POST CRUISE STAY IN HONG KONG
Staying at Hotel ICON Hong Kong
I was looking for a hotel with great views of Hong Kong’s spectacular city skykline. As Kowloon is the place to be, there are quite a few hotels which offer super views.
It’s not easy to make a choice but after reading many great reviews about Hotel ICON I booked an ICON 36 city room, breakfast included.
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Welcomed by the smiling staff
Apart from being a 5 star hotel, it functions also as a training centre for hospitality students and research facility of Hong Kong Polytechnic University of Hotel and Tourism Management.
When entering the bright and airy lobby we are warmly welcomed by the smiling staff, who are nicely dressed in pastel yellow and light grey uniforms. From the moment you step in the hotel lobby you will notice the unique striking vertical garden of living plants behind the reception desk and the twirling staircase.
Me and my wife were very pleased to receive an exclusive courtesey offer for complimentary upgrade to a C80 Harbour Suite and guarantee late check-out until 6pm, which came very handy as our returning flight back home departed late in the evening.
This incredible hotel opened it’s doors in 2011 and is designed by world-renowned architects William Lin and Rocco Yim, designer Sir Terence Conran, and French botanist Patrick Blanc.
Throughout the hotel there are many stylish artworks reflecting Hong Kong’s cultural spirit, curated by award winning Freeman Lau.
Suite
I can tell you, this suite is impressive. We stayed on the 16th floor, and 280 degree views are really unbeatable. Overlooking Kowloon and across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong island is breathtaking. Views are even more spectacular at night when all buildings light up.
The one-bedroom suite is very large measuring 80 square metres or 860 square feet, modern and stylishly furnished with a large king size bed and a design Karuselli chair.
It features also two 46” flat screen HDTV’s with high definition channels, Blu-ray disc player, executive working desk with office supplies and in-room printer.
Bathroom is very clean and modern as well, with a walk in shower and very deep bath by the window overlooking the Harbour and the City. A cool feature in the bathroom is the separate TV which you can watch from the bath tub.
Lots of high-end toiletries
The wonderful amenities include bath products of APPELLES Apothecary, robes, slippers, bath salts, toothbrush and even whitening strips.
HUGE soaking bathtub with superb city views and a TV
Missing something ?
And if you are missing something. It’s a pleasure by the hotel to supply you with additional toiletries or accessories which you may require such as :
– A choice of pillows – Ice pad – Transformer – Nail clippers – Hot water pad – Air purifier
Special for him : Deodorant – Hair brush – Electric shaver – Hair spray
Special for her : Hair brush – Make up remover – Hair stylist set – Nail polish remover
To help you get you sleep, the hotel also provides
– Sleepy time tea – A cup of warm milk with cookies – A few drops of lavender oil in your running bath
What’s really great is that some soft drinks, beer and some sweets from in the in-room minibar are free and it’s replenished twice daily. Wifi is Complimentary.
Free use of smartphone is very useful for calls (including international) and finding your way around.
As all TV remote controls, smartphones and other devices, they were all cleaned and sanitized. Check label “I have been sanitized”.
Club Room
Upgrading to a club room has some great benefits such as daily complimentary afternoon tea and happy hour drinks with snacks and canapes in the Above & Beyond lounge on the 28th floor (top floor). We enjoyed some fantastic cocktails and a few glasses of champagne while overlooking Victoria Harbour.
After a full day of exploring the city, we made sure we were back for the afternoon tea time since we found this very relaxing and a nice time to unwind.
Breakfast Above & Beyond
Breakfast buffet in the morning was a highly satisfying experience. The views from the 28th floor are stunning.
Breakfast at The Market
On the second day we decided to have breakfast in the Market on the 2nd floor. It’s a great buffet breakfast with anything you could think of. We really enjoyed it.
Pool
On level 9 is a stunning heated outdoor rooftop pool offering views of the Hong Kong’s harbour and skyline. Next door is a state-of-the-art double height gym equipped with first class machines and impressive Hong Kong view.
Another great feature is the lounge, showers and rest area on floor 9 for those who don’t fly till late in the evening. Bar has a pool table and xbox.
Location
Hotel ICON Hong Kong is located in the vibrant Tsim Sha Tsui area in Kowloon, only a short distance away from the Promenade and Victoria Harbour front from where you have straight across views of Hong Kong Island’s spectacular skyline.
The area is full with many restaurants, cafes and bars, but remains quite calm at night.
We arrived in Hong Hong by cruise ship at the Ocean Terminal, from which it’s only a short taxi ride to hotel ICON. When arriving by plane, one of the best ways to travel from the airport to the city centre is by taking the Airport Express and alight at Kowloon Station. The hotel’s free shuttle service takes you from here to the hotel. Of course you can also take a taxi which costs you around 240 HKD, or the hotel can provide an airport pick-up service in a electric Tesla S85 or BMW i3.
When you’re ready to explore the city, it’s good to know that the hotel runs a complimentary electric shuttle bus service to Tsimshatsui MTR Station and The Sun Arcade shopping mall, which is within walking distance of the Star Ferry and the large Harbour City shopping centre. I was impressed with ICON’s commitment to the environment.
Hung Hom MTR Station is around 5min walk from the hotel as well.
Service
What makes this hotel even more perfect is the staff.
Service was top notch. Without exception every hotel staff was very friendly, helpful and professional. No request or question was too much, they always smiled, greeted us and made us feel very welcome.
Conclusion
All in all the whole experience was amazing. I can honestly say that this hotel really deserves a very high satisfaction rate. It’s a hotel unlike any other, and it’s absolutely an amazing hotel!
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