Hong Kong Trip
Jul 7th, 2010, 11:55 PM
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Here are some random thoughts:
1. While I am not a huge advocate of moving hotels within a city, if you do have 8 nights, that is a nice long time, so you could actually do it if you wanted. The Bishop Lei would be a fine choice if you want to try the Hong Kong side. It’s up on a hill, it’s in a residential neighborhood where people will be out walking their babies and dogs rather than trying to sell you a suit, it’s more green, and it’s walkable to good restaurants as well as a few interesting shopping areas and sights, so all in all quite different from the TST area of the Sheraton.
You could also consider staying in Sheung Wan, west of Central, which is a much more 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. I quite like the Marriott Courtyard there, although it is quite a bit more expensive than the Bishop Lei. 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 the main business/tourist area and is not near any MTR stop. However, IMO the pluses make up for this (which I don’t feel is quite the case with Causeway Bay). 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.) There is an older Ramada in this neighborhood that I believe is cheaper. Some hotels in the area which I do not at all, but the outside, but which may be worth looking at, are the Hotel Jen (see http://www.hoteljen.com/), the Sohotel (http://www.sohotel.com.hk/, which despite its name, is <i>not</i> in SOHO), the Central Park Hotel (see http://www.centralparkhotel.com.hk/index.asp) and the Hotel Lan Kwai Fong (see http://www.lankwaifonghotel.com.hk/ which despite its name is <i>not</i> in Lan Kwai Fong.) The Jen would most likely offer some very nice views.
You could also consider something really different, like going to the Le Meridien Cyberport (see the Starwood website, if you still have points you can use them), or the Hyatt Regency Shatin, both of which are very nice hotels in quite untouristed areas. Both offer beautiful water/mountain views, esp Cyberport at sunset. The Hyatt Shatin sits basically on top of the University Station MTR stop, which means you can get to Central in just over 30 minutes. From Shatin you could go out to more remote areas in the New Territories, or go to the races at Shatin racecourse (which you can do at Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island too, race season starts in September). From Cyberport it’s a quick hop to Aberdeen and the Southside, and it is possible to walk up or down from the Peak; there is also a lovely country park in the area for other walks. Cyberport has no MTR (at least not for a few more years), but the hotel runs a shuttle to Central, there is frequent bus service and taxis are not expensive. It’s about 10 minutes by cab to Central, longer by bus.
Or consider someplace in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island, like the Habour Grand http://www.harbourgrand.com/ or even further east, the East Hotel http://www.east-hongkong.com/en/Pages/index.aspx. Both of these are luxury properties at lower prices because of their locations, and are on subway lines. These are in farily untouristed neighborhoods, esp the East Hotel. Both offer quite nice water/harbour views.
Or rather than a day trip, consider spending 1 night or more in Macau, not at a glitzy Vegas-style casino hotel in the dismal Cotai strip, but at a smaller hotel near the old town like the Pousada de Sao Tiago, http://www.saotiago.com.mo/ or the Pousada de Mong Ha, see http://www.ift.edu.mo/pousada. I have not been to the Westin in some years, but love its beach location down in Colonae. You could then spend all the other nights at the Sheraton. (But being pestered by the touts daily there in TST may make you want to move anyway…..)
2. I will give my thoughts on the merits of the locations of the Crowne Plaza versus Metropark Causeway Bay below, but as a start would say that the room size at the Crowne Plaza is going to be significantly larger, and the hotel is brand new so the rooms would have all bells and whistles. I think these may be among the largest rooms anywhere in Hong Kong (other than the Four Seasons), and are hard to beat from that standpoint. Crowne Plaza rooms are 34 square meters, the Metropark is something between 22-25 square meters. That is a rather small room. A larger room may turn out to be important with such a long stay. The Crowne Plaza is also a bit more of a luxury property. So look at the websites carefully and be sure to compare room size, to make sure you are comparing apples to apples, as they say.
3. OK, when discussing the Crowne Plaza and the Metropark, it’s important to understand that the term “Causeway Bay” is a loose geographic term, and not a legal city district. It refers to an area around the eastern and western edges of Victoria Park. Most of Causeway Bay is administratively part of the district of Wan Chai. The rest is part of the Eastern District which begins at the eastern edge of Victoria Park. So although the Crowne Plaza bears the name “Causeway Bay”, that is not really correct. It is in Wan Chai. To me, it is actually much closer to Happy Valley than to Causeway Bay (which is also a geographical distinction, and administratively is also part of Wan Chai). The Metropark Causeway Bay is actually in the Eastern District (or just on the line, you can see the sign for the end of the Wan Chai district about 100 yards from the hotel.) The Excelsior is also in Wan Chai, although many people, locals and otherwise, refer to it as being in “Causeway Bay”.
