll be more ready for the big city without the usual time change adjustment. Have fun!!!

@seeksocean, Yes, we were finally able to figure out flights and worked out 3 nights in HK at the end of our trip. If we buy as much stuff in HK as we are planning, that would have been a lot to drag around from place to place in Bali. Have fun in paradise!

Game on! I have decided to again pursue my interest in 3 nights and 2 days in Hong Kong. I don't need to go with the group...they can continue on their merry ways towards home. I think my DH will agree to it. He usually likes my planning.

So, now it's back to figuring out a well located hotel that meets my $200 or less budget. I will re-read all this, but please feel free to chime in.

If I do end up being lucky enough to pull this off...I would be landing in Hong Kong on a Sunday night. I assume that most places would be open on Monday, but I know that in other countries they are not. Any info on that? I have all day Monday and Tuesday to be siteseeing. Thanks in advance for help and encouragement!!

You can search here for posts on hotels, I can post more on Monday when I have access to my list. For sure with that budget look at the Salisbury YMCA, a perfectly fine place with great views and you should be able to get a suite or large room with that budget. Not luxurious, but you wont' get luxury for US$200 or less, and their views make up for it. No shops are closed on Mondays in Hong Kong unless it is the first day of Chinese New Year (which is Feb 3). Your trip is not during that period, so I won't discuss other possible New Year closures. Just go with the plan that every shop will be open. It is rare for restaurants to be closed on Mondays, although you may run into a few for which this is the case. Main tourists things like the Peak Tram, Star Ferry etc always run. Some museums may be closed on Mondays, check websites; to my recollection it is more like Wed or Thursdays that are museum closure days.

December is great here, fantastic sunny dry weather (low 60s F to mid 70s) and the shops and skyscrapers will be decorated for Christmas. Perhaps you can convince your friends to stay on as well.

Hi and thanks! I changed my budget to $275 a night and there are many possibilities through Cathay Pacific Holidays. I looked at The Harbor Grand Kowloon, The Metropark Hotel, the Novotel Nathan Rd., Royal Park Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong and the Harbour Grand Hong Kong. Any opinions about these hotels and their locations? Thanks!

I like the location of Metropark in Causeway Bay. It is actually one MTR stop east of Causeway Bay, in Tin Hau. Quick access to MTR and the gazillions of shops and restaurants in Causeway Bay. But you should be able to get it for a lot less than $275/night. Standard rooms are pretty small.

Harbour Grand HK is another MTR stop to the east (well, actually north) in Fortress Hill. You can still get to Causeway Bay on the HK Tramway in just a few minutes and HK$2 fare. It is very new and should be pretty nice.

I also like the location of the Novotel on Nathan Road. Again, close to MTR, but also tonnes of buses up and down the Kowloon Peninsula and "tunnel buses" to HK Island.

My personal preference would be to rank the hotels as follows:

1. Courtyard by Marriott. I am a huge fan of the area around the Courtyard in Sheung Wan. It is in a very interesting, very local traditional neighborhood full of medicine shops, dried fish stalls, tea stalls, temples, and all sorts of old-fashioned shops you don’t find in many parts of Hong Kong any longer. It is not in the centre of upscale shopping or restaurants (although a few notable ones are not too far), but has a real low-key charm of its own. Their rooms have some very nice views and their corner suites are really something. If you really want a feel for a traditional Hong Kong neighborhood, this area is IMO an excellent choice Its drawbacks are that it is out of any main area and is not near any MTR stop. However, IMO the pluses make up for this. It is on a major bus line and on the street tram line, and the hotel offers a shuttle bus service, so transport should not be a major issue. (Plus the neighborhood is so interesting for walking.) You can walk to Soho and Hollywood Road from here with a little uphill effort. This area, IMO, is a faster trip to Central and a lot easier to navigate around that Causeway Bay, and is more interesting to boot.

