STAY Smart is the official tagline for Holiday Inn’s budget sister hotels, and smart simplicity certainly defines the brand’s property at Causeway Bay in Hong Kong.
It scored top marks in my book for being so true to its positioning that I was constantly commenting: “How clever!” during my stay there.
Arriving at the hotel for the recent PATA Travel Mart in September, my first reaction was to its location right behind Times Square. It is ideal for leisure travellers wanting to spend all their money on shopping rather than on a high room rate.
Despite having very few days in Hong Kong, the proximity to the shops which opened late into the night allowed me to buy clothes which needed to be altered. I spent most of my day at the convention centre but I could pick up the altered pieces close to midnight because the hotel’s surrounds were safe.
The Causeway Bay MTR was also so close at hand I had no worries taking public transport to AsiaWorld-Expo, where the trade show was being held, and to the airport on my departure.
The location also scored for the hotel in terms of its proximity to the California Fitness Centre. While there wasn’t an inhouse gym, guests wishing to stay fit only had to borrow the hotel’s corporate card to gain access to three levels of classes and machines at California.
Within the property, my disappointment at there being no doorman to greet me evaporated when I realised luggage trolleys had been thoughtfully left next to the lift. The front desk staff were efficient and courteous too.
Expecting a small room given it was a three-star hotel in Hong Kong, I was thrilled to find my room was spacious and even had a sitting area with a double-seater sofa and enough desk space to set up our laptops comfortably. I was sharing a twin room with a colleague for four nights, but we never felt like we were falling over each other.
The shower stall was excellent. It had great water pressure, a simple but spacious rack which accommodated the toiletries of two ladies, and the water never escaped the cubicle. I hate a wet and slippery bathroom floor, so I really appreciated this simple detail that so many hotels do not get right.
The door of the bathroom was also cleverly designed so when opened 90 degrees inwards, it was also the door for the lavatory in the corner, while the shower cubicle made up the other “wall”.
Other thoughtful features which stood out included a kettle with good sized mugs for coffee and tea, and an ironing room. I have to admit I was not overwhelmed by the hotel’s offer of three set choices at breakfast, which is the only meal I had time to eat in the hotel, but they made for a prompt bite. – Pauline Tan
