The Best Splurge Hotels
Hotel InterContinental Hong Kong(18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui; tel.800/327-0200in the U.S., or 852/2721 1211): No hotel lobby boasts a better view of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island than the light-infused lobby of this standout property, right at water's edge in Tsim Sha Tsui. State-of-the-art rooms (most with harbor views), a spa renowned for its anti-jet-lag and healing treatments, restaurants that are as fun as they are excellent, and free tai chi and yoga classes make this one of the city's top choices.Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong(8 Finance St., Central; tel.800/819-5053in the U.S., or 852/3196 8888): A strategic location near the Central Ferry Piers, Hong Kong Station (with direct access to the airport), MTR subway, and Central's financial district make this contemporary property number one for convenience. Yet it cocoons guests from the mad whirl of central Hong Kong with the best money can buy, including a luxury spa, outdoor pools and Jacuzzis with great harbor views, top-notch restaurants, and rooms to die for.The Peninsula(Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui; tel.800/462-7899in the U.S., or 852/2920 2888): The grand old dame of Hong Kong, this historic hotel, built in 1928, exudes elegance and colonial splendor, with one of the most famous, ornate lobbies in town, a must for afternoon tea. A tower, added in 1993, gave the Peninsula an edge over newer competitors by adding well-equipped, spacious rooms and a top-floor restaurant designed by Philippe Starck. A newly added spa, classes ranging from cooking to tai chi, Hong Kong's most venerable restaurants, and outstanding service assure this historic hotel a top rating despite newer and more glamorous competitors.Island Shangri-La Hong Kong(Pacific Place, Central; tel.866/565-5050in the U.S., or 852/2877 3838): There's no mistaking you're anywhere but Asia in Hong Kong Island's tallest hotel, adorned with lush Tai Ping carpets, artistic flower arrangements, and more than 500 paintings and artwork, including the world's largest Chinese landscape painting. Spacious rooms combine Asian touches (like Chinese lacquerware TV cabinets) with up-to-date technology (like LCD TVs and DVD players), but the top-floor French restaurant opts for old-world charm as it wows with one of the best dining views in Hong Kong.The Best Moderately Priced Hotels
Eaton Hotel(380 Nathan Rd., Yau Ma Tei; tel.800/223-5652in the U.S., or 852/2782 1818): This efficient hotel goes the extra mile, with free daily guided tours of the nearby Temple Street Night Market, a four-story glass-enclosed atrium lobby overlooking a garden terrace, a rooftop pool, and free Internet service in its cybercafe.Bishop Lei International House(4 Robinson Rd., Mid-Levels; tel.852/2868 0828): There's nothing fancy about this hotel, but I love its location near the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator in a residential neighborhood, its outstanding views from otherwise standard rooms, its coffee shop with an outdoor terrace, and its outdoor pool. A great choice for expat wannabes.Jia(1-5 Irving St., Causeway Bay; tel.852/3196 9000): Designed by Philippe Starck, this boutique hotel is Hong Kong's hippest, with 54 stylish rooms complete with kitchenettes and entertainment centers. Guests also enjoy a host of freebies, including free local calls, free Internet access, free breakfast and cocktail hour, free access to a nearby gym, and -- for long-staying guests -- a free massage.Lanson Place Boutique Hotel & Residences(133 Leighton Rd., Causeway Bay; tel.852/3477 6888): This Jia competitor offers much of the same at slightly lower prices, including upbeat, contemporary rooms with kitchenettes (and a welcoming basket of goodies), large LCD TVs, and DVD players (there's a free DVD library). Breakfast and wireless connections are also free.Best Hotel Bets
Choosing a favorite hotel in Hong Kong can be a bit overwhelming, if not impossible, because the choices are so vast and there are so many competitors. Few cities offer such a large number of first-rate hotels, and few places can compete with the service that has made the Hong Kong hotel industry legendary. With apologies to the rest, here are my personal favorites.
