Hotel recommendations in Hong Kong
Mar 31st, 2010, 04:48 AM
#21
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<b>marya</b>, if you want photos of the Ritz Kolwoon, please post your e-mail here or send me a message at [email protected].
Apr 3rd, 2010, 01:53 AM
#23
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Yes, IMO the Bishop Lei is a better location for shops and restaurants and easy access to the sights in Central. The hotel is not in the same luxury class as the Harbour Grand, and rooms are smaller. There is nothing wrong with wanting a luxury hotel on a vacation, and I am sure that the Harbour Grand is very nice, so if that is what you want, you should go for it. But overall, I prefer the Mid-Levels location of the Bishop Lei to the rather isolated (at least for the tourist) location of the Harbour Grand.
Apr 3rd, 2010, 10:03 AM
#24
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I just saw that the MTR is about 300 yds. from the Grand and so I think this will be OK as from what I hear consistently the public transportation system there is very good. I've heard two stories about cabs there. One says they are very cheap and the other says they are really high. What do you think? Cheers, Larry 
Apr 6th, 2010, 09:41 PM
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In my opinion taxi fares in Hong Kong are relatively cheap, compared to other major world cities (London, New York, Tokyo). Flag fall is HK$18 for the first 2 kilometers, and then HK$1.50 for every 200 metres or 1 minute wait time in traffic after that. Once the fare goes above HK$70, the rate drops to HK$1 for every 200 meters/minute. In my estimation, a taxi from the Grand Harbour to Central areas will cost about HK$35-50 depending on where you are going, and as you are near the highway, would take 10 minutes give or take a bit (depending on where you are going in Central and minor traffic). I would take taxis <i>to</i> the Mandarin Hotel and get returning taxis <i>from</i> the Landmark Shopping Centre, as both are close to the highway back to the Harbour Grand so you won’t pay for a taxi to sit on the city streets. Both are also very convenient for getting to sights in Central, to the Star Ferry or the escalator up to the Soho area.) The MTR would take about 15 -20 minutes, depending on the walking time to the station and whether you have to wait time for a train. The MTR will cost you HK$5 per person for a ride to Central. Public transport is very good, in addition to the subway, I would also not rule on buses which can be very convenient for getting many places, like the #10 which runs down King’s Road near your hotel and could be used to go to Central, although most times of the day this will take probably twice as longer as the MTR or a taxi. (It’s also a double-decker so you get some good street views.)
There is an MTR station relatively close to the Grand Harbour on Hong Kong Island, it should be less than a 5 minute walk. My only concern is how much time you will spend on it going back and forth to places in Central and other areas, for meals and sightseeing; and also having to change lines to get places like Kowloon. As there are not any notable restaurants, and virtually no tourist sites, near the hotel, you will probably spend a good bit of time traveling to the other areas. (The neighborhood of the hotel is certainly interesting for strolling in some areas to see local markets, but real “sights” are basically non-existent other than the Tin Hau temple which is probably a 20 minute walk from the hotel. ) The MTR gets <i>very</i> crowded at rush hours, so you might want to avoid it then.
The Grand Harbour is very near the double-decker street tram which runs along the whole waterfront of Hong Kong Island, and this is a very scenic, albeit slow, way to get places and get a real bird’s eye view of street life into the bargain. It is also dirt cheap at HK$2 for a ride of any length. It would take more than an hour to get to Central via the tram, but shorter rides to Causeway Bay or Wan Chai would be possible, or in the other direction toward Shau Kei Wan.
Even taking taxis all the time to Central areas, which are going to be faster and more direct from than the MTR, you may spend more time (and money) in taxi than you would want to. While I know there are bus routes to Stanely and other Southside areas from near the hotel, I don’t know how long they take and some of them would take the tunnel rather than the mountain route, which IMO is one of the prime reasons for taking the trip to Stanely, so choose routes carefully.
You also, IMO, would want to take the ferry across the harbour at least twice (night and daytime), rather than the subway, as the latter has no view, so you would have to take the MTR or a taxi to/from the ferry pier in Central, and it’s a longish walk from the MTR station in Central to ferry pier. (There is way to take a series of ferries from the North Point ferry pier, not far from the hotel, to Central and then Kowloon, which for one trip might be an interesting way to take in the views. Take the ferry from North Point to Hung Hom, and another fery to Central. From there you can also go take the ferry to Kowloon, although the first two rides will give you some excellent views.)
I actually don’t know how useful the MTR is for tourists in Hong Kong, as it does NOT go to many places you want to see: The Peak, Aberdeen, Stanley (and the entire Southside of Hong Kong Island) and the Sai Kung area in the New Territories to name some prime examples. I know many tourists take it, I think that is because it is easy to use and signage is in English, but they don’t realize that in some cases it is out of their way, and in others that a bus or even a ferry would be more direct, scenic or faster. In your case, it is not the proximity to the MTR which would be an issue, it's how much time you may spend in the MTR each day, which would get tiring I would think.
