WHAT’S IT LIKE? Despite being a fairly new hotel (it opened in 1989), the Langham feels like a grand European hotel as you walk in the lobby. Once in the rooms, however, you start to feel that you are in Asia.
WHERE IS IT? Between Canton and Peking Roads in the heart of Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui), only a few minutes from the Star Ferry and MTR station. By road, it’s about 40 minutes from Chek Lap Kok Airport. If you like shopping, whether for local goods, tailor-made clothes or luxury brands, they are all just a stone’s throw away.
A collection was arranged from the airport (US$79 for a round trip), and I was met as I was escorted to the Langham hotel airport desk and offered a soft drink. After a moment’s form filling, I was then escorted to the special limo waiting area for the Benz to pick me up. This happened almost immediately. Before arrival, the driver phoned ahead and I was greeted at the hotel with my paperwork and was checked into my room. This is one of the advantages of the transfer, and check in can also take place at the front desk or in the club lounge. My bags arrived in my room after about five minutes.
HOW MANY ROOMS: The hotel has 495 rooms and suites spread over 16 floors. In the last year, 150 bedrooms have been refurbished to a new category called Grand Rooms (floors four to seven, the Grand Langham Room is pictured) with the remaining rooms to be completed by the end of 2009. If you can, try and book one as they are more modern and comfortable.
ROOM FACILITIES: All rooms have air conditioning, 37-inch flat-screen TV, a desk area and an incredibly clever telephone system whose functions are controlled by an LCD screen. They also have an ironing board and iron, tea and coffee making facilities, minibar, laptop-size safe, bedside clock/radio that also docks your iPod and DVD player with sockets to connect either your laptop, video player or camera to the TV. The rooms are fitted with the hotel’s trademark large “Blissful Bed”. Interiors are traditional but modern, using subtle colours and a range of materials, cream-based carpets and hardwood floors with wall coverings of leather, wood, mirrors and cream paint with historical pictures of Hongkong and Asian art.
The bathrooms are spacious and done in what I can only describe as a spa style. They are separated from the room by a wooden wall with shuttered windows (so you can sit in the bath and watch TV if you want) that can be opened into the bedroom. Inside, you find a large bath and separate shower with the room covered from the floor to ceiling in marble with some wood. Toiletries are from the hotel’s spa brand Chuan.
RESTAURANTS: The hotel has five places to eat. The Bostonian in the basement serves American food (mainly steaks and seafood). The steaks come in two sizes, London and Boston. I went for a Rib Eye London steak, which was easily big enough, very tasty and incredibly tender. The restaurant has been opened since 1989 when the hotel opened and has been popular ever since. L’Eclipse is the open kitchen buffet restaurant open for all meals. Breakfast was one of the best buffets I had seen in a long time with superb quality food and a staggering selection of hot dishes, pastries and bakery products .
T’ang Court has won numerous awards and is a Chinese restaurant split over two floors. If you want to have a lunch or dinner meeting, this is the place as I have never seen a restaurant with so much space between the tables, but if you are really concerned about your privacy there are several private dining rooms. Finally, there is Main Street Deli open from 1000 and as you can imagine, is the place to go for your typical New York deli food (eat in or take away). Be warned: portions are huge!
BARS: The Lobby Bar also has an extensive list of food from finger food to more substantial fare.
BUSINESS FACILITIES: The business centre on the ground floor is manned and provides all services, and has four modern computers and two fully equipped boardroom-size meetings room for hire. On the second floor is the Grand Ballroom which can take about 400 for dinner, along with three other good-sized meeting rooms. Recently, the hotel discontinued exclusive club floors and is now allowing visitors to pay US$77 for single occupancy and US$103 for double occupancy for Langham Club benefits. This includes Club Lounge check-in/out, use of the Club Lounge including breakfast and beverages/snacks throughout the day, complimentary broadband (otherwise US$17 per day), use of computers in lounge, two hours’ use of the meeting room per stay, complimentary local telephone calls and a personal laundry allowance of US$51 for single/US$77 for double per day.
LEISURE FACILITIES: There is a health club and outside pool on the 15th and 16th floors open 24 hours a day. There are two treatment rooms, but sessions need to be booked in advance. The Chuan spa is located in the Langham’s sister property Langham Place.
VERDICT: One of the best hotels Kowloon side and the only member of Leading Hotels of the World in Hongkong.
PRICE: Room rates start from US$385 plus tax/service (US$488 for a Grand Room).
CONTACT: 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hongkong, tel 852 2375 1133, www.langhamhotels.com
Julian Gregory
