Index:
- Introduction, Positioning Flight to New York, and the Hilton JFK
- British Airways First Class Lounge, New York JFK
- Cathay Pacific First Class, New York JFK – Hong Kong
- The Pier First Class Lounge and Cathay Pacific Business Class, Hong Kong – Ho Chi Minh City
- Park Hyatt Saigon
- Lunch at Pho Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam Airlines Business Class, Ho Chi Minh City – Danang
- Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa
- Vietnam Airlines Economy, Danang – Siem Reap
- Park Hyatt Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat and Other Temples
- Dragonair Business Class, Siem Reap – Hong Kong
- Turbojet, Hong Kong Airport – Macau and the Sheraton Macao Hotel
- The Venetian, Fernando’s, and the Ferry to Hong Kong
- Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Harbor View Suite
- Bo Innovation, Hong Kong
- Amber Restaurant, Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge, Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – New York JFK
- American Airlines JFK Flagship Lounge and New York – Washington National
The Hyatt Daily rate at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong can run nearly US$450. But they also offer some very cheap corporate rates (half off). They do ask for proof of eligibility though, something not a lot of hotels in my experience do.
In the U.S. the only hotels I’ve ever known to ask for eligibility on corporate rates are the Marriotts in Las Vegas in New York, and then only for some specific rates that are super cheap. It’s more common in Asia to be ID’d for corporate rates, but still not universal even within a given chain. The Grand Hyatt actually will send out an email a few days in advance on certain rates to let you know to bring your company identification in order to demonstrate eligibility.
The nice thing about Hyatt’s Diamond confirmed suite upgrades though is that you can confirm a suite on any rate booked directly with Hyatt, even inexpensive corporate rates. And when you confirm a suite here, you’re going to get a harbor view.
The Grand Hyatt is a very good hotel. The rooms can use an update, but:
- The club lounge is excellent
- The harbor views are magnificent
In fact the hotel’s address is One Harbor Road on Hong Kong Island. That should tell you something about its placement and views.
In general I prefer to stay on the ‘Hong Kong side’ rather than Kowloon, but I prefer the views from Kowloon. That’s because hotels on the Kowloon side facing the harbor look straight out at Hong Kong, and there are more impressive light displays across the harbor that way.
The Grand Hyatt, though, is positioned to look both straight across the harbor at Kowloon, and is angled to be able to have a straight shot across the Hong Kong harbor-line, meaning you can see all of the lights on the Hong Kong side as well. Amazing.
Here’s the living room of the suite, at least its setup when I arrived. I preferred to angle the furniture towards the windows to be facing out at the harbor view rather than into the suite.
An amenity was already in the room on arrival.
The room furnishings looked fairly well aged, and that there was a filter in the room didn’t instill confidence. I didn’t mind that it was there, except that it indicated the hotel felt it needed to be there.
The bedroom had a similar design scheme.
There was a letter waiting on the desk outlining club benefits (click to enlarge):
There was also a letter outlining the hotel’s room renovation project progress and timeline (click to enlarge).
The night stand had a small clock that I’m surprised doesn’t need to be replaced after every other check-in.
The room keys are kind of cool, they’re electronic but look like old school keys.
There was an attractive bathroom with shower, tub, a television and dual sinks. The door from the bedroom to bathroom, though, was the heaviest door I’ve ever had in a hotel room.
There was water by the bedside, in the bathroom, and in the entryway by the coffee maker.
I loved gazing across the harbor throughout the evening.
And heading up to the club lounge. You enter on one floor, where there’s a concierge desk and some seating areas.
You then head up a grand staircase to an upper level with buffet and waiter service. And stunning views.
Breakfast in the lounge was plentiful as well.
You can also place an order from your table as well.
The hotel lobby is grand, but at some level the keys to this property are the harbor views and club lounge and without those it’s just a large city hotel.
There’s a little park directly across from the front of the hotel.
I was very happy with the stay and I’ll try to return to this property the next time I’m in Hong Kong for more than a connection. I do love forward to the room renovation though, a slightly more modern touch will be closer to my preferred style.
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I’m happy in the standard rooms here, as I’m usually spending my time outside the hotel and the views from the lounge or pool deck are all I need. When they renovate the suites, I may reconsider.
OK let me get this correct, if you wanted to bring a guest into the lounge it would cost $375 Hong Kong Dollar that is roughly $50 US, yicks… Love the view of the Harbor.
Gary,
I have a boatload of IHG points. How does this hotel compare with the Intercontinental Hong Kong (45K points a night) if you are ambassador and spring for club lounge access?
