Hotel review: Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong Sha Tin

Opened in 2013, the 30-storey Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong Sha Tin is the largest Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Asia by number of rooms – 524 in total – and the second largest of the brand’s global portfolio by far. It’s also one of the two Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Hong Kong, with the other being Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong in the Sai Ying Pun area on the west side of Hong Kong Island.

The hotel is located in the Shatin district in New Territories. It’s a five-minute walk from Exit C of the MTR Shek Mun Station on the Ma On Shan Line. Nearby attractions include the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, New Town Plaza and Sha Tin Racecourse. The Hong Kong Science Park (HKSTP) can be reached within 10-15 minutes by car.

The hotel also provides complimentary shuttle bus service between the property and designated MTR stations or destinations, including New Town Plaza (Shatin Station), University Station, HKSTP, Elements (Kowloon Station) and Middle Road (Tsim Sha Tsui Station). Guests can contact the concierge for the shuttle bus schedule and seat reservation.

If you walk to the hotel from the MTR Station, you’ll see a staircase upon arrival and you need to head upstairs to get to the hotel lobby. But if you are carrying heavy luggage, you can choose to go to the back entrance and take the escalator instead.

When I entered the lobby, my first impression was that it looked incredibly familiar. I recall seeing the long and spacious lobby in a number of local dramas and movies before, along with the iconic spiral staircase and the glass art piece, made from over 58,000 pieces of flexible borosilicate glass “fabric”, winding across the ceiling.

The hotel has 485 guestrooms and 39 suites. More than half of the guestrooms are outfitted with two double beds, accommodating up to three adults.

I was staying in a 50-sqm Studio Suite on the 25th floor. Located at the southwestern corner of the building, the Studio Suite affords a 270-degree view of the Shatin area, including the Shing Mun River, Sha Tin Racecourse and Tolo Harbour.

For working, there is a work desk at one end of the bedroom area, equipped with two electric sockets and two USB ports. An international electrical adaptor is provided as well, though there are no built-in USB ports above the bedside tables. I didn’t bring any portable adapters with me this time, so I could only use the two USB ports on the work desk.

There’s a lounger and an armchair at the other end of the room – a great spot to recline and do some casual reading.

The bathroom area is separated from the rest of the room with a bathtub and a standing shower. The large window in front of the bathtub allows you to enjoy the nighttime view when taking your bath in the evening.

There are three in-house restaurants and bars, including the buffet restaurant MoMo Café, Levelthirty Lounge & Bar at the rooftop, and the lobby lounge.

MoMo Café is an all-day dining restaurant serving buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. À la carte menus are also available. The food selection was extensive, especially the seafood and desserts for dinner. There’s even an egg waffle station during dinner and a cooked-to-order noodle station. I went for a bowl of noodles for breakfast the next morning, with toppings including beef and pork slices, sausages, meatballs and vegetables.

Levelthirty Lounge & Bar is perched on Level 30, the topmost floor of the building. In addition to the main seating area and two private VIP rooms, there’s also a long and narrow balcony that can be used for outdoor seating if weather permits, allowing guests to appreciate the panoramic view of the Shatin area. Besides all kinds of beverages and snacks, you can enjoy seasonal oysters and wine every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, as well as “superfood tea-tox” afternoon tea on weekends.

The Executive lounge is also situated at the topmost 30th floor just next to Levelthirty Lounge & Bar. It’s open from 6am to 12am daily to Marriott Bonvoy members with Platinum Elite status or above, and guests staying in suites or executive rooms.

The lounge was not especially big – nor was the food selection – but its high ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows make it an ideal venue for enjoying the spectacular views overlooking the nearby area. There are even two birdcage-shaped chairs in the corner, inspired by the relaxing riverside environment nearby, which were quite popular among guests.

For business travellers that need to do some work, there’s a dedicated working area at the entrance, equipped with three computers and printers. Inside the executive lounge, a private meeting room that provides seating for up to 10 people is open to guests for two-hour complimentary use per day, subject to availability.

The hotel’s leisure facilities are located on Level 3, including a seasonal outdoor swimming pool that’s open to guests from April to October (6.30am-1pm, and 2-9.30pm daily) and a 24-hour gym.

Both male and female washrooms are also equipped with a steam room and sauna separately, open from 6.30am to 10.30pm daily, as well as basic facilities like shower rooms and lockers stocked with towels and slippers.

Since the hotel is just located beside the Shing Mun River, if you would like to explore the neighbourhood, you could also consider going for a walk, a jog or even a bicycle ride on the footpath and cycle tracks along the riverside.

In total, there are 815 sqm of meeting and event space. The 515-sqm pillarless Grand Ballroom on Level 2 can provide seating for up to 430 people and can be further divided into three smaller event venues. The other three smaller meeting rooms are all situated on Level 30. The Presidential Suite on the same floor has also been converted to a private dining venue.

Additionally, the Outdoor Landscape Area on Level 3 can be used to host wedding ceremonies, standing cocktails and barbecue events, while Levelthirty Lounge & Bar can also be booked for private events.

The best thing about the hotel is its calm and relaxing environment, and this kind of quietness is hard to find in hotels in Hong Kong’s downtown areas. Compared with other parts of Hong Kong where you’ll probably find large shopping malls and high-rise buildings, there are mostly local residential communities and schools nearby, so it never feels particularly crowded or noisy. The hotel itself is fully equipped with all the facilities you could need, plus there is a 24-hour convenience store downstairs.

Some may be sceptical about the transport convenience as the hotel is situated quite far from the central business district. This hotel is more convenient for those with business on Kowloon side than for those with business on Hong Kong Island. That being said, Hong Kong is a fairly compact city with an excellent public transport network. Moreover, the distances you will have to travel are relatively short compared with some other major cities that are more spread-out.

• Best for… Calm, quiet and relaxing environment
• Don’t miss… Enjoying the sunset or night view of the Shatin area at Levelthirty Lounge & Bar or the Executive Lounge
• Price Internet rates for a Studio Suite in mid-June start from HK$1,496 (US$190.68), including tax and surcharges.
• Contact 1 On Ping Street, Sha Tin New Territories, Hong Kong; +852 3940 8888; marriott.com