World City Guide

Hotels

All hotel bills are subject to 10% service charge and 3% government tax.

The prices quoted below are the starting prices for a double room per night, including breakfast and excluding service charge and tax, unless otherwise specified.

Business

Conrad Hong Kong
One of the Pacific Place hotels in Admiralty, attached to the luxury shopping mall and Hong Kong Park, the Conrad vies for supremacy with the Island Shangri-La next door. Some would argue that the Conrad has slightly less elegance but its facilities are exceptional and meals next to its swimming pool overlooking central Hong Kong are a civilised pleasure. Business facilities are second to none, with nine banquet and meeting rooms, including one of Hong Kong’s largest ballrooms and a comprehensively equipped business centre.

Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
Tel: 2521 3838. Fax: 2521 3888.
E-mail: hongkonginfo@conradhotels.com
Website: www.conrad.com.hk
Price: From HK$2,850

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
One of Hong Kong’s premier hotels, the Grand Hyatt features a lavishly decorated lobby, with gigantic columns, huge vases of fresh lillies and shining marble. Rooms are appropriately sumptuous for five stars and recently redesigned with state-of-the-art in-room technology. Conference facilities include a grand ballroom and 20 function rooms. The hotel also adjoins the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for easy access to events held there. There are full business facilities, including a grand ballroom and 20 function rooms with complete communications infrastructure. Sports and recreational amenities include a full-size pool.

1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
Tel: 2588 1234. Fax: 2802 0677.
E-mail: info@grandhyatt.com.hk
Website: http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com
Price: From HK$3,600

Hotel InterContinental Hong Kong:
A five-star landmark right on the Kowloon waterfront, the InterContinental (originally the Regent, before it was bought out in 2001) is a favourite business destination. It offers a magnificent prospect of the skyscrapers of Central, both from many of its 600 rooms (there are over 600 of those) and lobby bar, surpassing even The Peninsula in this respect. The view over the rim of its outdoor Jacuzzi is just as fabulous, making for stylish late-night dips. Its ballroom is claimed to be Hong Kong’s largest, able to accommodate almost 2,000 cocktail guests. Conference and business facilities are equally lavish.

18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel: 2721 1211. Fax: 2739 4546.
E-mail: hongkong@interconti.com
Website: www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com
Price: From HK$3,100.

Island Shangri La Hotel
Part of the hotel complex on the hillside above the Pacific Place luxury shopping mall in Admiralty, the Island Shangri-La is a five-star glass tower offering all international top-level services and amenities, as well as appropriately fabulous views. It boasts that its 565 rooms include the largest on Hong Kong Island. All rooms are data enabled with high-speed Internet connections. The Island Shangri-La’s location allows immediate access to transport to everywhere in Hong Kong, from Central to the Peak Tram, while guests desiring a reflective pause from the frantic shopping at Pacific Place can always take a stroll in Hong Kong Park behind the hotel.

Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Admiralty
Tel: 2877 3838. Fax: 2521 8742.
E-mail: isl@shangri-la.com
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Price: From HK$2800.

Luxury

Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
Overlooking Victoria Harbour, from its perch right in the middle of Central, Hong Kong’s five-star representative of the Mandarin Oriental chain is a byword for elegance. Its tearooms and buffets enjoy a loyal following from rich tai-tai wives to romancing couples. Business travellers are equally well catered for, with full facilities including Internet access from guestrooms and 13 function rooms to accommodate conferences and events. The black and gold lobby area has style to spare with a somewhat recherché Art Deco flavour. Top-class dining options include Vong (see Restaurants) and the ground-floor Mandarin Grill, while favourite bars include the Chinnery and the Captain’s Table.

5 Connaught Road, Central
Tel: 2522 0111. Fax: 2530 0180.
E-mail: mohkg-reservations@mohg.com
Website: www.mandarin-oriental.com
Price: From HK$3,200 plus 10% service charge and 3% government tax.

The Peninsula
Quite simply one of the world’s best hotels. The jewel in the crown of Kowloon’s waterfront hospitality palaces, The Peninsula is a colonial foundation dating from 1928, which has kept its supremacy well into the post-colonial era. Comprehensive, modern facilities embellish period grandeur. The tearooms at street level are appropriately magnificent – Noel Coward could walk in any time and feel right at home. The hotel affords magnificent harbour views from some suites; it also boasts top-class restaurants, including the celebrated Philippe Starck Felix bar-restaurant, and even offers city helicopter trips from its roof-top heli-pad.

Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2920 2888. Fax: 2722 4170.
E-mail: pen@peninsula.com
Website: www.peninsula.com
Price: From HK$3,000.

Moderate

Bishop Lei International House
An economical three-star hotel and hostel on Robinson Road, owned and operated by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, the Bishop Lei is on the escalator that runs between Mid-Levels and Central. The rooms are small but comfortable, with en suite bathrooms and many offer splendid panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the towers of Central. Decor is simple but clean and well maintained. The Bishop Lei offers reasonable, basic business facilities, including a business centre and function room. Other amenities include a swimming pool. There is also a free shuttle bus service to Wan Chai and the Airport Express station in Central.

4 Robinson Road, Mid-Levels
Tel: 2868 0828. Fax: 2868 1551.
E-mail: resvtion@bishopleihtl.com.hk
Website: www.bishopleihtl.com.hk
Price: From HK$493.

YMCA – The Salisbury
A popular economy hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, near the main tourist centres on the Kowloon Side of the harbour, The Salisbury offers the same harbour views as The Peninsula next door, without the price. The hotel has a business centre, some conference facilities and function rooms, as well as most other modern facilities, although aspects of the hotel, such as the dated Art Deco lobby furniture, do show its age. Rooms are simple but comfortable and hotel rather than hostel style. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms. In true YMCA style, there are also extensive sports and exercise facilities, including two indoor pools.

41 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui West, Kowloon
Tel: 2736 0922. Fax: 2405 0922.
Website: www.ymca-hotels.com/hongkong/ymcasalisbury
Price: From HK$600.

Other Recommendations

Holiday Inn Golden Mile
Kowloon’s representative of the Holiday Inn chain is situated right on Nathan Road, the Golden Mile of shops and souvenir stalls. Its 600 rooms are furnished and equipped to the usual Holiday Inn standard and it makes an excellent choice for business travellers on a budget, with a luxurious feel that belies its four-star category. Its Crystal Ballroom, three Crystal Rooms and two Jade Suite function rooms provide full resources for events and business functions.

50 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui West, Kowloon
Tel: 2369 3111. Fax: 2369 8016.
E-mail: reserv@goldenmile.com
Website: www.goldenmile-hk.holiday-inn.com
Price: From HK$1,030.

Regal Airport Hotel
Part of the massive infrastructure project at Chek Lap Kok Airport on Lantau Island, the Regal Airport Hotel would never win prizes for convenient proximity to Central or Kowloon but it did win Business Traveller Asia Pacific’s 2004 award for Best Airport Hotel in Asia Pacific for the fourth consecutive year. It is also a good hotel for transit travellers and anyone else who requires four-star accommodation in this vicinity. With 1,103 rooms, this is one of Hong Kong’s largest hotels. The airport itself is just a five-minute walk by covered walkway and Airport Express trains put Central only 23 minutes away. The hotel has a grand ballroom and over 16 function rooms for business guests. Its spacious facilities lately have made it a favourite venue for raves and other parties.

9 Cheong Tat Road, Chek Lap Kok, Lantau
Tel: 2286 8888. Fax: 2286 8686.
E-mail: rah.info@regalhotel.com
Website: www.regalairport.com
Price: From HK$2,200.