So while I think western areas of Wan Chai are a good place for tourists to stay, I am not so crazy about “Causeway Bay” esp the eastern end near Victoria Park (where the MetroPark is located). The Crowne Plaza is about in the middle, which just about describes my feelings about it. Here are my thoughts:
-if you love, love, love shopping for clothing and related items, <i>and if that is all you intend to do on your trip</i>, then Causeway Bay is the place you should stay. This area has the highest concentration of shopping from high to low end. You won’t have to leave (except if you want to got to outlets). The Excelsior may in fact be the best choice for pure shoppers as it is just about at ground zero.
-if you want to see the Peak, Central, Aberdeen, Stanely, outlying islands like Lamma, Kennedy Town/Sheung Wan or take in the view from Kowloon (which most tourists do), and if you want to experience some of the better (non-Cantonese) restaurants, then IMO you will spend more time on the subway or in taxis than may be attractive to you. You will of course find plenty of small inexpensive places (complete with lack of ambience), but if you want Michelin stars or good Western fare, you generally will be travelling out and back from Causeway Bay and Central.
-there are compensations in each area, but I am just not sure that they are outweighed by the relative inconvenience of the location. The Metropark is near two temples, one of which, about 2 blocks from the hotel, is probably the most charming in Hong Kong (Lin Fa Kung – as I mention above, if your trip in September coincides with the Mid-Autuum festival on September 23, then staying at the Metropark could be good or bad, not sure, as there is a major parade and fire dragon dance during that festival between the two temples.). The Crowne Plaza is near to some fairly good restaurants (esp in Lee Theatre Plaza basically across the street, and excellent dim sum at West Villa in Lee Gardens). There is also the Bowrington Road “wet” market nearby which is interesting. Both have old neighborhood areas which I personally enjoy, but to be honest, I am not sure that the average tourist would see anything in them. I <i>like</i> the streets which are all car repair shops or little hardware/stationery stores, but I think most tourists would find them dull. I do not, to be honest, find either area as charming as Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town.
-It’s a good 10-15 minute walk from the Crowne Plaza to the nearest MTR. Even if you use the Times Square “entrance” to the subway (Door A), which is itself about a five minute walk from the hotel, you will then be walking underground for 10 minutes or so to get to the actual trains, which are over by Door D and the Sogo Department store. I would really not bother with the MTR from the Crowne Plaza, I would use buses, taxis or the tram if you have a little time to spare. From the Metropark, it is less than a five minute walk to the Tin Hau station (and the actual trains). The Metropark is also on several major bus lines and fronts the tram line.
1. While I am not a huge advocate of moving hotels within a city, if you do have 8 nights, that is a nice long time, so you could actually do it if you wanted. The Bishop Lei would be a fine choice if you want to try the Hong Kong side. It’s up on a hill, it’s in a residential neighborhood where people will be out walking their babies and dogs rather than trying to sell you a suit, it’s more green, and it’s walkable to good restaurants as well as a few interesting shopping areas and sights, so all in all quite different from the TST area of the Sheraton.
You could also consider staying in Sheung Wan, west of Central, which is a much more 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. I quite like the Marriott Courtyard there, although it is quite a bit more expensive than the Bishop Lei. 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 the main business/tourist area and is not near any MTR stop. However, IMO the pluses make up for this (which I don’t feel is quite the case with Causeway Bay). 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.) There is an older Ramada in this neighborhood that I believe is cheaper. Some hotels in the area which I do not at all, but the outside, but which may be worth looking at, are the Hotel Jen (see http://www.hoteljen.com/), the Sohotel (http://www.sohotel.com.hk/, which despite its name, is <i>not</i> in SOHO), the Central Park Hotel (see http://www.centralparkhotel.com.hk/index.asp) and the Hotel Lan Kwai Fong (see http://www.lankwaifonghotel.com.hk/ which despite its name is <i>not</i> in Lan Kwai Fong.) The Jen would most likely offer some very nice views.
