Hotel check: JW Marriott Hong Kong

Published: 28/09/2009 - Filed under: Archive » 2009 » October 2009 » Tried and Tested » Tried & Tested » Hotels » Tried & Tested » Tried & Tested » Hotels » Hong Kong »

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What’s it like? JW Marriott’s flagship property in Asia-Pacific completed a renovation of all its rooms and many of its public areas in September. Works were ongoing at the time of my visit in June, particularly near the entrance, where a new hotel – the Upper House – is set to open this month above the Marriott. The lobby has huge windows looking down over various buildings, and beyond, the harbour.

Where is it? On Hong Kong Island. It is one of several tall buildings standing above Pacific Place, and has direct access via a shopping centre to Admiralty MTR underground station.

Room facilities The 602 rooms and suites are on floors eight to 35 of the 50-storey building, and most have mountain, city or harbour views. Entry-level King/Double rooms have all been refurbished and feature large glass workdesks and ergonomic chairs, and a “jack pack” with plenty of plugs (UK and adapters for other types). This allows guests to view their laptop or iPod through a 42-inch flatscreen TV, which pulls out from the wall and can be angled towards the bed or desk. By the side of the bed is a panel for controlling the blackout curtains and lights, and there is also an iron/ironing board, a laptop safe, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Bottles of mineral water are free, a bonus when minibar prices start from HK$60 (£4.80) for a can of Pepsi. In addition, there is a welcome bowl of fresh fruit, and a cleaning service twice a day.

The hotel has installed LED lights in the minibar and above the picture frames to save energy, and for once, when I hung up my towel in the bathroom, it was not replaced. Wired and wireless internet access costs HK$120 (£9.50) per day and was reasonably quick. Executive rooms are on floors 31 to 35 and come with L’Occitane toiletries and access to the Executive lounge on floors 33 and 34, which was renovated in September.

Restaurants and bars The main restaurant is the Marriott Café on the fifth floor, which serves a buffet breakfast and à la carte lunch and dinner. There is also JW’s California for sushi, sustainable fish and steaks including Meyer beef, which has no growth stimulants, steroids or antibiotics. On level seven is the Fish Bar and an outside seating area, which is the only place to smoke in the hotel. There’s also the Lounge on level four, which sports a wide range of teas and alcoholic drinks, and the noodle bar, where you can make your own stir-fry or salad. Q88 is a stylish wine bar offering 40 vintages by the glass and 170 by the bottle – it has a new private space called the Riedel room. Man Ho Chinese restaurant on level three reopened in August after a refurbishment.

Business and meeting facilities The business centre is on the lower ground floor and the ten meeting spaces include the JW Marriott ballroom, which was renovated last year and can seat almost 800 people for a banquet. There are also two function rooms on the 30th floor. Free wifi is available in the public areas, meeting rooms and eateries.

Leisure facilities A good-sized 24-hour health club can be found on the lower ground floor, with free weights and cardiovascular machines. There’s also an outdoor heated pool on the seventh floor, and a spa offering a sauna and massages on request.

Verdict Looking well refreshed and with new “greener” credentials, the JW Marriott is an excellent upmarket hotel in a superb position.

Fact file

How many rooms? There are 602 rooms, including 25 suites and five Executive floors.

Room highlights The good-sized workdesk and the “jack pack”, which ensured good internet access, power charging and allowed me to view my laptop through the TV. The higher floors have great views of the harbour and the Peak.

Price Internet rates for a midweek stay in October started from HK$3,630 (£282) for a King room.

Contact JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway; tel +852 2810 8366; marriott.co.uk

Tom Otley