2. Metropark. There are four Metropark hotels in Hong Kong. The main ones you would be considering would be the one in Wan Chai and one in Causeway Bay. I far prefer the Wan Chai location, esp. for first-time visitor with only a few days.

The Metropark Wanchai would be walkable to and from the interesting market areas of Wan Chai, as well as the bars and restaurants in Wan Chai in the Star Street. You can walk to the Peak Tram and if you don’t mind a long walk you can walk to Central. The lovely little street tram is nearby as well, and is a very scenic, albeit slower, way to get around. In addition, the cab fares to Central or Hollywood Road/Soho to the Metropark Wanchai would run you about HK$35 and take about 5 minutes or a bit longer at rush hours, so overall the Metropark Wanchai’s location would be quite good, IMO.

There are Metropark in Mongkok/Waterloo Road, again I think their locations are quite secondary for a 2-day trip.

The other Metropark is in Causeway Bay, which is a primarily a shopping area. If you ant to spend all your time shopping, both high and low end, then this is a good choice. There are some good restaurants, two nice temples, a very large public park, and a typhoon shelter/harbour, but not a whole lot else for sightseeing. Overall, I am not really a fan of recommending a stay there, esp for a short stay and/or for a first time visitor, as I think you will spend a lot of time of the subway or in taxi going into Central and other places. The subway is really jammed at rush hours, otherwise it is fine (but who wants to spend all that time underground when all the great views are above).

3. Novotel Hong Kong – I am admittedly a snob about the tip of Kowloon (TST). I don’t think it is a good place to stay unless you have a harbour view room – which this hotel cannot offer. Otherwise, you are in the midst of ground zero for tourists. The hotel has a nice location (for Kowloon) as it is not too far from the harbour front. It is near some sights, and the Temple Street Night Market is close as well. Rooms appear to be small, but are not given on the website, check with the hotel. If you primarily want to see other tourists and have access to average shopping and restaurants, then stay here. Otherwise, the above would be better choices.

4. The Harbour Grand -Kowloon or Hong Kong – while these will be the most luxurious of the hotels, their location is very secondary. The area around the Kowloon hotel offers virtually nothing to see on foot. While I like the North Point area around the Hong Kong hotel, I don’t think a first-time visitor would get the enjoyment out of it which I do; you have to see other areas to appreciate the unique localness of North Point. The most important drawback is that you will spend a lot of time in transit getting to where you want to go. If you HAVE to choose one of the Grands, I would choose the Hong Kong Island one.

5. The Royal Park is in Shatin. This is NOT at all an appropriate location for a first time visitor with a 2 nights. It is will be 30-45 minutes by subway to the main tourist sites. It would be like staying in Neuilly when visiting Paris: while it is France and the area has some interesting bits, it ain’t Paris. You will spend a lot of time in transit. I would not recommend it.

If you have a US$275 budget, I would still say to look at the Salisbury YMCA, or the Bishop Lei. Your budget should get you a harbour view suite at either, and as the trip is not until December 2011 you have a chance to get into the Salisbury. I also think that the Butterfly on Wellington would be a good choice, unbeatable location for their price range, and with that budget you should get a deluxe or execute room, which are a good size. (Other rooms are rather small.) No views, but the location can make up for that. Could be an interesting choice. See http://www.butterflyhk.com/en/index.html. For a bit more luxury and just as good a location, look at the LKF Hotel, where your budget would get a very large room (500 sq ft). No views, but again the location makes up for it: smack in the middle of the bar and restaurant area of Lan Kwai Fong on one side and the antique shops of Hollywood Road on the other. The hotel has a bar on the top floor which does offer some good views. Minutes walk to the MTR and other areas of Central like the Star Ferry and an easy walk to interesting wet markets in Peel and Graham Streets. See http://www.hotel-lkf.com.hk/

Just for fun, I also looked at the Hyatt Regency for mid-December 2011 dates. There are rooms in your price range, esp as you are booking so far out. So you might consider looking at the more luxury hotels and see what kind of rate they can offer for December 2011. Views are good, and location is good (again the Hyatt is good for a Kowloon location.)

