a guide to Hong Kong hotels

Statue of Hong Kong Film Awards, Ave. of the Stars, Kowloon (c) 2015 David Ourisman

Hong Kong is one of the world's most interesting cities. Whether you're traveling there for business, or just using HKG as a hub to elsewhere in Asia, it's worth an extended stay. Where should you stay when visiting Hong Kong?

Here are the questions I ask my clients:

1) Do you want to be on Hong Kong island itself ... or on Kowloon? Hong Kong is the old city with its narrow streets, small shops and restaurants, and the world's longest outdoor escalator. Kowloon is contemporary with modern shopping centers, and it boasts killer views of Hong Kong over Victoria Harbour (see my picture above).

2) Do you prefer traditional Asian hotels ... or contemporary hotels?

3) Do you want a view of Victoria Harbour from your room?

4) Do you want to be in Central? Or another way of asking the question: how comfortable are you with the subway system?

With these questions in mind, here are my tips on where to stay in Hong Kong:

Peninsula Hong Kong has recently finished a thorough renovation, and the results are absolutely stunning. A traditional hotel, located in Kowloon, many guests enjoy the sheer luxury of round-trip airport transfers in a Rolls Royce and the uniformed Peninsula doormen who open the doors when you enter its magnificent Lobby. Rooms in the tower have commanding views of the harbour.

Four Seasons Hong Kong is one of the finest city hotels in the world with superb service, large and beautiful rooms, and a great view of the harbour. FS Hong Kong is the only hotel in the world with two three-star Michelin restaurants, and the rooftop infinity pool overlooking the harbour is something special.

Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is located right in Central. A traditional Asian hotel with dark carved wood decorating the lobby ... and its Harbour Rooms come with a coveted view of the harbour.

Ritz Carlton Hong Kong has the distinction of being the highest hotel in the world. Occupying the top floors of the tallest building in Hong Kong, you're sometimes above the clouds! The Club Lounge has wine on tap ... and the Island Harbour View rooms have a birds-eye perspective on Victoria Harbour.

InterContinental Hong Kong has the best view of all. Located in Kowloon right on the boardwalk, guests staying in Harbour View rooms have an unobstructed view of the harbour and Hong Kong beyond... a perfect place to sit and watch the evening light show (while listening to the music through your in-room TV).

Upper House is a special hotel. The lobby feels like a living room, and guest rooms are extremely spacious and beautiful. Located a couple of subway stops north of Central, if you're comfortable using public transportation, this could be the place for you in Hong Kong.


Tip: for a better-than-internet deal, book these hotels through a Virtuoso, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Peninsula Pen Club, Mandarin Oriental FAN Club, Ritz Carlton STARS travel consultant for free breakfasts, upgrades, hotel credits, and more.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

InterContinental Paris Le Grand | feedback

There's a lot to like about the InterContinental Paris Le Grand, well located right across from the Opera Garnier with convenient access to the Opera Metro station. The Virtuoso amenities include an automatic upgrade from the lead-in Classic room to a Superior room category, and all Virtuoso guests receive complimentary access to the Club Lounge. Less expensive than the true five star hotels of Paris,  IC Paris Le Grand represents a good value in a right bank hotel.

However … I have received poor feedback in recent months, both from my own clients and from those of other Brownell travel consultants. When the hotel is full (Le Grand is a large hotel with 470 rooms), it doesn't seem to be able to keep up with the service requirements of guests.

Long delays checking in — Arriving at the front desk at the normal check-in time of 2 p.m., my clients were told by an indifferent receptionist that their room wasn't ready. In full hearing of my client, the receptionist then phoned housekeeping and requested that they start to clean the room. My client was then informed that it would likely take two hours for her room to be ready. (My Brownell colleague reported that her client was unable to check in until 7 p.m. after an early afternoon arrival).

Indifferent concierge service — In response to a question about English-language tours of the Opera Garnier, the Club Lounge concierge was dismissive. "She replied that we'd have to go down and ask the downstairs concierge," wrote my client. "Couldn't get us away fast enough." After waiting a few minutes in line at the crowded concierge desk in the Lobby, they decided to cross the street to the opera and get the information themselves. Discovering that they had missed the English tour by 15 minutes, she commented that this "probably wouldn't have happened had the first concierge seemed remotely interested in helping us."

