W Hong Kong

W Hotels are branded to a younger, more hip demographic, and are consistently the trendiest hotel option no matter what destination you are flying to around the world. W Hong Kong was no exception, and the W Experience team went above and beyond to make my stay with them truly incredible.

These guys were all over the personal touches...even had my Instagram account @earthpeek laminated with a welcoming message written on it!

I spent my birthday here, and they pulled out all the stops to make it a memorable one. Before arriving at the hotel, the W Experience Team had me send them my favorite photo, cake flavor, person and song. As soon as I got that email, I knew it was going to be special. Opened the door to our partial-harbor view room to see the beds were covered with "flower" pedals wishing me a happy birthday. Additionally, there was a little cake and candle, sweets, two beers, and several notes from different people around the hotel wishing me a happy birthday and a great stay. That is the epitome of service, hat's off to the W Experience team.

As amazing as that was, I did still have to review the hotel. So let me get into it now.

Location: B-

This is the most important part of choosing a hotel anywhere around the world is making sure you find a great location. The W Hong Kong may not have the best location, but it was great regardless. Located in Kowloon, overlooking the world-famous Victoria Harbor, there isn't anything truly within walking distance other than westernized (but beautiful) malls and restaurants. So why would I chose the W if the location wasn't stellar?

Last Airport Express, leaving from right underneath our hotel and arriving just 25 minutes later!

Two reasons. One, it is located directly over Kowloon Station, which you can use to go to the airport in under 30 minutes for about $6, or across the harbor to Central in just a couple minutes. Being able to walk to the station without having to go outside in either the burning heat or pouring rain was a huge plus, especially carrying all our luggage. The second reason is that the W offers a free shuttle every 30 minutes down to the Tsim Tsa Shui area. The shuttle provides newspapers, waters, and apples, and is free, making it an enjoyable 5-10 minute ride into the heart of the city. We took the shuttle from the hotel to Ocean Center, where it was only a couple minute walk to board the historic Star Ferry and head over to Hong Kong Island. Combine the convenience of the MTR Subway station with the free hotel shuttle, and the location of the W doesn't become a problem at all.

Lobby: C-

Logo on entrance (at street level-actual lobby is on the 6th floor)

I feel like it's an Asian hotel thing to really not care about lobby's. Ritz Shanghai, Ritz Hong Kong, and here at the W Hong Kong, the lobby is very small and very average. They all seem to center their lobbies around a bar or restaurant rather than the normal (in my opinion) large, open space with plush seating and TV's. Plus, as it is for many hotels located within a large building rather than its own, you have to take the elevator up to the 6th floor to be in the lobby of the hotel itself. Incredibly underwhelming, and oddly laid out, the lobby garners no wow factor, although the artwork in and around the lobby is impressive, I must say.

Checking in was a breeze, and everyone was very helpful. The staff greeted us at the entrance, took our baggage, and guided us up to the 6th floor. There was no line to check in, but I feel like there very easily could be at a hotel this large, given there were only two desks and the actual area to check in was way too small for a mega-resort like this. But that's just speculation, I've been wrong before!

Room: B+

W rooms make me happy. They're so quirky, yet with such incredible attention to design and detail. We had Spectacular Room with two "oversized" single beds, which were beautifully plush and soft (a warm welcome, given our beds in China were how the Chinese like them-hard). The Ritz blocks a majority of the view out towards the harbor, but the Spectacular room had both a partial harbor view and a view out over the bay towards the west, so the Ritz does not totally kill the vibe.

The layout of the room with the super cute welcome from the W Experience Team (and my buddy lounging in the corner)

The bathroom is interesting laid out, with two large, glass sliding panels serving as the "walls", so there is no door to enter. It's pretty large compared to the size of the room and has great amenities. For me, a super important part of a hotel room is the water pressure. This is one of the best I have ever experienced (still second to the Marriott Marquis Miami). A rain shower with serious water pressure made this a heaven for me, and I loved every shower I took here.

If I had to nitpick on a problem with the room it would definitely be the lack of storage space. I always find it peculiar when a hotel room give you one or two drawers and several hangers for your stay. I mean, if I was to stay here for a week, rather than the three nights I did, I would be seriously frustrated. There are three (small drawers), one of which is taken by the safe. Besides that, storage space is nowhere to be found, like seriously, almost at all. Just a point to remember when thinking about where to stay in Hong Kong, although I really don't think it's an issue to deter you from staying at the W.

Amenities: A

We had time to lounge in this spa for ten minutes before we showered and changed to go out on our last night. A great view to relax to!

The best pool in the city is hands down on the 76th floor of this hotel. The gym on the 73rd floor was beautiful, with a great selection of workout equipment (we didn't use any of it because, well, we're lazy). The spa, top notch. W Hong Kong goes above and beyond when it comes to a city hotel, as it almost feels like it could be on Waikiki. There's a more laid back vibe than most city hotels, and you won't get bored staying here, almost as if it were a destination resort. Plus, throw in the fact that it's connected to one of the best shopping malls in Hong Kong, complete with every brand you can imagine, the amenities in and around this resort are plentiful.

The pool is the best part of the hotel in my opinion. Infinity edge views out over the city from a aesthetically clean lap pool, with a gorgeous mosaic wall serving as its background make for a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The jacuzzi looks out over the harbor, again, with an infinity edge. In my opinion, this pool is the second best city pool I have stayed in behind the legendary Marina Bay Sands, although I would even argue that I would prefer this one during a longer stay because it is vastly less crowded. I wish we had an extra day (or that our flight wasn't delayed 7 hours) to enjoy lounging on the comfortable chaise chairs longer than the quick 45 minutes we did. Also, do yourself a favor and get the Summer Popsicle Drink by the pool. A mango popsicle inside sangria was literally what saved me during 95 degree weather. The Lychee Daiquiri was also fantastic.

Imagine if the darn Ritz wasn't there! Regardless, a perfect spot for a jacuzzi, even if it was 95 degrees!

Dining: A

I wrote about the weekend brunch at Kitchen in my "Hong Kong: Eat" post, so be sure to check it out. But let me reiterate what was said in that post. This was the best tasting buffet I have ever been to, without a doubt. And the service, after a few minutes of odd confusion, was fantastic, offering us free shots of a mysterious green drink and Bloody Marys on the go. Eggs Benedict next to Alaskan Crab next to Wagyu Beef on a bed of hash browns beside fresh cut sashimi along with peking duck and BBQ pork and a bed of grilled vegetables, served with bottom-less mimosas, followed by a plate of every sweet you can imagine. Now that's life. 

Brunch with a view at Kitchen

I also talked about Tango in the "Hong Kong: Eat" blog post, which is a 5 minute walk from your room, located inside Elements mall. Definitely worth it, ESPECIALLY if you want a break from all that Asian food. Additionally, Elements offers dozens of dining options inside the same building as the W essentially, so you'll never run out of cuisines and places to chow down. 

Other than that, the W offers Woo Bar along with a traditional Chinese restaurant, both of which we did not have time to try but looked fantastic. 

All in all, W Hong Kong is the best hotel in the city if you're looking for a relaxing destination hotel with amenities galore and easier-than-you-think access to the city's sights and sounds.