Room with a view
 

Trying to decide which hotel in HK. What's usually the weather like in October? A room with a harborview will be my first choice, specially if there is nice weather. Interested in 4 or 5* up to $450. Just wondering... Peninsula in a standard room, no view or other alternative with the view.

The best harbour view rooms are in either the InterContinental or the Kowloon Shangri-La. The view from tower rooms in the Peninsula, while very good, is not as good as the others I mentioned.

Of thoise two, I much prefer the InterContinental. The service is better, their spa is fantastic, and the rooms themselves are better. If you want the best view at the IC, avoid the Junior Suites and stick with the center harbour view rooms.

Doris, have you still not decided on a hotel? Unfortunately, at $450 I don’t think you will get a harbour view at the Penn or the Intercon in October, it’s a high season, and your trip here is at the end of a major holiday week in the PRC when loads of people will be traveling here from the PRC. I don’t think $450 will even get you a non-harbour view room at the Penn. IMO the Kowloon Shangri-La is too far away and out of the action to be interesting, but you might get a harbour view room there at $450.

If you are going to stay at the Penn or on the Kowloon side generally, by all means get a view, otherwise stay on the Hong Kong side which is where you will spend most of your time anyway. There is no other reason to stay on the Kowloon side BUT the view, IMO, so stay at the Penn and be near the Star Ferry so you can pop over to Hong Kong for all the sights and the good restaurants (other than a few on the Kowloon side, notably Hutong and Felix, the latter is in the Penn).

Consider the “Peak View” rooms at the Four Seasons. They may be in the $450 range. I think these views are actually quite interesting and I love the hotel. You will get lovely large rooms here and a great pool area (two pools), the nicest pool area in Hong Kong no question. As you have been to Hong Kong and stayed on the Kowloon side already, you know that view. You can then have some meals over on that side as well.

As for weather, the first half of October is generally still summer: hot and humid. Take a look at weatherbase.com Around the middle of the month, the temps – and most importantly the humidity – drop appreciably and the perfect sunny, dry “winter” weather starts to arrive. Your trip is the 7-12 as I recall, so you may get some of the good temps if the changeover occurs during your trip.

The best harbour view rooms are, IMO, the corner suites on the highest floors in the tower of the Penn. Complete with telescopoes and baths with a view. These are going to be more than $450 however.

For 10/7-12, Marco Polo Hong Kong has Club Floor harborview room for HK$3,100/night (US$400). [All HK hotels add 10% service charge and 3% room tax.]

The Marco Polo is a nice 4* hotel with some of the largest rooms in HK. Its view is towards the west side of HK Island, but still nice. Steps from Star Ferry.

The Sheraton is harborview for HK$3,250. But not the nicer "Tower" rooms.

Harborview "Horizon" rooms at the Kowloon Shang is $4,350. A little over budget. Cheapest harborview at the IC is $4,090.

However, cheaper harborview room at the IC Grand Stanford is $2,820. It's a newly refurbished 4*+ hotel in Tsimshatsui East. The view is similar to the Kowloon Shangri-La, but even further away from Tsimshatsui proper, or the MTR.

Next to the IC Grand Stanford, the Nikko has harborview from HK$2,250.

But, here's a new one - the <b>Rhombus Panorama</b> on Hart Ave, a couple blocks behind the Sheraton, and to the east. It's a brand new hotel that just opened. It's very tall, so the higher floors will overlook the Signal Hill park and all buildings in front; and have great view of the harbor.

Early bird rates for Platinum Harbour View room is $1,950. Even their Panorama Suite is only $2,900 for those dates.

www.hotelpanorama.com.hk/en/index.html

Here are a couple of pictures I took from the Star Ferry in the harbor, and you can see the hotel from the photo:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p400104934/?photo=311521698
rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p400104934/?photo=88669111

I think I'll take a chance with the Panorama. Probably go for the Panorama Suite. Or the Marco Polo.

BTW, in that second picture I linked to, you can see from left to right the YMCA Salisbury, the Pen, Sheraton, IC, Panorama, Kowloon Shang and the IC Grand Stanford.

Thanks to all for your input, specially Cicerone, I do appreciate all your info &amp; remembering me. The selection of the HK hotel has been quite a struggle. I definitely want a nice hotel with a view, centrally located, but seriously had to increase my budget quite a bit as 4 or 5* hotels in HK are very expensive. Our stay is for 5 nights from Oct.10th to the 15th &amp; with that many choices I want to make the best possible decision in choosing the hotel that suites us best.

Same rates at the Rhombus Panorama apply for Oct 10-15. $1,950 for Plantinum harborview, $2,900 for Panorama Suite.

Over at the Marco Polo Hong Kong, you can get a standard harborview for $2,400 x 2 + $2,700 x 3. The Club floor for $3,100 x 2 + $3,400 x 3.

These are within your budget, nice 4* hotels, with harborview. The view from the Panorama will be especially excellent, as those rooms are on the 31-37th floor.

I don't understand the problem. But of course, if you want a real 5*, then you just need to pay more.

rkkwan, I really appreciate all your info. Definitely &quot;you get what you pay for&quot;. The new Panorama Rhombus Hotel will be a good choice, the location &amp; price is perfect. My concern... did you saw it personally, not just the outside building? As it is so new there are no reviews &amp; very few pictures of the rooms on their web site. Usually for a new property to get things rolling it might take a while, I do not want an erratic service. Your picture from the Star Ferry is phenomenal, it gave me a very good perspective of the Panorama location compared to the other hotels. By the way Raymond your picture's file in zenfolio are outstanding. I do photography as a hobby. Thanks for sharing.
Doris

Doris - No, I didn't walk by the hotel or go inside. And yes, of course, you'll be taking a chance. But that early bird rate seems very good, and I think if you get their suite, they have to treat you pretty well.

But of course, this is no Peninsula. Service level won't be the same, but you're also not paying as much.

I don’t know the Panorama Hotel, but did call to ask about room size, which is an important issue to me and often overlooked. The silver rooms are pretty small, about 220 square feet. The Gold and Platinum Rooms are 280 square feet. IMO for 2 people for 4 nights with a lot of luggage, you will be squeezing in to either. IMO, for 2 people you need at least 300 square feet, but even that is a little tight with luggage and for 4 nights. If you take either of these, consider leaving some luggage in a luggage room downstairs. The suites are 580 square feet which is certainly livable so I would take that over any of the others. 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. Chatham Road is a very busy road, but if you are on a high floor you won’t notice the noise I don’t think. It’s also a major bus line which is convenient if you want to hop a bus to the Star Ferry instead, and 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. There is not a lot of shopping, although there are several good furriers along this road (not discount but their prices are very good and they make to order, one called Pelzt makes cashmere as well at good although not discount prices).

This hotel is owned by the same group which owns the Hotel LKF in Central, which I recco’d to you on another thread some months ago. I really like the location of this hotel in Central, close to great restaurants (several literally feet away), the great antique/boutique and restaurant areas of Hollywood Road, Soho, the mid-levels escalator and the interesting and atmospheric market stall areas of Peel and Graham Streets. It is walkable to the Star Ferry and the street tram and the Central MTR station. And no touts in site asking to sell you copy watch or make you a suit like you will find all over the Kowloon side. No views unless you get a high floor where you might get some interesting city or Peak views. Rooms are a god size generally, the smallest are 500 square feet. For your dates, they are showing a Deluxe King (600 square feet which is a very large room) with breakfast at HK$2925 (about US$375). Take a look at http://www.hotel-lkf.com.hk/