Similar concierge failures were experienced with requests for restaurant reservations (not handled in a timely manner) and with a simple request to print a boarding pass (she was told to print it herself).

If you want to pay four-star prices and have four-star expectations, InterContinental Paris Le Grand is a good choice. But if you want true five star luxury in a Paris hotel, there are much better options. Feel free to contact me for suggestions.


InterContinental Paris Le Grand (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

luxury hotels in Paris | my recommendations

He was planning a five-day visit to Paris in November and sent me a very brief email: any hotel recommendations? I usually recommend one of three luxury hotels in Paris.

In the 300€ range — InterContinental Paris Le Grand. The hotel is very well located, right next to the Paris Opera House, steps from the main store of the Galleries Lafayette, and right over a Metro station. It's one of the largest hotels in Paris. Napoleon wanted his capital to have a Grand Hotel, just like the other great European cities, and this hotel was built to fulfill that ambition. Lead-in rooms are a bit on the small side, but if you're looking for a good value on the Right Bank, Le Grand is a good choice. Virtuoso guests receive discounted rates, an automatic upgrade from the lead-in Classic Room to a Superior, and free access to the hotel's private Club Lounge where you can have a daily breakfast buffet for up to three guests and enjoy full "grazing rights" during the day - snacks, hors d'oeuvres, and cocktails in the evening (access normally costs 120€ daily).

In the 500€ range — Le Meurice. This is my personal favorite hotel in Paris. It has the perfect location right on the Jardin des Tuileries. You can walk straight across the park to the Musée d'Orsay, turn right and get to the Place de la Concorde, or turn left for a short walk to the Louvre and Notre Dame. One of the "palace hotels" of the city, Le Meurice has a very Parisian feel. Virtuoso guests enjoy discounted rates, a Full American breakfast daily (by room service, if you wish), and are upgraded if available.

In the 800€ range — Four Seasons George V. The George V is one of the great hotels of the world, totally renovated by Four Seasons and imbued with the warm service for which Four Seasons hotels are so well known. Possibly the most luxurious and elegant hotel in the city, everyone who enjoys luxury hotels should have the opportunity to experience Le George. Because I am with a Four Seasons Preferred Partner agency, my clients receive a full American breakfast daily (served through in-room dining, if you wish), a $100 spa credit, and will be upgraded if available upon check-in.

To get a quote for specific dates, as well as full list of amenities, just drop me an email.


luxury hotels in Paris (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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luxury in Paris for $500 a night?

I regularly read a number of travel forums just to see the kinds of questions that travelers are asking. A poster recently asked for recommendations for a February stay in Paris. This is her Paris hotel wish list.

• well-located with access to the metro
  
• a genuine King bed
  
• a walk-in shower
  (not a hand-held shower thingy in the bathtub)
  
• $500 per night

Here are my top two suggestions for luxury in Paris for $500 a night:

Le Meurice has the perfect location in the heart of Paris. Step out the front door, cross the rue de Rivoli, and you're in the Jardin des Tuileries. Walk straight across the park, and you're at the Musee d'Orsay. Or turn left for a short walk to the Louvre. Or turn right for a short walk to the Place de la Concorde. You can easily reach the major attractions in the center of Paris by foot (or there's a Metro entrance right across the street to go anywhere in the city).

The smallest of the palace hotels of Paris, Le Meurice has a very Parisian feeling as well as its own, elegant three-star Michelin restaurant. For some great values, a Virtuoso travel consultant can get you 10% off the best available flexible rate, a full American Breakfast daily via room service or in the hotel's restaurant, and an upgrade if available. For a February booking, I can likely get you a confirmed upgrade at booking. Putting in a set of dates in February, 440€ can get you a Classic Queen room (about $550 per night) - and you're in a five-star hotel that deserves every one of those stars.

Need to spend less? Consider the InterContinental Paris Le Grand. This hotel was built because Napoleon wanted Paris to have a Grand hotel like the other European capitals, and Napoleonic red is found throughout the property (notably in the hallway carpeting). Virtuoso guests get the benefit of a 10% discount off the best available flexible rate and free Lounge access - where you'll get a complimentary daily breakfast, snacks, drinks, and cocktails throughout the day. For the same set of dates in February, 315€ ($398) gets you into a Superior room, 366€ ($463) into an Executive Room, and 391€ ($494) into a Deluxe Room with a view of the Paris Opera.