Hotels might not ask for proof of corporate rates, but I was denied an upgrade for using my very heavily discounted (about 2/3 off) corporate rate last week. Without explicitly stating that was the reason I was being denied the upgrade, the room manager’s behavior made it pretty clear that WAS the reason. That’s really not fair to me as a business traveler.
@Tony — The GH HK serves Moet and Chandon champagne in their Club, so if you like to drink lots of champagne, 50 USD is a decent deal.
Hi Gary,
Have they renovated any of the suites yet? I’m staying there in a couple weeks…
Also, what floor was your suite on? You didn’t mention anything about the impact of the renovations, was it noisy at all?
Thanks!
My room was 2710. Only lower floors have been renovated per detail in the letter above. I did not hear any construction noise.
@Michael – the Intercontinental Hong Kong has perhaps the only views better than the Grand Hyatt, albeit on the Kowloon side. It is a very good hotel. But I don’t think you’ll get the same sort of views as an Intercontinental Ambassador booking a base level room.
@tony – registered room guests are included but the fee is to discourage you from bringing in non-hotel guests. The other hotel guests don’t want the peaceful lounge made more crowded, more or less.
Did you have the opportunity to have afternoon tea at Tiffin? I found it was one of the most over-the-top teas I’ve had, with nice sandwiches and then more desserts available than I could eat in two weeks.
@jered – I did not..
Why the hate on the filter? It goes without saying that HK has a bit of an air particulate matter issue. I’ve seen some hotels advertise clear-air rooms.
You’re so lucky to be on the 27th floor. I was put in 1210 (suite also, looks exactly the same as yours) a couple of weeks ago, and the construction felt like it was next door on the 13th floor. We couldn’t even hear ourselves talk and felt all of the vibration. We had to literally scream at each other to be heard.
How easy is it to get to the hotel via subway and other public transit? Being told that it’s hard to access unless you get a taxi because it’s next to a highway, and also being told that the Regency in Tsim Tsa Tsui is much easier to access via public transit. Planning first trip to HK.
@Gary, we stayed here in February and specifically requested a renovated room (though we were able to get Club access). The renovated rooms are phenomenal — modern, expertly laid out, with so much storage space, beautiful furniture and modern, luxurious bathrooms. The old rooms look a little garish and aged. It boggles my mind why the Club Level rooms aren’t set to be renovated for a few more years yet. But definitely, definitely stay in the renovated rooms next time, Club access or not.
And for what it’s worth, nearly all of the non-Club level rooms have been renovated already. The Club level rooms aren’t scheduled to be renovated until at least 2015. This is a case where Club access doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a “better” room!
@Euro – The Grant Hyatt is walking distance from the Wan Chai subway stop, a few stops from central (also the famous hooker neighborhood and surprisingly not all that seedy or dangerous considering). It can be a little confusing to walk there the first time but you are walking towards a peninsula with few buildings that aren’t the hyatt so it’s hard to miss. There are elevated walkways from the south to the north and you can enter through the back of the hotel through the exhibition hall via the eastern walkway or go down to street level on harbor road and walk to the main entrance which is just off it. Taxis in Hong Kong are quite cheap by international world class city standards and they can be fast and good at night. Great hotel.
Room filters are quite common in HK, whether hotels, offices or homes. The air is of rather poor quality in HK thanks for its neighbors.
I’m a little confused by the lounge guest policy- does that just apply to people not staying in your room? If my husband and I are staying at a Hyatt and one of us is diamond, those benefits extend to both of us, right?
@Elizabeth – yes registered guests in the room get access 🙂 This is about bringing non-hotel guests into the lounge.
Do you have a review of the Hyatt Regency HK too (not seeing it your past trip reports)? Anyone might give some comparisons between the Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt HK?
Hello Gary, as a Hongkonger I wonder why you prefer stay at Hong Kong Island rather than Kowloon?
@pacifico – it just seems nearer most of the places I seem to go, it’s not at all any dislike of Kowloon. Proximity/convenience for whatever habits I have, though I haven’t analyzed this extensively.
@TTN – I haven’t stayed at the Hyatt Regency, sorry!
A lovely report on the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Your photos are virtually identical to the ones I took during a stay at the hotel in November – same suite layout, Diamond amenities, harbor view, etc. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
I’m booked there again later this year and I’m debating whether to use a suite upgrade (and risk getting one of the nice, but old, unrenovated suites) or simply taking a regular renovated room and using my Diamond status for Club access. It’s too bad there isn’t a way to have both guaranteed – a suite and new renovation – at this point in time. Still, it’s a fabulous hotel in a wonderful location.
Gary,
I know the Club Lounge allows two guests per room, what about kids staying in the same Suite? I will be staying at this property with my husband and 2 and 3 year olds; will we have to pay HK$375 x 2 each time we eat breakfast at the lounge?
Mabel