You could also consider something really different, like going to the Le Meridien Cyberport (see the Starwood website, if you still have points you can use them), or the Hyatt Regency Shatin, both of which are very nice hotels in quite untouristed areas. Both offer beautiful water/mountain views, esp Cyberport at sunset. The Hyatt Shatin sits basically on top of the University Station MTR stop, which means you can get to Central in just over 30 minutes. From Shatin you could go out to more remote areas in the New Territories, or go to the races at Shatin racecourse (which you can do at Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island too, race season starts in September). From Cyberport it’s a quick hop to Aberdeen and the Southside, and it is possible to walk up or down from the Peak; there is also a lovely country park in the area for other walks. Cyberport has no MTR (at least not for a few more years), but the hotel runs a shuttle to Central, there is frequent bus service and taxis are not expensive. It’s about 10 minutes by cab to Central, longer by bus.
Or consider someplace in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island, like the Habour Grand http://www.harbourgrand.com/ or even further east, the East Hotel http://www.east-hongkong.com/en/Pages/index.aspx. Both of these are luxury properties at lower prices because of their locations, and are on subway lines. These are in farily untouristed neighborhoods, esp the East Hotel. Both offer quite nice water/harbour views.
Or rather than a day trip, consider spending 1 night or more in Macau, not at a glitzy Vegas-style casino hotel in the dismal Cotai strip, but at a smaller hotel near the old town like the Pousada de Sao Tiago, http://www.saotiago.com.mo/ or the Pousada de Mong Ha, see http://www.ift.edu.mo/pousada. I have not been to the Westin in some years, but love its beach location down in Colonae. You could then spend all the other nights at the Sheraton. (But being pestered by the touts daily there in TST may make you want to move anyway…..)
2. I will give my thoughts on the merits of the locations of the Crowne Plaza versus Metropark Causeway Bay below, but as a start would say that the room size at the Crowne Plaza is going to be significantly larger, and the hotel is brand new so the rooms would have all bells and whistles. I think these may be among the largest rooms anywhere in Hong Kong (other than the Four Seasons), and are hard to beat from that standpoint. Crowne Plaza rooms are 34 square meters, the Metropark is something between 22-25 square meters. That is a rather small room. A larger room may turn out to be important with such a long stay. The Crowne Plaza is also a bit more of a luxury property. So look at the websites carefully and be sure to compare room size, to make sure you are comparing apples to apples, as they say.
3. OK, when discussing the Crowne Plaza and the Metropark, it’s important to understand that the term “Causeway Bay” is a loose geographic term, and not a legal city district. It refers to an area around the eastern and western edges of Victoria Park. Most of Causeway Bay is administratively part of the district of Wan Chai. The rest is part of the Eastern District which begins at the eastern edge of Victoria Park. So although the Crowne Plaza bears the name “Causeway Bay”, that is not really correct. It is in Wan Chai. To me, it is actually much closer to Happy Valley than to Causeway Bay (which is also a geographical distinction, and administratively is also part of Wan Chai). The Metropark Causeway Bay is actually in the Eastern District (or just on the line, you can see the sign for the end of the Wan Chai district about 100 yards from the hotel.) The Excelsior is also in Wan Chai, although many people, locals and otherwise, refer to it as being in “Causeway Bay”.
So while I think western areas of Wan Chai are a good place for tourists to stay, I am not so crazy about “Causeway Bay” esp the eastern end near Victoria Park (where the MetroPark is located). The Crowne Plaza is about in the middle, which just about describes my feelings about it. Here are my thoughts:
-if you love, love, love shopping for clothing and related items, <i>and if that is all you intend to do on your trip</i>, then Causeway Bay is the place you should stay. This area has the highest concentration of shopping from high to low end. You won’t have to leave (except if you want to got to outlets). The Excelsior may in fact be the best choice for pure shoppers as it is just about at ground zero.
-if you want to see the Peak, Central, Aberdeen, Stanely, outlying islands like Lamma, Kennedy Town/Sheung Wan or take in the view from Kowloon (which most tourists do), and if you want to experience some of the better (non-Cantonese) restaurants, then IMO you will spend more time on the subway or in taxis than may be attractive to you. You will of course find plenty of small inexpensive places (complete with lack of ambience), but if you want Michelin stars or good Western fare, you generally will be travelling out and back from Causeway Bay and Central.
-there are compensations in each area, but I am just not sure that they are outweighed by the relative inconvenience of the location. The Metropark is near two temples, one of which, about 2 blocks from the hotel, is probably the most charming in Hong Kong (Lin Fa Kung – as I mention above, if your trip in September coincides with the Mid-Autuum festival on September 23, then staying at the Metropark could be good or bad, not sure, as there is a major parade and fire dragon dance during that festival between the two temples.). The Crowne Plaza is near to some fairly good restaurants (esp in Lee Theatre Plaza basically across the street, and excellent dim sum at West Villa in Lee Gardens). There is also the Bowrington Road “wet” market nearby which is interesting. Both have old neighborhood areas which I personally enjoy, but to be honest, I am not sure that the average tourist would see anything in them. I <i>like</i> the streets which are all car repair shops or little hardware/stationery stores, but I think most tourists would find them dull. I do not, to be honest, find either area as charming as Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town.
