What’s it like? Having opened its doors in April 2008, it’s a very new hotel, although the building itself was an office block for 15 years. The property has 245 rooms (including five suites) over 25 floors with views over Hong Kong harbour. Forget all the preconceptions you have of Courtyard’s in the US – this is different.
I took the Airport Express to Central train station at a cost of HK$100 (£8.50) and then took a taxi to the hotel for HK$33 (£2.70). Alternatively, you can order a limo from the airport, get a taxi for about HK$350 (£30), or make use of the airport shuttle service for HK$150 (£12).
While there is no MTR (subway) within walking distance, the hotel operates a free shuttle bus on weekdays (7.30am-10am) to Shun Tak, IFC II, Pacific Place and Harbour Centre. (Get off at IFC if you want to take the MTR as the signage is better and the subway easier to find.)
Where is it? About 37km from Hong Kong International airport, to the west of Central near the Western Tunnel entrance, in what is really old-style Hong Kong. The nearest MTR station is Sheung Wan (4km to the east).
Room facilities There are three main room categories – Deluxe, Executive and Suite. The Deluxe and Executive rooms are identical in size and furnishings. The only difference is guests in the higher tier rooms have access to the Executive lounge. The furniture and décor were of a far higher standard than I expected.
My suite was on the corner of the building and consisted of two rooms. The living area was a good size and featured a large sofa with footrest, coffee table, large flat screen TV and Philips DVD Micro Theatre system that plays CDs, radio and DVDs via the TV. There was also a large table with desktop power and connections to the TV via built-in audio and video sockets (which allow you to play files stored on your laptop or other devices), a minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, and a wardrobe with a safe, iron, bathrobe and slippers inside. Wired and wireless internet is available in the room for HK$120 (£10) a day.
The bedroom was generous in proportion with a large king-size bed. (The linen and duvet were of a quality you might expect in a Marriott or JW Marriott hotel.) Rather than curtains, rooms have electric blinds. (Each window has a set of two – one for complete darkness and one to block out some light and provide privacy.) The bathroom area was at one end of the open-plan room and was fitted with cream and black marble, a bath (in suites only) and a walk-in rainshower (both with glass windows facing the bedroom). There was also a good selection of amenities, a hairdryer and scales.
Restaurants and bars There is one restaurant, MoMo Café, situated on the second floor. It is serves a breakfast buffet (HK$152/£13), lunch and dinner, and offers international cuisine cooked to order and at reasonable prices. (Dishes range from soups, salads and pizza, to pasta, sandwiches and burgers as well as Asian options.) There is also MoMo To Go in the lobby, which is open from 7am to 7pm and serves coffee, cake, sandwiches and soft drinks. Room service is available 24 hours a day.
Business and meeting facilities The Executive lounge on the sixth floor is open from 6.30am to 11pm. A free breakfast is served here from 6.30am to 10am (there is an adequate selection of hot and cold items), and cocktails and canapés are available free of charge from 6pm to 8pm. (Soft drinks are on offer all day.) There is also complimentary use of the meeting room for one hour per day and 15 minutes’ internet access. The business centre is part of the Executive lounge and is open from 6.30am to 11pm. The hotel’s only meeting room can also be found here and is suitable for boardroom-style meetings for up to 12 people.
Leisure facilities The fitness centre is located on the sixth floor and is open 24 hours a day. (Access is gained using your room key.) While the room is small, it has a couple of cardiovascular machines and some weights.
Price Room rates are from HK$1,550 (£130) for a Deluxe room with a HK$200 (£17) supplement for a harbour view and a HK$400 (£34) supplement for an Executive room. The five suites (all with harbour views) start from HK$3,000 (£252).
Verdict It’s not a five-star hotel but it delivers so much more than you would expect from a Courtyard. Service is good and the rooms are smart with everything you need in them. Your only compromise is location but cabs are cheap. A free shuttle bus will take you to various destinations in Central in the morning or a cab to will cost less than HK$30 (£2.50) to get to Quarry Bay. The savings made on the hotel room compared with staying in the centre more than offset these costs.
Contact Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong; 167 Connaught Road West; tel: +852 3717 8888; marriott.com.
Julian Gregory
