Marvellous Stay with Hiccups
I would love to give this establishment a 5-star it so rightly deserves. However, I believe that there are some areas that could be improved upon. Moreover, to award it a 5-star would put it on the same pedestal with other fabulous hotels with impeccable service and I don’t think it would be fair to the latter. Stayed here twice in October 2019 for 9 nights each time. Let’s start with the positive.
Pros:
1. I wanted to be in Tsim Sha Tsui vicinity and this was perfect with MTR around the corner and Victoria Harbour across from the hotel.
2. For the first 9 nights, I chose the deluxe room. Got a quiet, corner room. Slept fitfully which I greatly appreciated considering that I am a light sleeper.
3. At this particular Shangrila, they provide pillow menu and welcome amenities (not all Shangrila properties do). Opt for the chocolates, cookies and milk and I guarantee you won’t regret it. Their butter cookies are some of the best I have ever had in my life and I have travelled around the world. I checked in late and was famished so that was a thoughtful touch.
4. Linda from the business centre was fantastic in assisting me with personal matters involving DHL. She went above and beyond.
5. If you are into Cantonese cuisine, Shang Palace is worth a try. The pear tea was amazing. Attentive service included.
6. One evening, the concierge attempted to deliver a package when I had DND sign on the door. Someone called to let me know that his colleague was in front of my room. As I didn’t want to be disturbed, I told him that I would collect it the next day. The following night, one of the concierge managers personally came up to my room and handed over the package. I understood it was a way to apologise to me for the evening before which I appreciated. From that day forward, said individual always acknowledged my presence whenever he passed me in the lobby and opened the door whenever he could. This small gesture made feel a welcome and valuable guest.
7. Breakfast buffet came with an array of food selection; Western, Chinese and Indian. Love the pumpkin porridge and unsweetened soya milk.
Cons:
1. The protests at the time occurred at the edge of the premise which led to the MTR closure a few times and traffic being diverted. Although it didn’t affect me much, I did see several guests in the lobby having difficulty getting a cab to the airport when it happened.
2. For my second stay, I had pre-paid for a deluxe with harbour view room. Huge mistake. They did give me a corner room but it was anything but offered a good night rest. Loud music with the base emanating from the bar below starting from 9 pm to 1 am. One day, I had gone sightseeing for 12 hours straight and went to bed at 10.30 pm. Couldn’t sleep till 1 am and I had an early morning the next day. Woke up exhausted with bleary eyes so much so that I didn’t realise I had worn sunglasses while taking the MTR. That said, during check-in, the situation was communicated to me and I was offered another room but it was closer to the lift. I, therefore, decided to stick with the corner room. In hindsight, I should have just booked the deluxe room like I did previously and not bothered to have the Victoria Harbour view at all. Before I booked, I did inform the hotel of my being a light sleeper. I was gobsmacked they allocated that room to me in the first place. If they mentioned at the time, that the deluxe room would be a better fit for me, surely I would have avoided the deluxe room with harbour view. Basically, I paid for a more expensive room that failed to provide what I paid for in the first place, ie, uninterrupted sleep.
3. Dim sum at breakfast was subpar which took me by surprise as this is Hong Kong. French toast was not warm. I wish it was made-to-order like the egg station. Service needs to be greatly improved and I wish the management would step up to the plate. The juice bar was often unmanned. Once, I stood by their kitchen just to get someone’s attention to take my juice order. At another time, I ordered 2 different juices and the waiter got one of them wrong. He proceeded to replace it but mistakenly took away the correct glass and left me with the one I didn’t order. I like spicy food and have the habit of consuming chillies with my meal. When I asked for them, a couple of male waiters were visibly annoyed. When I went for second/third helping, the dishes on my table weren’t cleared but my neighbours’ tables were. The same male waiters passed by my table a few times but chose to close their eyes instead. As a result, I felt discriminated against simply because I was asking for something they weren’t accustomed to which shouldn’t be the case.
4. The day before I checked out, I ordered room service from Shang Palace. Scrumptious food but I was let down by the poor service. As soon as I opened the door, I said that he could leave the food trolley as I was packing and had stuff strewn all over the room. It wasn’t conducive to have the trolley inside the room so I wanted to carry the dishes from the trolley to the table. He insisted that in order to keep the food warm, it was better to have the trolley with me. I politely declined and said I didn’t mind if the food turned cold as I was busy packing anyway and wouldn’t eat right away. The only reason I ordered was because it was almost 2 pm and Shang Palace closed at 2 pm. Didn’t want to wait till 6 pm to order when they open. Not only did this individual refuse to listen, he persisted on having his way. I was appalled. A hotel staff insisted on having his wish upon a guest instead of obliging with her request???? I was busy packing and I, honestly, felt that he was wasting my time. I understood his well-intention but shouldn’t he listen to a guest’s need? It was only after I reminded him that I was a paying guest at Shangrila that he stopped badgering me.
Overall, this is a wonderful place and I would recommend it to my family and friends. I, myself, would return. I do hope though that the management would work on areas that require improvement.
Location
Cleanliness
4565 reviews
Harbour Grand Hong Kong
Harbour Grand Kowloon
