scae0706

We have just one night in Hong Kong and are looking at the Hong Kong Marco Polo. However has seen some great reviews for the Salisbury YMCA. As it is one night only the cost difference is not crucial, just want the best we can get for the short time we are there. Also we would like to leave our luggage at the airport overnight and just take a carry on to the hotel. Does anyone know if the airport has this facility. I believe some places have stopped left luggage rooms on security grounds. Many thanks.

veron

I can't comment on Salisbury YMCA but here is the info on leaving luggage overnight at the HK International airport.

http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/aguide/baggage.html

rkkwan

The Marco Polo Hong Kong hotel is the nicer of the two hotels, and usually cost more for comparable rooms. Their rooms are some of the largest in Hong Kong.

mochao

I used to live in HK and I love the island versus Kowloon. And the two best options and most affordable options are YWCA Macdonnell Road and Bishop Lei's house. They are located in mid-levels right about Central and Admiralty areas (walking distance to restaurants shopping). GREAT.

Cicerone

Well, if the room rates are really the same you should make sure that the room SIZE is the same and then whether the room VIEW is the same, as the hotels are pretty different in quality; the Marco Polo is a 4 star and the YMCA is more of a very good 3 star. I think the Salisbury is great and certainly gets good reviews here and on tripadvisor and you cannot beat its location, but it is not as nice as the Marco Polo (assuming you mean that hotel and not one of the other 2 hotels in Hong Kong run by that same group). The rooms at the YMCA Salisbury can be small and some have no view at all, but I think the same could be true of the Marco Polo so make sure you are comparing apples to apples for the "same" price. You could be getting a small no-view room at the Marco Polo and giving up a big harbour view room at the YMCA.

The Marco Polo is an absolutely gigantic shopping centre, it is really 3 shopping centres combined. That is kind of a drawback to me. The Salisbury is right on Salisbury Road and across the street from the Esplanade walk along the waterfront which is a location that is really prime (it is basically next door to the much pricier Peninsula Hotel and has the same view). Both hotels are about the same distance from the Star Ferry. For one night I think either would be fine, but as I said make sure the offer is really for the same room.

mocaho I live in Hong Kong and I am also a big fan of the Bishop Lei and the YWCA on MacDonnell myself, I often recommend the Bishop Lei on this site. Either might be cheaper than the Marco Polo or the Salisbury. However, for one night I am not sure it is worth it, esp for McDonnell Road which can be confusing for first timers and for one-night, they will end up taking taxis a lot. The Bishop Lei might work though as they could walk down via the escalator to dinner in Soho and the views are good too, rooms can be quite small though, but for either take a look at:

Bishop Lei International House
4 Robinson Rd
Mid-levels, Hong Kong Island
Tel: 852-2868-0828
fax: 852-2525-1551.
http://www.bishopleihtl.com.hk

YWCA Garden View International House
1 Macdonnell Road
Mid-levels, Hong Kong Island
http://www.ywca.org.hk/hotel/Eng/home2.htm

marmot

scae, I've never stayed at the YMCA so I can't compare but I've stayed at the Hong Kong Hotel many times and can give you some comments.

On the plus side, the hotel is well situated within walking distance of much of what you would want to do in Hong Kong. The rooms are large and the harbour view rooms have REALLY good views. The staff is friendly and the breakfast buffet is ample and a good value. The rooms are reasonably clean.

The negatives are that the hotel attracts a lot of large groups and can get quite frenetic. It's one of the oldest hotels in HK and even though it's been renovated several times, the wear and tear shows. I would not give it high marks on aesthetics -- basic and serviceable yes; attractive, no.

As I said the harbour view is one of the best in town (although it includes the parking lot), but the effect was somewhat negated by having the window fogged up in the morning.

All in all, I'd call it a good value, but not a memorable experience.

For just one night in Hong Kong, I'd pop for the Intercontinental.