Features

Easy on the pocket

1 Jan 2006 by intern11

The new wave of budget boltholes brims with innovation. Andrew Dembina lifts the curtain on coming attractions

Many self-employed business travellers or those employed by budget-conscious companies can’t afford luxury hotels with their starting price for rooms rarely falling below US$200. While there has always been a ready supply of accommodation that suits this mid-range price bracket, of late, there has been a startling influx of new entries into the market, along with some refurbishments, where the choice has been to increase room numbers rather than install more restaurants and bars. Some even allow for a certain amount of in-room catering, while others have installed kitchen areas in the hope of attracting long-stayers who find the swankier serviced apartment operators beyond their means. Happy days lie ahead for the consumer.

HONGKONG

LANSON PLACE

133, Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hongkong, tel 852 3477 6888, www.lansonplace.com.hk

Launched last month, this property is one of a small chain – with similarly priced hotels in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The 194 rooms, while sleek and contemporary in design, are quite homey, thanks to generous use of wood panelling and cosy lighting.

Rooms start at a comfortably spacious 35sq m to 38sq m with compact kitchen areas and microwave ovens, while the top four categories are referred to as “residences”, each containing kitchenette and cooking utensils. Wireless broadband operates throughout the hotel.

Not only has Lanson Place done away with food and beverage outlets, but it has no reception area either,only a very small desk inside the entrance,though limousine services are available. It has a good location, just off the buzzing main drag of one of Hongkong’s most 24-hour neighbourhoods – Causeway Bay – overlooking vibrant Jardine’s Bazaar,with its noodle shops and tiny boutiques. Turn the corner and you are suddenly strolling past the world’s best luxury brand boutiques and stylish restaurants that make up Lee Gardens I and II malls.

? Price: Doubles from US$190. Also check the reasonable “soft opening packages” online.

EXPRESS BY HOLIDAY INN, CAUSEWAY BAY

33 Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay, Hongkong, tel 852 3558 6688, www.ichotelsgroup.com

With 269 rooms and an emphasis on reasonable rates, this all-new 20-floor property – part of a new expanding low-priced Holiday Inn brand – houses six restaurants and an unstaffed business centre.

A modern looking reception is run by proficient speakers of English, Mandarin and Japanese, while rooms have small built-in desktops, plenty of natural light and most have impressive cityscape views. All have a single- or double-sized sofa bed.

While the hotel building houses a number of restaurant concessions – including a Pizza Hut that has been given a new contemporary look, and a modern Japanese restaurant called Opus, inclusive breakfasts are served in Times Restaurant, which has moderately priced lunch and dinner menus and an adjoining cigar bar. Children eat for free.

The hotel has access to 700 off-site parking spaces, directly opposite the hotel building. A large variety of shops are just within walking distance, with the Time Square shopping mall and office building right opposite the hotel. An MTR station is also found close by.

? Price: Doubles from US$70

THE FLEMING

41 Wanchai Road, Hongkong tel 852 3607 2288, fax 852 3607 2299

With 66 spacious guestrooms and a downtown Hongkong Island location in Wanchai, The Fleming – open at the end of this month – is a very hip looking hotel with a yellow light box reception counter in its lobby and plenty of contemporary art on its walls. Roomy accommodation (up to 30sq m in executive studios) is modern in a minimalist way, with honey-toned wooden flooring and fixtures and warm lighting imparting cosiness.

In-room high-speed connections and compact kitchenettes throughout means that budget-saving work and dining space is well provided for. Flat screen LCD TV is standard, as are goose down duvets and fine bed linen. Executive rooms get a DVD player. A restaurant within the hotel offers international fare. Handicapped-friendly facilities and rooms exist.

Express check in and check out is standard at the 24-hour front desk, which also supplies a concierge service that never sleeps. The business and conference centre has secretarial services available. In the lobby, there is a currency exchange service, a car rental desk, a few boutiques and a small pharmacy. If you are considering bringing kids on your business trip, babysitting services are available.

? Price: Doubles from US$154. 