Also on the Kowloon side, you might consider the Panorama, see http://www.hotelpanorama.com.hk/. The silver rooms are pretty small, about 220 square feet. The Gold and Platinum Rooms are 280 square feet, so I would go with this if you can, should be doable in your price range. Rooms have very nice views. . The suites are 580 square feet which is certainly livable so I would take that over any of the others if they are in the price range. Location is nice, near to the Hong Kong History Museum which is excellent and the Science Museum. It is a kind of longish walk, IMO, to the Star Ferry, even though it may not look it on the map. It’s not too far from an MTR exit (but it’s a long underground walk to the actual trains, nice in the rain however). While perfectly safe, the neighborhood does not have any restaurants of interest that I know of, although Knutsford Terrace (an ersatz Soho with some OK restaurants) is probably 10-15 minutes away on foot.

Although I have said I am not a fan of Causeway Bay, in that price range you should be able to get one of the larger rooms at one of the following:
Excelsior (see the Mandarin-Oriental website),
Park Lane (http://www.parklane.com.hk)
Jia (http://www.jiahongkong.com ),
L’hotel http://www.lhotelcausewaybayhv.com/leisure.php
Central Hotel (www.centralparkhotel.com.hk),
Metropark Causeway Bay (http://www.metroparkhotel.com/)
Rosedale (http://www.rosedale.com.hk ).

At these hotels, ask about room size, as rooms tend to be very small (like 220 square feet/20 square meters, which is pretty small) and get the largest you can.

WOW! I just got back online after a mandatory couple day'internet fast'. And do I have some catching up to do. Cicerone, you are amazing and I don't know how to thank you enough. I will get started on these hotels. I really like the idea of being in a more traditional neighborhood. I really don't have need for expensive designer stuff. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!

What about EAST HOTEL?

East Hotel is a very nice, really modern design, hotel with even a less desirable location than the Grands. (That is why, like the Grands, their prices are so good for their level of luxury. The Langaham Place hotel in Mongkok suffers from this same issue, if that hotel will be next on your list.) It is even further from the main tourist districts. You will spend all your time on the subway or in cabs getting where you want to be. There is no nearby ferry service (which at least the Grand Kowloon would offer). If you have to choose a hotel in a less desirable location, I would say that the neighborhood of the East Hotel is not, IMO, as interesting as North Point, as the East Hotel is part of a huge shopping/office and residential complex, not a charming older traditional neighborhood like Sheung Wan (most of the area around the East Hotel has been developed only in the last 10-15 years or so). Even the Langham Place would offer some neighborhood wet market areas for wandering (as well as the dreaded Ladies Market, where all the tourists go.)

As you have such a short time, I would stick to hotels with better locations if you can.

MMMM East seems too much of a biz hotel. But, I took your advice and checked the Hyatt and through Expedia I can get a Harbour View with King bed and Breakfast buffet (I always go for the inclusive breakfast for $224, including tax. That seems like a deal to me. The Club level with Breakfast was $57 a night more. Probably not worth it, since we'll be out most of the time. The Harbour view is enough. BTW, I will be in Hong Kong more at the beginning of the month of December. When do all the Christmas lights go up?

Regardless of whether the Museum of History is great or not, I want to go. I assume the Hyatt is close to everything and public transportation seems like everywhere you go. And yes, I'll get an octopus card. I sure wish I could have gotten the rest of the crew to go. Oh well. I am really excited!

I think I had the wrong Hyatt. The one you're probably talking about is more like $300 a night.....I'll keep following your lead.....research research research...part of the fun!

The are three Hyatt in Hong Kong. My check yesterday was for the Hyatt Regency in TST/Kowloon, that is where I saw a rate of US$270 or so. Of course rates can literally change from moment to moment, so perhaps when you looked today it was higher.

