The Peninsula Hong Kong

“The Peninsula Hong Kong has made my birthday incredibly meaningful and left the most impressive mark in my life.” The hotel is renowned as the ‘Grande Dame of the Far East,’ a title referring to respected women in the Eastern region. Established in 1924 and operational since 1928, it holds the distinction of being the oldest hotel in Hong Kong. In 2023, it received the prestigious 6th place among the ‘Best Hotels in the World’ in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Located on Salisbury Road, Kowloon, the street is named after the 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, influencing its Neoclassical design. During my stay, I booked a Superior Harbour View Suite but was pleasantly upgraded to a Deluxe Harbour View Suite, enjoying additional benefits like complimentary breakfast, a delightful birthday cake, welcome fruits, Macaroons, and hot tea. The Peninsula Time privilege also allowed for early check-in and late check-out. The 107-square-meter room, comprising a living area, bedroom, walk-in closet, and spacious bathroom, provided a panoramic view of Victoria Harbor, perfect for witnessing the Symphony of Lights. Highlights of the room included designer furniture by Cassina and Poltrona Frau, interactive digital tablets, Evian water, and a luxurious bathroom with a captivating view. The hotel’s facilities, such as the fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment and the breathtaking rooftop swimming pool, added to the overall experience. The restaurants in the hotel that I had the opportunity to experience during this stay. 1. The Verandah: • During the morning, the hotel offers a standard buffet breakfast that, to be honest, lacks variety. I must admit that breakfasts at other Thai hotels, such as Siam Kempinski, Sindhon Kempinski, Park Hyatt Bangkok, Capella Bangkok, The Sukhothai Bangkok, or even The Peninsula Bangkok, surpass it. • However, the overall taste is delightful, with high-quality ingredients and delicious dim sum. The pancakes are incredibly soft, and the congee is tasty. The bakery items are enjoyable. • Notes that the fruit juices lack variety and are not freshly squeezed, and there is no coconut water in the Thai style, possibly due to the challenge of sourcing coconuts on the island. 2. Felix: • An indoor rooftop restaurant located on the 28th floor, offering the highest vantage point in the hotel. • Provides stunning views of both Victoria Harbor and the City. • Highly praises the signature cocktails for their exceptional taste. 3. Spring Moon: • A Chinese restaurant with a history dating back to 1986. • Awarded a Michelin Star in 2023 and recognized in the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. • Describes the cuisine as delicious, beautifully presented, and offering good value. • Encourages patrons to visit without hesitation and mentions receiving a complimentary birthday pastry. 4. The Lobby: • Hosts afternoon tea daily from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. • Follows the concept of “All Things British” for traditional English tea drinking. • Advises making reservations in advance due to high demand from outside guests. • Praises the delicious savory and sweet items, especially highlighting the delightful Scones and clotted cream. One thing that I must absolutely mention about this hotel is the outstanding service. 1. Upon arrival, the pageboy promptly assisted with luggage and guided through the check-in process. 2. The front office team, particularly Ms. Cyrene Wong, displayed exceptional attentiveness during check-in, ensuring a swift process with comprehensive information. Check-out was similarly efficient. 3. The housekeeping team demonstrated outstanding efficiency, maintaining impeccable cleanliness with well-executed turndown service. 4. Active and attentive staff in all dining areas, including The Verandah, Felix, Spring Moon, and The Lobby, provided excellent service, catering to guests even during peak times. 5. The Fitness Centre staff exhibited great responsiveness. When my friend encountered an issue with a malfunctioning restroom lock and attempts to get attention failed, a quick call from my friend allowed me to notify the staff. They promptly intervened, and I've formally conveyed this feedback to the hotel. During check-out, Mr. Wilson Yu, the Duty Manager, kindly offered a gesture of goodwill in the form of a chocolate. 6. The Pen Chat service, an outstanding instant messaging system accessed through Line, excelled in quick and helpful responses. Noteworthy instances include: • Assistance with locating essential medicine upon the guest’s arrival in Hong Kong. • Efficiently handling restaurant reservations and providing comprehensive information. • Addressing concerns regarding an automatic extra deposit, demonstrating professionalism in resolving credit card issues promptly. In summation, The Peninsula Hong Kong stands as a paragon of excellence, excelling in its prime location, world-class facilities, and top-tier service. It undeniably lives up to its legendary status and comes highly recommended for those seeking a memorable and refined stay. Now you've made me understand the meaning of "Aiming guests’ satisfaction is in every heart of Peninsula family." I look forward to seeing you again in the near future. Read less

I lived in Hong Kong for 2 years, 30 years ago. I visited The Peninsula several times over that period including attending a fabulous New Years Eve party and I promised myself then that I would stay there "one day". I have returned to Hong Kong on 3 previous occasions but stayed elsewhere. On this occasion it was time. I waited 30 years to stay in the Grand Dame. We had a lovely room with an uninterrupted harbour view, we ate in several of the restaurants and I savoured every minute. The evening buffet in the Verandah restaurant with the drinks package was sumptuous and great value for money. We had drink in Gaddis and had lunch by the swimming pool, (make sure you try the crab spring rolls, they melt in your mouth). We ate a late supper in the Lobby and the waiter was friendly, chatting about the wine choices, even though we were coming up to the end of the food service time but he didn't rush us at all. The breakfast buffet was astonishingly varied and for one of my 4 (!) breakfast courses I had teriyaki salmon and deep fried crispy prawn wantons - just delicious! It was raining for most of our stay at The Peninsula and I didn't care one jot! We stayed in and enjoyed the hotel. I swam in the pool and we wanted for nothing. We didn't really explore the shops much but were pleasantly surprised to find a discount in the souvenir shop for hotel guests. All of the staff we talked to were uber friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and we particularly liked talking to the Food and Beverage Manager/Director (?) about how much we loved the food in the hotel and we also had an animated conversation with him about Arsenal Football Club! Finally, I was blown away by the size, quality and quantity of flower arrangements in the hotel. I am very interested in flower arranging and I have to commend the in house team for putting on so many flawless displays. So, thank you, we had such a happy time, it was worth waiting 30 years for and I will be back before too long. Read less

This was our third stay at The Peninsula, and the first since the start of the Covid pandemic. I did wonder if standards would have been negatively impacted by the disruption caused by Covid. I am pleased to report that standards are as high as ever, with all staff continuing to demonstrate the usual Peninsula level of service. We arranged a round trip Rolls Royce airport transfer which provided most appropriate luxury bookends to our stay. Well worth the additional expense. Our room was very comfortable and was a great place to relax and sleep. The standard of housekeeping was very high with lots of little touches to make you feel like a valued guest. Small things like tidying up your mobile charger by gathering the wire together in a little leather strap, and such as noticing that one of the guests wears spectacles and leaving out lens wipes. Just little things but they demonstrate that they treat each guest as individuals and work proactively to meet their needs. We had breakfast and dinner at the Verandah Restaurant and Afternoon Tea at The Lobby. All meals were excellent. We just love having breakfast at the Verandah, with its extensive buffet and where high standards are exemplified by the use of traditional silver teapots. We appreciated the handwritten welcome card placed in our room along with delicious fruit and chocolates. It was interesting to note that the welcome message referred to the hotel as the Grande Dame of the Far East. When we stayed at Raffles in Singapore their welcome message also claimed that they were the Grande Dame of the Far East. Surely they can't both be right! I don't think that I am in a position to declare who should wear this crown but I will enjoy making return visits to see how the battle for the crown is progressing. Read less