There is an MTR station relatively close to the Grand Harbour on Hong Kong Island, it should be less than a 5 minute walk. My only concern is how much time you will spend on it going back and forth to places in Central and other areas, for meals and sightseeing; and also having to change lines to get places like Kowloon. As there are not any notable restaurants, and virtually no tourist sites, near the hotel, you will probably spend a good bit of time traveling to the other areas. (The neighborhood of the hotel is certainly interesting for strolling in some areas to see local markets, but real “sights” are basically non-existent other than the Tin Hau temple which is probably a 20 minute walk from the hotel. ) The MTR gets <i>very</i> crowded at rush hours, so you might want to avoid it then.
The Grand Harbour is very near the double-decker street tram which runs along the whole waterfront of Hong Kong Island, and this is a very scenic, albeit slow, way to get places and get a real bird’s eye view of street life into the bargain. It is also dirt cheap at HK$2 for a ride of any length. It would take more than an hour to get to Central via the tram, but shorter rides to Causeway Bay or Wan Chai would be possible, or in the other direction toward Shau Kei Wan.
Even taking taxis all the time to Central areas, which are going to be faster and more direct from than the MTR, you may spend more time (and money) in taxi than you would want to. While I know there are bus routes to Stanely and other Southside areas from near the hotel, I don’t know how long they take and some of them would take the tunnel rather than the mountain route, which IMO is one of the prime reasons for taking the trip to Stanely, so choose routes carefully.
You also, IMO, would want to take the ferry across the harbour at least twice (night and daytime), rather than the subway, as the latter has no view, so you would have to take the MTR or a taxi to/from the ferry pier in Central, and it’s a longish walk from the MTR station in Central to ferry pier. (There is way to take a series of ferries from the North Point ferry pier, not far from the hotel, to Central and then Kowloon, which for one trip might be an interesting way to take in the views. Take the ferry from North Point to Hung Hom, and another fery to Central. From there you can also go take the ferry to Kowloon, although the first two rides will give you some excellent views.)
I actually don’t know how useful the MTR is for tourists in Hong Kong, as it does NOT go to many places you want to see: The Peak, Aberdeen, Stanley (and the entire Southside of Hong Kong Island) and the Sai Kung area in the New Territories to name some prime examples. I know many tourists take it, I think that is because it is easy to use and signage is in English, but they don’t realize that in some cases it is out of their way, and in others that a bus or even a ferry would be more direct, scenic or faster. In your case, it is not the proximity to the MTR which would be an issue, it's how much time you may spend in the MTR each day, which would get tiring I would think.
Apr 7th, 2010, 07:31 AM
#28
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Actually those times to central and the prices are reasonable to me. Then again I drive 35 mi. ONE WAY to work so this is relatively easy. 
. I do like your idea about using those hotels as station points so to speak and we've alwasy liked DD buses so that is another option. Thanks again for this invaluable info. We hope to have a chance to treat you to a drink/meal in HK. Cheers, Larry
. I do like your idea about using those hotels as station points so to speak and we've alwasy liked DD buses so that is another option. Thanks again for this invaluable info. We hope to have a chance to treat you to a drink/meal in HK. Cheers, Larry
Apr 7th, 2010, 07:35 PM
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OK, well sounds like you are set on the Habour Grand. I did some research, and found that there is a bus you can take from the hotel which will get you to Stanley via the mountain route. It is the #63 bus (#65 on Sundays and public holidays). It stops along King’s Road (where the MTR station is located), and there is a stop in front of the MTR station, so that is not far from the hotel. The trip takes about an hour and will cost about HK$9. I would sit upstairs in the very front row if possible, if not then the right side of the bus is slightly better in terms of views for the trip out, and the left for the return. The buses make two stops at Stanley, the first is at Stanley Plaza, and the last stop is Stanley Village. It’s easy to tell when you are at Stanley Village, because the bus will pull into a parking area, stop, turn off the engine and everyone will get out. The market and waterfront area are just a few hundred yards from here. If you get off at Stanley Plaza, you are on the other end of the waterfront area, but you can just walk down through the escalators of the shopping mall to get to the waterfront promenade, and then walk along the water (keep the water on your right) toward the market. Just to the right where you exit the mall, there are steps leading to a peaceful statue of Kwun Yam (goddess of mercy, protector of fishermen) on the hill with a nice view. There is also a tiny but charming Tin Hau temple a few yards on the left as you leave the mall at the ground level. I think many tourists miss these because they don’t get down to that end of the waterfront.
It’s also possible to walk to or from Stanely from quite near your hotel, this would take 4-5 hours and portions of it require a love of stairs, but on a clear day offers unparalleld views of the city, mountains and sea. There are somewhat shorter but easier walks as well if you start from higher elevations up the mountains.