-It’s a good 10-15 minute walk from the Crowne Plaza to the nearest MTR. Even if you use the Times Square “entrance” to the subway (Door A), which is itself about a five minute walk from the hotel, you will then be walking underground for 10 minutes or so to get to the actual trains, which are over by Door D and the Sogo Department store. I would really not bother with the MTR from the Crowne Plaza, I would use buses, taxis or the tram if you have a little time to spare. From the Metropark, it is less than a five minute walk to the Tin Hau station (and the actual trains). The Metropark is also on several major bus lines and fronts the tram line.
Jul 8th, 2010, 02:29 AM
#82
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Thanks Cicerone. We are generally not advocates of switching hotels, but Kowloon and HK island seemed so different that four days seemed right for each.
The Bishop Lei, Grand Harbor and Courtyard are already on our radar. You have certainly given Beth a lot to think about. Thanks.
The Bishop Lei, Grand Harbor and Courtyard are already on our radar. You have certainly given Beth a lot to think about. Thanks.
Jul 8th, 2010, 03:33 AM
#83
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This thread is a gold mine - thanks to Gpanda and everyone for all of the great info. We have 3 days in HK and have been following along. Wish we had 8 so could divide our stay like you are doing. We're still struggling between Sheraton, YMCA, Conrad (points for part of the stay), Bishop Lei, or Courtyard (points or cash). If we stay on HK side, are there any top-of-the places on the harbor in Kowloon to go for a drink or dinner & the view?
Jul 8th, 2010, 05:37 AM
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Adding a voice to the chorus of thanks, Cicerone.
I'd never really given much thought to staying in Sheung Wan, and you've got me re-thinking that. It is a great area to walk around, so why not stay there? The Jin, especially, looks very appealing (not to be confused with the Jen, in Causeway Bay, which is apparently managed by the same company).
I'd never really given much thought to staying in Sheung Wan, and you've got me re-thinking that. It is a great area to walk around, so why not stay there? The Jin, especially, looks very appealing (not to be confused with the Jen, in Causeway Bay, which is apparently managed by the same company).
Jul 8th, 2010, 06:12 AM
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Sheung Wan is such an interesting area! We'd seen the dried fish and traditional medicine places earlier, but on our last day in '08, we walked around the neighborhood and discovered a whole street of coffin makers whose shops are open to the public, grave goods for sale in other shops.
Jul 8th, 2010, 02:25 PM
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Its non-refundable but you can try priceline for a hotel. I was able to get the Conrad Hong Kong for $110 per night (Jan 2010). Great hotel - over a shopping center and near transportation. I think for a additional $5 per night, you can get insurance for the priceline hotel.
Jul 8th, 2010, 03:46 PM
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Thanks everyone for all of the good information. For the first four nights we're looking at LKF or Courtyard by Marriott or maybe Bishop Lei. Part of the excitement about going is spending the time planning. I recognize that no amount of planning ensures a perfect trip, but the actual planning is fun.
Jul 8th, 2010, 05:40 PM
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We just booked the Courtyard by Marriott, Harbor View, Executive Club through the Marriott site for $949 for the first four nights. We have the Sheraton Hon Kong for the other four nights. These look very good. This thread provided wonderful information with thoughtful contributions. There are too many of you to specifically name, but Beth and I really appreciate all the hard work and effort each of you put in to making our planning easier. The good news is that when I told my doctor, all she did was check the dates to make sure there were no conflicts with medical visits. This was essentially her blessing. Thanks again.
We look forward to wandering around Sheung Wan.
We look forward to wandering around Sheung Wan.
Jul 8th, 2010, 07:07 PM
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Sorry, I did intend to come in this morning and post one last bit of info which may be important: the Courtyard does not have a pool. So, if you want one, I would say to talk to the front desk and work out the ability to go over to the JW Marriott or the Renaissance Harbour View, both of which have quite nice pools. They should be able to arrange this for you, You probably can’t charge meals to your Courtyard room, but they can smooth the way to make sure no one has a problem with you showing up to use the pools or sit around on the loungers. The Marriott has the quite nice Fish Bar for lunch/dinner as well. The Renaissance shares a very large pool deck with the Hyatt, so some meal options there as well.
