Having previously worked as a travel agent, I had booked an awful lot of trips to Hong Kong. So, when it came to going on holiday there last November with Charlotte, I knew a fair bit about the options available to me. We decided pretty early on to stay in Kowloon in the Tsim Tsa Tsui area, and from that point onwards it was a relatively easy decision to pick the Langham Hotel as our base.

An easy decision it may have been, but was it the right one?

Value for money?

We opted for the ‘linger longer at the Langham’ deal, whereby an early booking deal on a stay longer than seven nights gave us a 25% discount on the whole stay. This made the stay slightly more affordable but it didn’t exactly make the Langham one of the ‘cheaper’ accommodation options in Hong Kong. Despite this, the cost per night was not bad at all for a five star hotel in one of the most expensive cities to visit in the world.

Location, Location, Location..?

In truth, this depends on your perspective. We went to Hong Kong for leisure and to travel pretty much all over the city as well as to some of the outlying islands. As such, the Langham was perfect. A really short walk away from the Star Ferry, right next to a subway stop, and on all the main tourist bus routes, you couldn’t have asked for a better location. In fact, when we returned from Macau on the ferry after a tiring day, we were just a five minute stumble from the front door of our hotel.

That said, if you’re in Hong Kong for business, you may want to be a touch closer to the financial hub. We loved taking the Star Ferry whenever we had the excuse to, but if you’re there on business, you might prefer a short walk to the main hub of HSBC etc.

I would still argue that it works for both types of traveler, and it’s also worth mentioning that the short underground tunnel to the Langham (which also takes you to the Nathan Road in the other direction) helps you to avoid some of the more manic Hong Kong road/pavement rage moments!

Valued guests?

The Langham operates the 1865 Club, so returning members can claim loyalty points. If you are one of the top tiered members, you can get room upgrades and so on. For ordinary guests, you can hang around the lobby at 7:05pm every day to get a free glass of sparkling wine as the hotel performs a charming “change of the day” ritual!

The beautiful lobby

As well as the free sparkling wine, the hotel staff were genuinely attentive (the gym staff knew us by the end of our stay by sight and had our swimming towels ready before we could even ask for them!) and the maids were always helpful and keen to say a friendly “hello”. They also, of course, always left our room immaculate as well as offering a turn-down service. I personally felt very valued and got the impression the staff couldn’t do enough for us. In a way, this may be expected at a five star hotel, but it isn’t always delivered.

Getting ready before dinner

We also had a couple of trips in mind that we wanted to do and a few restaurant reservations to make, and the concierge was consistently fantastic in assisting us. She also offered us nicely made up cards to confirm the details of the bookings secured on our behalf. This again may sound normal but trust me when you speak neither Cantonese or Mandarin and you want to reserve a table at Spring Deer at short notice, you want as much help as you can get!

Good amenities and extras?

In our room rate, two free bottles of water per day were included, as well as free access to the gym and pool. For any club room, you get free access to the club lounges, which I have heard are amazing. Alas, on this occasion, I didn’t get to experience them!

The gym itself was basic but more than acceptable and the pool area was really nice with a good spacious pool, jacuzzi and even a sauna room. As well as these facilities, more water, fruit, and soft warm towels were on offer at the gym reception.

The pool at night

The bedroom itself offered a decent amount of space to work in for those on business, complimentary WiFi (essential!), and we had an excellent King size bed that was nice and comfy.

Huge, comfy bed!

Standard bathroom piccy!

In terms of eating at the hotel, I have blogged about Tang Court and the breakfast already, but I will simply reiterate that you can have a truly magnificent feast at the Langham if you so wish! There is also a lovely afternoon tea option in the calm (trust me this is vital in manic Hong Kong!) lounge area, as well as an American style diner for those feeling weary of Chinese food.

Afternoon tea in full flow

Taking in the demure surroundings!

Conclusion…

I normally don’t like going back to the same hotel more than once but I am more than happy to make an exception for the Langham Hong Kong. The location is enviable, it employs great staff, and offered excellent extras that made our stay even more enjoyable. For this reason, I am prepared to say I would give a five star review to this five star hotel!