You can find other bus routes by going to the Transport Department website at http://www.td.gov.hk/, click on “Information for Passengers” then “Buses” and then choose from the various links for the bus service providers. They have a point-to-point route function where you can put in start and end points and get info on routes. You can even see photos of the bus stops on the route list, although sometimes there are taken from a weird angle or from across the street and you may not really recognize the stop when you see it in person. (The site is very helpful for all transport in Hong Kong.)
It’s also possible to walk to or from Stanely from quite near your hotel, this would take 4-5 hours and portions of it require a love of stairs, but on a clear day offers unparalleld views of the city, mountains and sea. There are somewhat shorter but easier walks as well if you start from higher elevations up the mountains.
You can find other bus routes by going to the Transport Department website at http://www.td.gov.hk/, click on “Information for Passengers” then “Buses” and then choose from the various links for the bus service providers. They have a point-to-point route function where you can put in start and end points and get info on routes. You can even see photos of the bus stops on the route list, although sometimes there are taken from a weird angle or from across the street and you may not really recognize the stop when you see it in person. (The site is very helpful for all transport in Hong Kong.)
Apr 11th, 2010, 08:50 AM
#30
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Cicerone: Do you know if Kingfisher airlines has the same early check in policy as JA? Sorry I haven't replied sooner but work has been sooooo busy these days. My friend told me that JA is in bankruptcy so that makes me a bit leery though I realize this is a restructuring measure. Thank you. Larry
Apr 11th, 2010, 06:30 PM
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I think both airlines allow early check-in at Hong Kong airport up to 18 hours before flight departure, but the best thing to do is to contact each airline or see their websites.
I am not aware that Jet Airways has filed for bankruptcy, and I don’t recall seeing anything in the papers in India about it. (Japan Airlines, called JAL, has filed for bankruptcy. Maybe there was some confusion there with Jet Airlines which some may also abbreviate as “JAL”?) The last article I see in the <i>Times of India</i> about Jet was last week, and concerned fare increases, but the article did not indicate that the company had filed, or was planning to file, for bankruptcy, see http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/b...ow/5779026.cms
Actually, it is my understanding that it is Kingfisher which would be the more likely candidate for bankruptcy than Jet, as Kingfisher has been losing money and cutting back on some services for some time. But of course anything is possible for either airline given competition, fuel prices, etc. India does not have “Chapter 11” bankruptcy which allows a company to reorganize and get some protection from creditors during bankruptcy, so if either does declare bankruptcy, it may be more than procedural.
I am not aware that Jet Airways has filed for bankruptcy, and I don’t recall seeing anything in the papers in India about it. (Japan Airlines, called JAL, has filed for bankruptcy. Maybe there was some confusion there with Jet Airlines which some may also abbreviate as “JAL”?) The last article I see in the <i>Times of India</i> about Jet was last week, and concerned fare increases, but the article did not indicate that the company had filed, or was planning to file, for bankruptcy, see http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/b...ow/5779026.cms
Actually, it is my understanding that it is Kingfisher which would be the more likely candidate for bankruptcy than Jet, as Kingfisher has been losing money and cutting back on some services for some time. But of course anything is possible for either airline given competition, fuel prices, etc. India does not have “Chapter 11” bankruptcy which allows a company to reorganize and get some protection from creditors during bankruptcy, so if either does declare bankruptcy, it may be more than procedural.
Apr 12th, 2010, 06:52 AM
#32
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A friend of mine told about the bankruptcy. I googled it and found an articel from Oct. 2008 which said JA and Kingfisher agreed to a code share arrangement to avoid bankruptcy for both.
http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/jet-...ankruptcy-3829
Window_lynn: Thanks. I'll check this out.
http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/jet-...ankruptcy-3829
Window_lynn: Thanks. I'll check this out.
Apr 13th, 2010, 02:27 AM
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I agree. Thats all I could find. I wonder if my friend, who is Indian and travels alot over there, has heard something more recently. I'll ask him. I am 99% sure we will take JA. Cheers, Larry
Apr 13th, 2010, 02:48 AM
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JAL filed for protection under Japanese bankruptcy laws in January (2010), and the company is being restructured.
They have reduced the number of flights that they operate, but they are still very much in business. It is extremely unlikely that they will cease operations, for both business and national/cultural reasons; however, that possibility cannot be entirely excluded.
They have reduced the number of flights that they operate, but they are still very much in business. It is extremely unlikely that they will cease operations, for both business and national/cultural reasons; however, that possibility cannot be entirely excluded.
Apr 17th, 2010, 09:00 AM
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C; Just booked the Novotel for the one noc stay. Got a nice rate and its looks pretty good. I read that there is a mall next to it as well so maybe we can get a head start on some of that famous HK shopping. Cheers, Larry