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD HOTEL

Penny’s Bay, Lantau Island, Hongkong, tel 852 1830 830, www.hongkongdisneyland.com

The mid-range hotel bracket in Hongkong has a newish alternative to a selection in a downtown location: Hongkong Disneyland on Lantau Island.

The more funky of the theme park’s two onsite accommodation options, Hollywood Hotel can be reached from Central on Hongkong Island in about an hour.

This property pays tribute in name and design to the golden age of movies – Hollywood’s show business heyday from the 1930s to 1950s. Designed in the Art Deco style with whimsical Mickey Mouse-inspired motifs, eight stories house 600 guestrooms in a U-shaped building arranged around an expansive lawn that features a grand piano-shaped pool.

Rooms, available with garden,park or sea views are,naturally,bright and cheerful and contain references to Mickey and the gang in motifs,from wallpaper to bedspread. All have broadband Internet connection. There is only one suite.

There are special bedtime stories screened on TV, wake-up calls from Mickey and plenty of children’s activities scheduled daily; not to mention the adjacent theme park itself. If you’re considering bringing your family on a work trip to Hong Kong, this could be the clincher.

? Price: Doubles from US$128.

SHENZHEN

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON

5 Guihua Road, Futian Free Trade Zone, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, tel 86 755 8359 9999, www.fourpoints.com/shenzhen

Part of the Sheraton’s budget-aware brand Four Points, this hotel in Cafu Square, a residential and retail complex, 10 minutes away from the Shenzhen Convention & Expo Centre and just a few minutes from the Huanggang border crossing with Hongkong, is modern and bright. Guestrooms are spacious and of 278, 21 are suites.

The latter benefit from a Comfort Bed with its ergonomic mattress, dual-line telephones and high-speed internet access.

Overlooking the Shenzhen River, the hills and wetlands of Hongkong’s New Territories are visible from most rooms. More than 860sq m of Wi-Fi meeting and banqueting facilities are complemented by the latest in AV presentation equipment. Six restaurants and bars cover all culinary bases. Panash, Shenzhen’s first pan-Asian restaurant has proved an instant hit. There’s even a swimming pool and gymnasium  available.The staff ’s English language ability (which could be improved with training) and the non-downtown location (around 25 minutes by taxi) are the only downsides here.

? Price: Doubles from US$120.

THE PANORAMA SHANGHAI

53 Huang Pu Road, Shanghai, China, tel 86 21 5393 0008, www.accorhotels.com/asia

In a great central location, on the northern tip of Shanghai’s famous waterfront, the Bund, within sight of the Huang Pu River, the192 all-suite units come in spacious one- to three-bedroom configurations, many with splendid sweeping views of the colonial architecture of the Bund and the river, across to the modern towers of Pudong. Elegant furnishings and a fully-equipped kitchen help make suites feel something of a home from home, and within the building, there is a reading room with a small library.

The Club restaurant serves quality Chinese and western fare and its lounge bar has great night views of the dazzling lights of Shanghai’s Pudong district across the river. A pretty large fitness centre offers steam and sauna rooms, a Jacuzzi pool and massage treatments. Retail therapy exists nearby too, with the city’s bustling Nanjing, Huai Hai, Sichuan and Jin Lin Roads all within strolling distance.

Rooftop multi-purpose function rooms, with high-tech AV equipment on standby, offer impressive meeting or event venues for gatherings of up to 50 people. English is not widely spoken by all staff but service is polite.

? Price: Doubles from US$120.

SYDNEY

KIRKETON

229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia tel 61 2 9332 2011, www.kirketon.com.au

This award-winning 40-room contemporary hotel, designed by architects Burley Katon Halliday is the flagship of Sydney-based Eight Hotels.

Nestled in the heart of Darlinghurst, a15 to 20-minute taxi ride from the airport, a recent soft renovation will be completed early in January 2006 by the addition of The Kirketon Bar & Dining Room on the ground floor, a chic restaurant with a French twist, the idea of locally renowned restaurateur James Ingram.

Though no fitness facilities exist on site, complimentary local gymnasium passes come with each room booking. Aveda bathroom amenities sit alongside The Kirkton’s own fruit-loaded products and a Hi-Fi stereo with CD player and video player are supplied in all rooms. Wireless broadband is available throughout, via the in-house LAN system. Small meeting and conference facilities and secure underground parking are offered.