Rizzuto, the Jen Hotel I was referred to is in Western/Sheung Wan. This is apparent from its address on Queen’s Road West. The website I gave was for the Jen on Queen's Road West, see http://www.hoteljen.com/. I can’t find a Hotel Jin. (But transliterations of Cantonese are quite inconsistent, and if you search “Jin” you can get “Jen” and vice versa. So there may be antoher Jin/Jen in Sheung Wan. There is also a Jia in Causeway Bay.)
Rizzuto, the Jen Hotel I was referred to is in Western/Sheung Wan. This is apparent from its address on Queen’s Road West. The website I gave was for the Jen on Queen's Road West, see http://www.hoteljen.com/. I can’t find a Hotel Jin. (But transliterations of Cantonese are quite inconsistent, and if you search “Jin” you can get “Jen” and vice versa. So there may be antoher Jin/Jen in Sheung Wan. There is also a Jia in Causeway Bay.)
Jul 8th, 2010, 09:17 PM
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The weather in February is somewhat changeable. Typically it is a bit on the gray and cool side (temps in the low 60s F, we can get dips into the 50s F). Rain is rare, but cloud cover and fog does occur as temps are low and humidity is back up above 80%. On the other hand, there have been Februarys here which have been glorious and sunny. So some of this will depend on luck. But generally cool temps and no rain, even though it can be cloudy. It is better than March, which IMO is the worst month in Hong Kong. January typically is sunnier and than February and does not have the humidity and fog issues. November and December are the best months in terms of temps, sunny and pleasant. The summers are very hot and usually rainy, but the plus side is that sunny days are usually spectacular. (Air pollution in winter can obscure views.)
On the plus side for February, the Lunar New Year is often celebrated in February. It moves with the moon phases, but in 2011 will be celebrated February 3-5. This is a great time to be in Hong Kong, IMO. There are fireworks in the harbour (should be Feb 4 in 2011), all the skyscrapers are decorated, and there are special food and flower markets. It’s a real celebratory time here. While most shops and many non-hotel restaurants are closed on Feb 3, tourist sites like the Peak are open, and buses, subways etc running as per normal (or more frequently than weekdays), so generally you as a tourist won’t really be affected. (It’s actually quiet eerie, in a fun way, to walk around the main business area in Central on the one day of the year when everything is shut up tight. Then see it on a normal weekday for a good contrast.) By Feb 4 larger shops and most restaurants are open again. (It is not like the PRC where closures are broader and longer. Hotel restaurants are not affected.)
On the plus side for February, the Lunar New Year is often celebrated in February. It moves with the moon phases, but in 2011 will be celebrated February 3-5. This is a great time to be in Hong Kong, IMO. There are fireworks in the harbour (should be Feb 4 in 2011), all the skyscrapers are decorated, and there are special food and flower markets. It’s a real celebratory time here. While most shops and many non-hotel restaurants are closed on Feb 3, tourist sites like the Peak are open, and buses, subways etc running as per normal (or more frequently than weekdays), so generally you as a tourist won’t really be affected. (It’s actually quiet eerie, in a fun way, to walk around the main business area in Central on the one day of the year when everything is shut up tight. Then see it on a normal weekday for a good contrast.) By Feb 4 larger shops and most restaurants are open again. (It is not like the PRC where closures are broader and longer. Hotel restaurants are not affected.)
Jul 9th, 2010, 01:37 AM
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We knew the Courtyard has no pool. We decided that staying at the Sheraton for four nights would give us enough pool time. Maybe we can use a sister hotels pool. We chose the Courtyard because of the walkable surroundings.
Jul 9th, 2010, 11:01 AM
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This is unbelievable. Those of you who have followed my ramblings in the past know I always recommend buying several guide books to get a cross section of information. Beth went on Abe'sBooks.com and bought six Hong Kong guide books for $20. We already had a small one. So now, we have a guide book for every day we'll be in Hong Kong. This must be a record.
Jul 10th, 2010, 01:38 PM
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Ray-we would love it if you could be our guide. We don't want to undercut your sense of self-worth by paying for your plane ticket. That would just be unfair. Always thinking of others feelings.
Jul 19th, 2010, 06:50 AM
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The guide books from Abe's Books have arrived. Lots of reading for us. In homage to this great website, we managed to purchase two copies of Fodors Hong Kong. One for each of us.
