When picking a hotel for our upcoming trip to Hong Kong, I was faced with a seemingly unlimited choice of accommodations ranging from boutique hotels to the most luxurious hotel chains. I did a fair bit of research and decided to take a chance on Hotel ICON – a boutique hotel in Kowloon. Given Hong Kong`s infamous reputation for its high standards of hospitality, you probably can`t go wrong with any choice. However, after our stay at Icon, the hotel proved to truly earn its slogan and be a hotel unlike any other.
Hotel ICON is not an ordinary hotel, but rather a teaching hotel for hospitality majors. The hotel embodies the spirit of teaching and inspiring future hoteliers with the highest standards of service. And in fact, the service that we received in any area of the hotel, whether during checkout or in any of the restaurants, was of a truly high standard . In addition, there were many little extras offered which made our stay that much more pleasurable and memorable.
The Hotel
You will probably read a lot about this hotel’s “not so great” location. Ignore this. Yes – it’s a little bit east, which is not greatly convenient. But the service, hospitality and amenities of this hotel more than compensate for this little drawback. The hotel is located next to the old tunnel which connects Kowloon to the main island. If you plan on using the MTR, its about a 10 minute walk or you can take advantage of the Hotels’ shuttle service to the Star Ferry, so the location was really not an issue for us. One of our favourite amenities was the 9th floor rooftop pool which overlooked the harbour. Sadly, our schedule didn’t allow for a free day to lounge by the pool, but it was really refreshing to jump in for a quick dip after a long day of sightseeing.
The Room
Upon check in, we were upgraded to a Club Room. Ordinarily, if you book a Club Room you would receive a complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails at the Above and Beyond lounge, as well as a separate check in area. While breakfast was not included in our upgrade, the evening cocktails and the afternoon tea were. I would recommend booking a club level room – the added privileges are definitely worth it, especially since ICON often has special offers on these upgrades. The room was quite spacious and offered a floor to ceiling view of the city below. The hotel does offer rooms with a harbour view, should you choose to splurge. A nice touch was the free mini bar, which was restocked every day with soft drinks, water, beer and a few snacks. It was extremely convenient to pack a few items for our day trips and to enjoy a cold drink once we have returned to the room at the end of the day. Another bonus was the complimentary use of a smartphone for each room. Guests are free to take the phones with them and use them to make local (and some international – Canada included) calls and/or surf the web. Whenever we needed an address or any information, we could just pull it up without needing to find a Wi-Fi spot or incurring roaming charges. If you are a business traveler, the rooms are equipped with any sort of stationary you may require. The washrooms were large with a separate rain shower and a tub. The tub was equipped with a television, so you could catch up on your favourite shows while enjoying a bubble bath. Overall, the room was very well equipped to make Hotel ICON’s guests as comfortable as possible and we could not have asked for anything more.
Above and Beyond Lounge
Above and Beyond Lounge is located on the 28th floor of the hotel, offering panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. The view is particularly stunning in the evening, when the island comes alive with thousands of dazzling lights right in front of your eyes. From here you can enjoy the nightly laser show that takes place at the Harbour, without having to brave the crowds that gather along the promenade. The Lounge is comfortably furnished to feel as though you are sitting at a friend’s living room, with many couches and armchairs spread out through the room. You can also take a sit at the marble bar which offers views of both the bar’s inventory and the harbour. Besides the usual bar offerings of a variety of cocktails and wine, there are also daily canopies brought to you by the servers, as well as a selection of cheeses, meats and other snacks. The service here was impeccable – the staff was both pleasant and professional and did not let our glasses get empty! We really enjoyed starting off every evening in the Lounge before heading out in Hong Kong.
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at Hotel ICON. The hotel’s reasonable rates combined with the great amenities and uncompromising service standards make it our top pick in Hong Kong, and I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel!
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