Nice hotel. Reasonably priced.
by - Written: Aug 18 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice rooms and great service beyond reception.
Cons: You will wait for your room and you may have to wait in lines.
The Bottom Line: If you want to stay on Hong Kong island, this is a great choice for those on a budget who don't want to sacrifice quality.
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| mistsy's Full Review: Harbour Plaza North Point |
The Harbour Plaza North Point is a very nice hotel comparable to a Ramada or average Marriott.
Sometimes you see it rated or advertised as a 4 star hotel but I don't think that's quite accurate. 3.5 or 3 is more realistic, although this is quite a nice property.
If you read reviews around the net you'll find lots of complaints about the location of the hotel and problems with room choice.
The location, to me, was superb for the price. It is on Hong Kong island and to be in the thick of things, you'll easily pay $300 or more per night. You can stay here for "just" $80-100. That's cheap for Hong Kong. You will find comparable quality in Kowloon at about this price, but Kowloon is not Hong Kong island.
The area is boring, to be sure, but the hotel is just a block from the metro (subway) and right outside the hotel are trams and buses, including a direct line to the airport for under $6. Two or three stops brings you right to the heart of Hong Kong for $1 or so in just minutes.
Many complain about the lack of amenities in the area. There is no nightlife here. There's a prison or some such across the street. It's not very attractive but it feels safe and it's nice and quiet at night. Restaurants abound but they are local, authentic, and cheap. I found them wonderful and tasty but those seeking upscale dining in the area will be limited to the hotel. I'd rather have homemade dim sum for $5 along the back streets.
There is a McDonald's nearby and a pretty bad supermarket. There are a couple of 7-11s as well.
Room choice is going to be a problem. If you reserve a king, you might get two queens. If you reserve a room with a view, you might not get it. This is troublesome if you pay extra for such things and I think this hotel is probably better suited for travelers not fussy about room location and bed type.
Other than location and room choice, I haven't heard many other complaints but there are a few other things to note.
The lobby is cramped but nice. Most of the space is occupied by a restaurant and there aren't enough places to sit for the number of guests at this hotel at any one time.
Reception is very professional but again cramped, to the point that you often encounter slow moving lines. There are only 2 or 3 people working in that area at any one time and they handle a bunch of other services that keep it busy, like providing change, exchanging money, etc., etc.
The hotel is very busy hosting conferences and tour groups and even a separate longterm stay, apartment-style accommodation. With this amount of people going in and out, they are chronically short of clean rooms.
It doesn't seem to matter when you check in between noon and 5pm as there is always a wait of about an hour. They put you on a list, give you a drink coupon, and send you on your way. Then you have to wait in the line again at the appointed time to get your room key. That's a real bother, especially if you've arrived from afar and are dead tired.
I was very well impressed with the concierge. Most of the time I find this service largely invisible and sort of an add-on expense. This hotel, however, knows concierge and does it well.
On exiting the taxi at arrival, they took charge of the luggage. The next time I saw it, it was in my room. No tipping expected, no hands out. Very nice.
On checkout, the luggage was brought down from the room and even brought across the street to the airport bus stop. Again, no tipping expected. I love that as when you do give a tip it is appreciated. A tip, after all, is supposed to be something extra, not a fee. If a tip is expected, it ought to be called a fee so you know what to pay and what to top it off with to reward excellent service.
Another nice thing about the concierge is that it is "real". They don't try to sell you hotel stuff or direct you to overpriced anything. I needed internet and they directed me to an internet "bar" at a fraction of the cost of the hotel's business center. They are also very friendly.
The hotel has many restaurants - I think 3 or 4. I didn't try them as hotel restaurants are invariably overpriced and mediocre. Maybe this hotel is different?
The rooms... well, I was coming here from China, home of the cement bed and stained rug, so I found the place exquisite. The beds were crispy white clean and the room immaculate. Looking back, the beds were a little hard and this is common for China. Expect this, but they were not uncomfortably hard.
Ice machines are on every floor. In-room tech is wireless or cabled and about $20 per day. You can have free internet for 15 minutes at any metro station and if you need more, internet "bars" are around.
Electrical outlets in the room are precious few and inconveniently located.
There is a room safe, a robe and slippers, cable tv with several English channels (mostly boring), ample hangers, hair dryer, and all of what you'd expect of a hotel of this class.
The bathroom was a little less than expected. There's no tub - just a shower. The little soaps and lotions were fine and replenished daily.
All in all, I think this place is a tremendous bargain for Hong Kong. It's a nice place with a few foibles. Perhaps not exactly in the center of things but so close.
If you are not price-sensitive, you will not like this location and you will prefer other properties that provide more personal attention, less wait, guaranteed room choice, and perhaps several other services.
If your budget is $100 night or less, this, I think, is an amazing value. The YMCA is not much cheaper and a vastly different, and downscale, experience.
I would stay here again anytime.
Recommended:
Yes
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