Recommendation Marriott's in Hong Kong
Sep 20th, 2009, 11:36 AM
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Recommendation Marriott's in Hong Kong
We have 3 days during on trip in Hong Kong next month and are looking to use Marriott Points to stay in HK. Looked at the following JW Marriott HK, Renaissance Harbor View HK & Renaissance Kowloon Hotel. Any recommendations would be appreciated...
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Sep 20th, 2009, 06:02 PM
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I would take the JW Marriott for its great location and the quality of the hotel. I like the JW Marriott because you can walk in moments to the Star Street area which has many good restaurants, you can also walk to the lively and interesting Wan Chai market area, and you can also easily walk to Central. You can also walk to the base of the Peak Tram through the lovely little Hong Kong Park (which has an outdoor aviary and the interesting Tea Ware Museum which has a very good dim sum restaurant as well). While a longer walk, you can get to Hollywood Road and Soho restaurants and shopping via either the escalator in Central or other pathways. The hotel is on the subway line, many major bus lines (the #6 bus to Stanley stops here as does the #15 to the Peak) and the tram line. It’s hard to beat this area for location and access to public transport, IMO. While views are not of course as good as you will get on the Kowloon side, they can be quite interesting, and the convenience of the location to major sightseeing areas of Hong Kong makes up for missing the post-card view from Kowloon (which only a few Kowloon side hotels have in any event). I would try to get the largest room you can with a harbour view. If you can’t get a suite with your points, then ask for a room with two double beds (even if you don’t’ need them) as they are larger than the rooms with a king bed. They have a nice pool area, a small but perfectly adequate gym, and some great massage ladies (no real spa but there are massage rooms). Good food as well.
The Renaissance Kowloon is closing in December, and has not been redone in some years as both Marriott and the owner have been aware that the owner is going to close the hotel. Therfore, I don’t think the rooms are that nice at this point, and almost none of the rooms have harbour views (which would be the only reason to stay on the Kowloon side, IMO). You might also find that the better-trained staff have already moved on to other Marriott hotels at this point, so service might be an issue.
I quite dislike the location of the Renaissance Harbour View. It’s actually a bit isolated out on a point with the Convention Center and the Hyatt. It’s a long walk to public transport and cabs are scarce. It has some decent views, a very nice pool area (shared with the Hyatt) and an excellent Chinese restaurant, but that is about all that can be said for it. Although it is in Wan Chai, because it is cut off by some major roads, it is a longish walk to the interesting Wan Chai market areas; IMO the JW Marriott is better located for these areas (and for the good restaurants of Star Street).
There is a Marriott Courtyard in Sheung Wan, in the western end of Hong Kong Island. I actually really like the location of this hotel, as it is in a very interesting, <i>very local</i> neighborhood of Chinese medicine shops and local markets, and virtually devoid of tourists. It is on a tram line and several major bus lines. It is not really near a subway line, but I never see that as too much of a drawback for a tourist to be honest. Some of the rooms would have very good harbour views. That being said, the rooms are small, so I would still go for the JW Marriott if you can get it, but do try to make a visit to this Sheung Wan neighborhood if you can to see some of the old Hong Kong.
The Renaissance Kowloon is closing in December, and has not been redone in some years as both Marriott and the owner have been aware that the owner is going to close the hotel. Therfore, I don’t think the rooms are that nice at this point, and almost none of the rooms have harbour views (which would be the only reason to stay on the Kowloon side, IMO). You might also find that the better-trained staff have already moved on to other Marriott hotels at this point, so service might be an issue.
I quite dislike the location of the Renaissance Harbour View. It’s actually a bit isolated out on a point with the Convention Center and the Hyatt. It’s a long walk to public transport and cabs are scarce. It has some decent views, a very nice pool area (shared with the Hyatt) and an excellent Chinese restaurant, but that is about all that can be said for it. Although it is in Wan Chai, because it is cut off by some major roads, it is a longish walk to the interesting Wan Chai market areas; IMO the JW Marriott is better located for these areas (and for the good restaurants of Star Street).
There is a Marriott Courtyard in Sheung Wan, in the western end of Hong Kong Island. I actually really like the location of this hotel, as it is in a very interesting, <i>very local</i> neighborhood of Chinese medicine shops and local markets, and virtually devoid of tourists. It is on a tram line and several major bus lines. It is not really near a subway line, but I never see that as too much of a drawback for a tourist to be honest. Some of the rooms would have very good harbour views. That being said, the rooms are small, so I would still go for the JW Marriott if you can get it, but do try to make a visit to this Sheung Wan neighborhood if you can to see some of the old Hong Kong.
