So, we've chosen Hong Kong over Buenos Aires...
 

Hello, Asia Forum!

Back in April, we were trying to decide between HK and BA for our November trip. I posted a thread in the Lounge at that time, which can be viewed here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...m#last-comment

Now that a decision has been reached (Hong Kong won!), I am reconvening the thread here, where it belongs. Our plan is to stay on the island side for the first 5 days, spend a day and half in Macau, then luxuriate in 5-star splendor for the last 2 nights in Kowloon.

We have done a bit of research already... including the fabulous threads posted here by Cicerone (outstanding stuff, btw). Our next pending decision is where to stay those last 2 nights. It's a very special occasion, so a great harbor view, great service and excellent amenities are desired (especially the view). We think we have narrowed it down to the Shangri-la and the Inter-Continental at this point. ms_go likes the looks of the outdoor pool area of the I/C, and I'm liking the overall value for the dollar at the Shang. But either choice is good for both of us, really.

If anyone has a clear preference for a special occasion, please let us know why. I appreciate your advice!

No advice. I'm just glad Hong Kong won out. Great city!!!

(I've had tea at the Peninsula, and it was very stately and grand)

I've stayed at the Shangri-La and loved it - the rooms are quite large (especially for Hong Kong). But the IC is better located.

I've stayed several times at the both the IC and the Kowloon Shang. They're both terrific hotels, but worth the money only if you stay in a harbour-view room. They have the two best views in the city, because, unlike any other hotels with harbour views, there are no intervening buildings between the hotels and the harbour. The IC is the slightly more upscale hotel, and the second-floor lounge is fabulous (excellent breakfast and evening appetizers). My only fault with the IC is its somewhat isolated location: to get to Nathan Road and the main part of Tsim Tsa Shui, you have to walk through a pedestrian tunnel that's not the world's most welcoming. (On the other hand, the IC is right next to the Promenade, and you don't have to go through the tunnel to reach the Star Ferry. Main advantage of the Shang is its easier access to the shops and restaurants of TST (no tunnel), and its significantly lower price compared to the IC.

Late Nov. is a perfect time for HK -- weather is dry and cool. With a little luck, some of the Christmas lights will be up, esp. on the harbour-facing buildings.

Thanks, everyone.

Don: <i>only if you stay in a harbour-view room</i>

Oh, that's a given. Anything else, and ms_go would have my head!

And thanks for the IC vs. Shang info... that's good stuff to know.

we loved our days at the jw Marriott (harbor view) on the island last year---1st time staying on the island...many times in Kowloon, but always down market..

C's info is always 100%.

Sh-la is a terrific location for sure.

I have a discount site for the I/C if you want it---friends and family.

I am of course partial to the IC, or I won't have my wedding banquet there.

I agree it is a hassle to cross Salisbury Rd, but going through the West Rail Station isn't that bad. The route is more attractive than the older tunnel leading to the Sheraton.

mr_go we are off to Hong Kong in November too. I had to cancel our trip in May due to a death in the family. I had chosen the IC.

This time our daughters and granddaughter are coming too so we had to choose somewhere cheaper to cater to their budgets. Chose the Salisbury.

I hope your trip is all you hope for.

Glad to know there may be Xmas lights up when we are there.

Wonderful choice!

Great choice! We went Thanksgiving week last year and went to Macau too. We stayed at the Sofitel in Macau and were quite happy with it. Be sure to eat lunch one day at Lung King Heen in the Four Seasons in HK. Best dim sum I've ever had. Particularly the bbq pork buns. Be sure to make a reservation. Seriously one of the best meals ever.

October fun, glad you have rescheduled your trip and will get to go too!

Hi, thanks everyone--this is all very helpful. We've been busy this weekend (currently in Madison, Wisconsin) so haven't worked on this further, but hopefully we'll get back to it early next week.

Our trip is actually a little more towards the middle of November, before Thanksgiving. Florida1, great to hear that you liked the Sofitel in Macau, as we've booked that for two nights. For the first six nights, we've booked Butterfly on Wellington.

I find HK highly artificial compared to BA. Sure, good public transport to the next Mall but beyond the Mall and luxury hotel, there ain't much real accessible life to experience in HK, IMO. HK is governed by the rich for the rich and powerful, is high-rise for the masses, rather sterile with expensive restaurant food of marginal taste. It's all imported you know. Yes, some English spoken, maybe more than BA, if that makes you feel good. But probably HK is safer at night. There is hardly any history in HK, it's all gone down for the next Mall. Well, i found BA more interesting to visit and the golf more accessible and far, far cheaper than HK. BA seems more relaxed and at ease despite various political/economic ailments. HK stressed out, always. IMO.