The other Hyatts are the Hyatt in Shatin (too remote) and the Grand Hyatt on Hong Kong Island. I am not a big fan of the Grand Hyatt because you end up taking cabs most places, it is out on its own on a point of land and just a shade too far to walk to most things in Wan Chai, IMO (it’s quite a hike to the MTR, and the hotel is not well-serviced by buses). It is however, very luxurious and the bathrooms especially so. You do have access to the ferry to TST from here. However, I think the Hyatt Regency is a better location.

The Museum of History is excellent, and glad you would consider going. You might skip the first bit which is on pre-historic Hong Kong, and go to the displays about the clans and tribes, which IMO is more interesting. The History Museum has several other branches, one is in Shatin, and it is good but not as well curated in English as it could be, IMO. Finally, there are the “walled village” museums. IMO the best is the Sam Tung Uk in Tseun Wan. You can really get an idea of what life in a tiny village was like. The skycrapers surrounding it today lend it kind of a surreal air. The Sheung Yiu Folk Museum in Sai Kung is also interesting and gives you a chance to see the really, really beautiful coastal areas. See http://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/, click on “branch museums”. In December it will be cool and sunny and great for walks and hikes. A visit to the Sam Tun Uk in Tsuen Wan could be easily combined with a climb of the tallest mountain in Hong Kong, Tai Mo Shan whch at 900 meters is almost twice the height of the Peak (this is a very easy walk, although some uphill is required, you can cheat and take a taxi about 2/3 of the way up as well). On a clear day, views from Tai Mo Shan are kind of mind-boggling (altough the Ritz-Carlton which will open later this year can give a somewhat similar feeling.) If this interests you, let me know, I have lots of suggestionos for walks in both areas, esp Sai Kung which I know much better.

The Museum of Coastal Defense is excellent as well (and I have zero interest in navl history) and is in an untouristed corner of HK Island with several temples and streets to wander. It’s an easy hop from there by bus to Shek-O and the back side of the island. See http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Coastal/index.php

The Christmas lights go up these days generally before Thanksgiving, like the middle of November. By early December they are all up so no worries there.

Thanks again, angel that you are! I really really liked the Butterfly at Wellington and it's actually about $190 for an Executive suite, which sounds reasonable. I just wish they had breakfast. I don't even see that they have a restaurant on their website. I know it sounds strange, but DH is a diabetic and it's important to feed him right out of the gate!

I E-mailed the YMCA, but on their website they state that there is no availability for my dates. Do you use Tripadvisor? I really appreciate their private messaging. I wish Fodors had it...hint...hint. I am seeksocean over there if you do and I would love to E-mail you over there. If not, no problem. Thanks again for all your help!!!!!!!!!!

It could be that the YMCA is not taking bookings yet, they may have like a 10-month cutoff. It could also be that they are booked. See what they say in their e-mail. It's worth checking back in a month or so, IMO.

There are many restaurants in the vicinity of Butterfly – and virtually any hotel in Hong Kong. From Western to Chinese, and usually open early if not all day. You can also find McDonalds in many places. While having breakfast included in the rate is quite nice, I don’t think you would have any problem finding a place for breakfast nearby most any hotel. Places like the Flying Pan are open 24 hours for breakfast; and there is an outlet at 9 Old Bailey Street which is would be less than a five minute walk from the Butterfly. Great pancakes and other standard Western breakfast fare. See http://www.the-flying-pan.com/ for a menu. They also do takeaway.

Many restaurants will deliver to your hotel from 11 am to 11 pm. There is generally a minimum amount per order HK$100 and a 10% delivery charge.. You pay by cash or credit card. Use the one-line menus to see what you want, and then call; you can also order on-line but personally I think called is faster and you can make special requests. (Your hotel may also have the printed brochures with menus so you can just call and order.):

Cuisine Courier see http://www.cuisinecourier.com/
Food by Fone see http://www.foodbyfone.net/

My e-mail is ciceronehongkong@live.hk if you want to e-mail me. You can also see it on my profile.