Sep 20th, 2009, 08:35 PM
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<b>shuboys</b>, I don’t know the dates of your trip in October, but thought I should mention that there are three holidays here that month. First is National Day (October 1). There will be fireworks in the harbour on October 1, and they may be larger than usual as this is the 60th anniversary of the Communist revolution, which is being hugely celebrated through the PRC. So I would definitely try to get someplace where you can see the fireworks. (Actually the JW Marriott would be quite good for this, either your room, the main lobby or the pool deck, the club lounge may be another good place, ask the hotel if they are opening any special areas if your room does not have a harbour view.) The fireworks generally start at 8 pm and last about 25 minutes, but check with your hotel for the precise start time. If you want a restaurant with a view, you had better call right now, and even then I think you may be out of luck.
Saturday October 3 is the Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Lantern Festival, and sometimes called the Mooncake Festival. It’s a lovely holiday here for several reasons. First, you can try the traditional mooncakes (salted duck egg and lotus paste), but there are other versions like chocolate and even an ice cream one at Hagan Daz. And then in the week leading up to the festival, if you go to Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island, you will see elaborate lantern displays (evenings are best for this, as they are lit). You can also go to Victoria Park on the eve of the festival to see people out (esp with children) with their lanterns in the park – it’s like a fairly land. You will also find paper lanterns for sale in local markets, these could make nice souvenirs. For some information on the Mid-Autumn Festival/Lantern Festival, please see http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/...id-autumn.html (It appears from the website that there will be lanterns on display along the Kowloon waterfront as well.)
Finally, Chung Ying, one of the two grave sweeping holidays we have here, is celebrated on October 16, and if you can get to a local cemetery, you can observe the ministrations of relatives to ancestor’s graves, which is interesting. There is a cemetery in Happy Valley, and a large one in Chai Wan, both on Hong Kong Island. The latter could be incorporated into doing the Dragon’s Back walk (see my post “Cicerone's Favourite Hong Kong Walks III: The Dragon's Back”. At http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...agons-back.cfm) . Happy Valley Cemetery is at the end of Queen’s Road in Wan Chai, and walkable (although a longish walk) from the JW Marriott, but certainly could be done a part of a walk in the local wet markets and seeing some of the local temples like the Pak Tai temple in Wan Chai. The only places I would not go on October 16 are the Peak or the big Buddha on Lantau, as it is considered auspicious on this holiday to go to high elevations, so these places are packed.
I probably would also avoid the big Buddha on Oct 1 and Oct 3 as it is bound to be quite crowded, same with the Peak in the evening at least. If you have flexiblity, go another time.
Saturday October 3 is the Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Lantern Festival, and sometimes called the Mooncake Festival. It’s a lovely holiday here for several reasons. First, you can try the traditional mooncakes (salted duck egg and lotus paste), but there are other versions like chocolate and even an ice cream one at Hagan Daz. And then in the week leading up to the festival, if you go to Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island, you will see elaborate lantern displays (evenings are best for this, as they are lit). You can also go to Victoria Park on the eve of the festival to see people out (esp with children) with their lanterns in the park – it’s like a fairly land. You will also find paper lanterns for sale in local markets, these could make nice souvenirs. For some information on the Mid-Autumn Festival/Lantern Festival, please see http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/...id-autumn.html (It appears from the website that there will be lanterns on display along the Kowloon waterfront as well.)
Finally, Chung Ying, one of the two grave sweeping holidays we have here, is celebrated on October 16, and if you can get to a local cemetery, you can observe the ministrations of relatives to ancestor’s graves, which is interesting. There is a cemetery in Happy Valley, and a large one in Chai Wan, both on Hong Kong Island. The latter could be incorporated into doing the Dragon’s Back walk (see my post “Cicerone's Favourite Hong Kong Walks III: The Dragon's Back”. At http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...agons-back.cfm) . Happy Valley Cemetery is at the end of Queen’s Road in Wan Chai, and walkable (although a longish walk) from the JW Marriott, but certainly could be done a part of a walk in the local wet markets and seeing some of the local temples like the Pak Tai temple in Wan Chai. The only places I would not go on October 16 are the Peak or the big Buddha on Lantau, as it is considered auspicious on this holiday to go to high elevations, so these places are packed.
I probably would also avoid the big Buddha on Oct 1 and Oct 3 as it is bound to be quite crowded, same with the Peak in the evening at least. If you have flexiblity, go another time.
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