Best Historic Hotel:This category has no competition:The Peninsula,Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (tel.800/462-7899), Hong Kong's oldest hotel, has long been the grand old hotel of Hong Kong. Built in 1928 and boasting the most ornate lobby in Hong Kong, it retains the atmosphere of a colonial past, even down to its restaurants, Gaddi's and The Verandah, both of which have changed little over the decades. Even its new tower, with high-tech rooms and a trendy rooftop restaurant, only adds to the general aura.Best for Business Travelers:If you can afford it, spring for a room atThe Ritz-Carlton,3 Connaught Rd., Central (tel.800/241-3333), conveniently located right in the heart of Central's financial district. Small and intimate and filled with art and antiques, it seems more like an expensive apartment complex than a hotel; it offers rooms with sweeping harbor views; excellent service; a state-of-the-art business center; and a health club with a heated outdoor swimming pool. For even more pampering, executive floors offer special privileges, including a private lounge with complimentary snacks and drinks throughout the day. And for busy executives with no time for shopping, the hotel even offers personal shoppers.Best for a Romantic Getaway:Go to Macau, where theWestin Resort Macau,Estrada de Hac Sa on Colôane Island (tel.800/228-3000), has the perfect and most idyllic setting for those who want to get away from it all, with large rooms (each with private terrace) overlooking the sea, landscaped grounds, indoor and outdoor pools, and a nearby beach for moonlit walks.Best Trendy Hotel:Design guru Philippe Starck is the mastermind behindJia,1-5 Irving St., Causeway Bay (tel.852/3196 9000), a 57-room boutique hotel featuring whimsical furniture in its lobby but minimalist, high-tech decor and gadgets in its rooms. A slew of freebies (such as broadband access, continental breakfast, and evening cocktails), rooms that are divided into distinct living, dining, and working areas, and access to a couple of Hong Kong's hottest clubs make this a shoo-in for fashion-conscious travelers ready to burrow in.Best Budget Hotel:The overwhelming number-one choice has long beenThe Salisbury YMCA,Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (tel.800/537-8483), with a fantastic location right next to the prestigious (and very expensive) Peninsula and just a short walk from the Star Ferry. Rooms are simple but offer virtually everything (from cable TVs to wireless Internet access and coffeemakers); some even have stunning harbor views. Throw in two inexpensive restaurants, a health club, and laundry facilities, and you have more than enough to satisfy budget-minded vacationers who don't want to sacrifice location or convenience.Best Health Club:Most of Hong Kong's deluxe hotels boast state-of-the-art health clubs. But what I like most about the health club at theHotel InterContinental Hong Kong,18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui (tel.800/327-0200), is that it's open 24 hours a day, so you can work out when it fits your schedule. There's also an outdoor, filled-to-the-brim horizonless Jacuzzi that gives the illusion of flowing into the harbor, and a state-of-the-art spa that observes architectural rules for feng shui and specializes in jet-lag relief, cellulite, and Oriental treatments. And to top it off, this hotel even offers free tai chi and yoga classes for its guests.Best Hotel Pool:TheGrand Hyatt,1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai (tel.800/233-1234), andRenaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong,1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai (tel.800/228-9290), share one of Hong Kong's largest outdoor pools, surrounded by a lush, landscaped garden and with views of the harbor. In addition, the Grand Hyatt's spa also has a 50m lap pool.Best Spa:Spas are big business in Hong Kong, with many of the city's top hotels now offering a myriad of spa treatments. The Spa atFour Seasons Hotel Hong Kong,8 Finance St., Central (tel.852/3196 8333), exceeds the rest with treatments that begin with hydrotherapy, including a Finnish sauna, an amethyst crystal steam room with mother-of-pearl covered seating, a fountain that rains crushed ice flakes, and hot tubs, and continue at one of 18 treatment rooms. For the ultimate splurge, spring for one of the VIP suites, where after your massage you'll retire to your own jet bath overlooking the harbor. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get any better than this.Best Views:Most of Hong Kong's deluxe hotels boast harbor views, making this category the toughest. However, in my opinion, the best harbor views are from the Kowloon side, where you can feast your eyes not only on the boats plying the water but also on Hong Kong Island with its stunning architecture, Victoria Peak, and, at night, the shimmering of neon lights and laser-light extravaganza of Hong Kong's nightly Symphony of Lights. And no Tsim Sha Tsui hotel is as close to the water as theHotel InterContinental Hong Kong, built right over the harbor; as many as 70% of its rooms command sweeping views of the water and boast floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows, making the most of one of the world's most breathtaking city views.Best for Art Lovers:TheIsland Shangri-La Hong Kong,Pacific Place, Central (tel.800/565-5050), is a gorgeous hotel with more than 700 Viennese chandeliers, lush Tai Ping carpets, flower arrangements, and more than 500 paintings and artworks. But the clincher is the 16-story-high Chinese painting in the hotel atrium, drawn by 40 artists from Beijing and believed to be the largest landscape painting in the world.Best for Ex-Pat Wannabes:Mid-Levels has long been a favorite residential area for ex-pats living and working in Hong Kong.Bishop Lei International House,4 Robinson Rd., Mid-Levels (tel.852/2868 0828), is located about halfway up Victoria Peak, with great views from its smallish rooms. Nearby ethnic restaurants and neighborhood bars abound, but for a real taste of Mid-Levels living, travel the escalator that local residents use to get to and from their jobs in Central.
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