Note: these are the rates available July 9 for a three night stay, 2FEB-3NT. Rates are subject to change until booked.

luxury in Paris (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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the luxury hotels of Hong Kong

Upscale travelers visiting Hong Kong have the choice of many luxury hotels. This is a brief review of six 5 star hotels, each of which is a member of the Virtuoso network. Virtuoso guests benefit from special negotiated rates and receive significant amenities that include complimentary daily breakfasts, upgrades on arrival if available, and more.

Hong Kong or Kowloon? Your most basic decision is that of location. Business travelers tend to stay in Hong Kong as it is the location of financial institutions and the convention center. Kowloon is the choice of many leisure travelers. Just a short and inexpensive ride away by the Star Ferry or subway, Kowloon offers a stunning view of the Hong Kong skyline. After dark, especially, the view of the lights of Hong Kong over the harbour is simply stunning, and the shopping malls stay open much later. In fact, you can shop well into the early hours of the morning at the Night Market and the Ladies Market.

For visitors who choose to stay in Hong Kong...

The Mandarin Oriental offers the grandeur of a classic hotel that recently completed an extensive renovation. From the moment you enter the lobby, you will be struck by the elegance of the black marble floors and ornate gilded Oriental carvings. With 502 guest rooms, the Mandarin Oriental offers great dining; its restaurants located on the top floor provide stunning views of the harbour and city. My favorite room categories are the Premier and Harbour rooms. Some will prefer the more contemporary styling of the Verandah rooms; be sure to mention this preference to your travel consultant.

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental offers a modern, contemporary feeling. The sister property of the Mandarin Oriental, the hotel is directly connected to the Landmark shopping mall. As with the MO, you can walk to the rest of the Central district via enclosed, air conditioned walkways. I loved the clean elegance of this property. Guestrooms feature floors of hardwood and black marble. The L600 Deluxe and L600 Spa Corner rooms are absolutely wonderful Jr. Suites. Beautiful bathrooms feature circular jacuzzi tubs, separate showers, and dual sinks. There is a spacious sleeping area and discrete living room as well. New in 2008 are some great amenities including a VIP greeting at the aircraft gate upon arrival at the Hong Kong airport, and this is just the beginning. Contact me for a complete description of the Virtuoso amenities.

The Four Seasons Hotel is a third wonderful choice in Hong Kong. With a location convenient to the financial center, this is the property of choice for many business travelers. The building features stunning contemporary architecture, an atrium 30 meters high, a Club Lounge with the most amazing view of the harbour, and rooftop swimming pools with a full view of the harbour and Kowloon.

For visitors who choose to stay in Kowloon...

The Langham Hotel is the value leader of the luxury properties of Kowloon. The property is just about to open its newly refurbished Grand Rooms. From the moment you enter through their burled wood doors, you will be struck by the clean, elegant styling of the brand new decor. These rooms offer complimentary broadband internet and all the Virtuoso amenities at a very attractive price. Others may prefer Club Floor rooms which include Club access and complimentary one-way airport transfers. (Warning: the Club has a freezer full of Haagen-Dazs personal-sized ice cream cartons!)

The Inter Continental is located right on the harbour and offers absolutely perfect views of Hong Kong's skyline and Avenue of Stars from the windows of Harbourview rooms. A great outdoor pool area provides guests with a resort feeling, and the property offers great restaurants. Virtuoso guests at the InterContinental receive complimentary access to the biggest buffet breakfast I have ever seen. For an additional charge, guests receive Club access which provides all-day grazing rights (including Dom Perignon champagne).

The Peninsula is the classic old grand hotel on Kowloon. This property has the traditional feeling of a British colonial hotel, presents a beautiful Afternoon Tea, and provides Rolls Royce limousines for its guests. I was impressed by the Grand Deluxe Kowloon View guest rooms with very interesting views of the city. Then I was blown away by the Deluxe Harborview corner suites. Ask for one of these suites on the western side of the property, and enjoy a view of the harbour from your living room, bedroom, and soaking tub.


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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