I am surprised that the Peninsula is not on your list. Their tower corner suites would be my choice over the IC or the Shangri-La. While you may like the look of the pool at the IC, which is quite something, in November you may not want to do very much swimming in it. This will depend on luck of the weather, but it typically is cool to actually cold by then (could be in the 50s F). So choosing a hotel for the pool in November would not be high on my list. (The Penn has a partial indoor pool, so you could swim in November and sit partially indoors if you get a cool day, or sit out on their deck if you get a warm one.)

I also have to say that a harbour view room on say the 110th floor of the Ritz-Carlton would be spectacular -- IF you get clear weather. Their indoor infinity pool (about 105th floor) makes you feel like you are falling into the harbour, and has great sunsets. The issue with November is that is when the air pollution is usually bad. The winter winds blow the pollution to Hong Kong (summer winds keep it away; views this summer have been fantastic, on some days you can see Macau from parts of Hong Kong.) However, in November you can -- if you are lucky -- get crystal clear days too, so that would make the Ritz a good choice. The location frankly is a drawback, but as you will already have spent a good bit of time in Hong Kong by that point, you won’t feel the need to rush around and see things. So you may not mind the isolation. The MTR line is in the basement (Kowloon Station), so it’s a good location for things like going out to Lantau to see the Buddha, do a walk/hike and have lunch on the beach. It’s walkable (albeit 15 minutes or so) to the Austin Station which can take you to other parts of Hong Kong. But if you don’t elect to stay at the Ritz-Carlton, you can always go for a drink, meal or spa treatment (you get to use the pool with a spa treatment).

Butterfly on Wellington is a great location, it would be hard to find someplace more smack in the middle of trendy restaurants and little boutiques, but then also next door to the wonderful Peel Street market area with stalls selling paper goods for the dead and live fish along with street butchers and <i>dai pai dong </i> stalls for noodles and other tidbits. Easily walkable to Central and the Star Ferry.

Finally, as I have said before, any who thinks that there is no “real life experience” in Hong Kong has not gone to the right places. (I would note that Buenos Aires has plenty of malls, too.) I am shaking my head over the complaint about the lack of golf in Hong Kong – as going to Hong Kong for the golf is like going to Ireland for the Chinese food; but I was interested to learn that golf is something that qualifies as a “real life experience” that a tourist would want to see. Funny me, I thought that golf was more of an elite game played by the rich and powerful….

Cicerone: Thank you so much for your response! We have read some of your very informative posts on HK with great interest, and we appreciate your insight.

The Penn in Bangkok is our all-time favorite hotel (so far), so we did have initial interest in checking it out this time...but were discouraged by the stratospheric prices of the deluxe harbor view rooms. It's a special occasion, but not 900-per-night special.

As for the pool...you'll have to talk to my lovely bride.

Thanks again!

My thanks, as well.

I would love to stay at the Peninsula, but from research to this point I'm struggling with the price difference between that and the others. A harbor-view room at the Intercontinental is already more than we've ever spent per night on a hotel room...and the Pen and Ritz are about $300 per night over that. But, we're still searching and considering...

Point taken on the pool and weather in November. In any event, not looking to spend much (if any) time <i>in</i> the pool, but spending some time on the deck on a decent-to-nice day (if we were to get one) would be appealing. And since we're coming from Chicago, it doesn't need to be extremely warm for me to enjoy that...although 50s might be borderline!

Glad to hear your thoughts on the location for Butterfly on Wellington. I did a little "exploring" on Google Street View last week and it looks like a location we will enjoy.

do you have any pts available... HK is the perfect place to use them no matter which hotel you stay at. prices are just so outrageous, $$ outweigh location and amenities...

Mr_Go, I looked at the street view since you mentioned it and it makes me want to go back!

Hi Bob, no hotel points of any significance. We do have lots of airline miles (United and American), although when I've looked in the past, the value per mile for hotel bookings hasn't been as good as I can get using them for award tickets or upgrades...but I'll check into that some more.

Another reason to save the $300 per night...to help pay for our tickets to come to the Boston GTG, which I am looking at booking very soon!

shortly I will send out the email for reservations for the boston GTG... you are on the list. it may be similar to a short trip to BA or HK

Well, Cicerone, you can answer your own question on whether golf is an elite game only for the rich and powerful simply by coming to Sai Kung and asking a sampling of people who exit the golf ferry, 3 ferries each hour from 7 am to 9 pm, whether each man considers himself a rich and powerful person indulging in an elite game. You will also find that about 98% of ferry riders are Chinese people. There is more to life than mindless shopping for cheap goods, eating noodles and looking out the hotel window. 'What do you do with your excess money?' is a reasonable inquiry for each of us to consider. Gold, guns, cars, food to obesity, shoes, USD300 per night hotel rooms, HKD300 per bowl shark fin soup? All are possible and indulged in daily. Golf too.