WHAT'S IT LIKE? A very modern hotel, which opened its doors in 2007. The building was an office block for 15 years, although you wouldn’t know it. The hotel has 240 rooms and five suites over 25 floors, with views over Victoria Harbour. Forget your preconceptions of Courtyard by Marriott properties – this one is different.
WHERE IS IT? About 37km from Hong Kong International airport, on Hong Kong Island to the west of Central near the Western Harbour tunnel entrance. The nearest MTR underground station is Sheung Wan (2.5 miles to the east). I arrived by taxi from the Airport Express train station, which cost HK$100 (£9) for the train and HK$33 (£3) for the taxi. Alternatively, from the airport you can order a limo, take a cab for about HK$350 (£31) or the airport shuttle for HK$150 (£13). The Courtyard Hong Kong operates a free bus service on weekdays from 7.30-10am to Shun Tak, IFC 2, Pacific Place and Harbour Centre.
ROOM FACILITIES There are three main room categories – Deluxe, Executive and Suite. The Deluxe and Executive rooms are identical in size and furnishings, which were of a higher quality than I anticipated. The only difference is that Executive guests get access to the lounge, where they can get free breakfast, soft drinks, cocktails and canapés from 6-8pm, use of the meeting room for an hour and the computers for 15 minutes per day. My suite was on the corner of the building and consisted of two rooms. The living area was a good size and featured a big sofa with a footrest, a coffee table and a large flatscreen TV. It also had a Philips Micro Theatre system, which played CDs, radio and DVDs via the television. There was a large desk with power sockets and connectivity to the TV via built-in audio and video sockets, so you can play files stored on your laptop or other devices.
The room also had a minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities and a wardrobe with a safe, iron, and plush bathrobes and slippers – not what I was expecting at all. The bedroom was spacious and had a large king-size bed with linens and duvet of a quality you might expect in a Marriott or JW Marriott property. The bathroom, at one end of the room and separated by glass, was fitted with cream and black marble. There was a bath (in the suites only) and a shower with a rain head. There was also a good selection of amenities, a hairdryer and scales. Rather than curtains, both rooms had electric blinds. Each window had a set of two, one for blackout and one to block out some light and give privacy. Broadband internet access costs HK$120 (£11) a day.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS There is one restaurant, Momo Café, situated on the second floor. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves international cuisine, all cooked to order and at reasonable prices. The menu includes soups, salads, pizza, pasta, sandwiches, burgers and Asian dishes. There is also Momo To Go in the lobby, which serves coffee, cakes, sandwiches and soft drinks from 7am-7pm. Room service operates 24 hours a day.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES The Executive lounge is on the sixth floor and is open from 6.30am-11pm. The business centre can also be found here, as can the hotel’s only meeting room, which is suitable for boardroom-style meetings of up to ten 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. It is small but has a couple of cardiovascular machines and some free weights.
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 smart, with everything you need. Your only compromise is location, but cabs are cheap.
Fact file
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 245 rooms, including five suites, in three main categories – Deluxe, Executive and Suite.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS Bright, light, modern rooms with good technology, bathrooms and bedding. The bathrobe and slippers were a bonus.
PRICE Internet rates for a midweek stay in February started from HK$1,485 (£131) for a Deluxe room, HK$1,925 (£170) for an Executive room and HK$3,135 (£277) for a suite.
CONTACT Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong, 167 Connaught Road West; tel +852 3717 8888; marriott.com
Julian Gregory