Make sure you book well ahead; occupancy here is usually 95%.

? Price: Doubles from US$139.

MELBOURNE

GRAND MERCURE SWANSTON

195 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia tel  61 3 96634711, www.mercuregrandonswanston.com.au

Located in the heart of the city close to restaurants, theatres, nightlife and Melbourne’s best shopping, this hotel has 200 spacious rooms newly refurbished with modern colours, quality bed linen, stylish furniture and fittings.

The warm contemporary lobby sets the scene for the whole hotel: modern, relaxed and efficient. There are 161 queen-size bed rooms, 36 suites and three disabled-friendly rooms. There are also designated non-smoking floors.

ON15 restaurant on the 15th (top) floor overlooks the city centre. Diners can enjoy a la carte modern Australian fare and fine wines here in an elegant, candlelit atmosphere. Less formal is Seasons on the first floor, overlooking Little Bourke Street, Melbourne’s Chinatown. As if these two were not enough, there are also Mezza Bar & Grill and Soul Café, both casual outlets on the hotel’s ground level.

Other facilities include a heated rooftop pool and conference facilities. Express check in and check out are standard.

? Price: Doubles from US$114.

SINGAPORE

FURAMA CITY CENTRE

60 Eu Tong Sen Street, Singapore, tel 65 6533 3888, www.citycentre.furama.com

Following a recent US$12.9 million renovation, this Furama (not to be confused with its sister hotel, Furama Riverside Singapore) in the heart of Singapore is looking bright and super-swish. With its charcoal gray facade and green glass-enclosed balconies, it looks like a small apartment block for creative types.

Situated on the edge of colourfully painted Chinatown, a short walk from Boat Quay and Clarke Quay with the financial and civic districts a short cab hop away, there is a range of accommodation. High-speed internet access is available throughout this hotel, flat screen 29inch TVs are standard, as are DVD players and espresso coffee maker machines.

There are also 48 rooms and suites on the Executive Floors with free access to meeting room facilities, buffet breakfast and a pre-dinner cocktail lounge. Open to all guests is a lush terrace garden with a small landscaped swimming pool, outdoor Jacuzzi and gym. Find Wi-Fi points at common areas throughout the hotel including poolside and the coffee shop. Onsite restaurant choices include Chinese and Korean. Meeting and conference facilities can handle up to 600 attendees in the ballroom.

? Price: Doubles from US$115.

WATCH THIS SPACE

The horizon looks bright for the midrange hotel market, with several properties across the region polishing newly minted signs or preparing to launch shortly. Below are a few to watch out for.

In Hongkong, the Cosmo, sister property of Cosmopolitan Hotel in the Wanchai area, recently opened featuring colour-coded rooms (see Up front section) as did L’Hotel in the Tin Hau area, while a brace of products is set to open in the first quarter. These are Hotel LKF (www.rhombushotels.com ), which will house its own contemporary food and beverage outlets, overlooking the buzz of the trendy restaurant and bar area Lan Kwai Fong; Hotel Panorama (www.rhombushotels.com ), a gleaming new 324-room tower, in the heart of Kowloon’s bustling Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood; and the Novotel City Gate (www.accor.com) near the Hongkong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok.

In Sydney, Eight Hotels’ newest stylish addition will be Diamant (www.diamant.com.au ) due to open in mid- to late-2006; it will be a bit pricier than the Kirketon but will still be within the mid-price range.

Accor is launching its innovative Ibis economy brand in Bangkok with three hotels in key commercial areas, filling an important need for low-cost stays. These are: Ibis Siam Bangkok (189 rooms), five minutes from the popular Pratunam shopping area; Ibis Huamark Bangkok (288 rooms) near Huamark Stadium; and Ibis Fenix Bangkok (150 rooms), off busy Sukhumvit Road on Soi 11 near pubs and restaurants. As with all Ibis hotels, they will offer one bar and one restaurant. The first two Ibis hotels are opening this month, with Ibis Fenix Bangkok late 2006.

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