Accommodation in China

[Accommodation Review] – Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 (1-Bedroom Mansion – Black Galaxy Theme), Macau, China (25 – 28 Dec 25)

/ kktong76 / 3 Comments

Location

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is located on the Eastern part of the main Macau Peninsula, on the banks of the Pearl River Delta, facing the Chinese city of Zhuhai. The hotel is about 30 minutes from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Immigration Building and 1 hour from Macau International Airport. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is situated in the historic district of Macau and is conveniently located near the city centre, where sights such as Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul are within 7 minutes on foot. Sights located on the other islands of Macau can be accessed by bus from the bus stop directly in front of the hotel, which links to other parts of Macau, such as Taipa, Cotai, and Coloane. There are numerous local restaurants within a 5-minute walk from the hotel, where we were able to find food. The hotel is also conveniently located near 24-hour convenience stores and a supermarket.

The Mansion

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 offers a wide range of room types, including superior rooms, suite rooms, and mansions, which are unique to this Sofitel. We stayed in the massive 120㎡ 1-Bedroom mansion, which the hotel offers in several configurations, both single-storey and duplex layouts. We were assigned the single-storey 1-Bedroom Mansion.

Layout of the 1-Bedroom Mansion we stayed in (not drawn to scale)

Entryway

The moment we entered the 1-Bedroom mansion, we could immediately see the Black Galaxy theme of the mansion. The entire mansion is decked in black marble, exuding a sense of class and sophistication. The first thing that caught my eye was the artwork hanging on the wall opposite the double-leaf door entrance to the suite, giving the mansion a sense of classiness. The entryway to the mansion is a relatively large space, but it lacks furnishings. I thought it was a waste that the hotel did not at least furnish this area with shoe cabinets or shoe-changing benches. Here is also where we find the entry to the pantry, the powder room and the karaoke room (yes, there is a karaoke room in this mansion).

Pantry

Immediately after the entrance, the first door on the left leads to a small pantry in the mansion. The pantry has a relatively simple layout, a single kitchen countertop fitted, a small kitchen sink, and mostly empty cabinets in the pantry, except for some glasses and champagne flutes. Mugs are laid out on the kitchen countertop, next to the Nespresso machine and the filter water dispenser. There is a mini fridge tucked inside the cabinet underneath the coffee machine, where we found complementary drinks and snacks, restocked daily. There is another door inside the pantry that seems to lead outside the mansion. However, it was constantly under lock, and there was no way for us to confirm where it led. I can only assume this was a service entrance for the hotel’s catering staff.

Powder Room

The powder room is also located in the entryway, next to the pantry, with the same Black Galaxy decor. The gold trimmings used on parts of the open cabinet and the mirror above the sink did not feel excessive and added a certain luxury to the room. The use of warm lighting also contributed to the powder room’s elegant look. Despite only being furnished with a toilet and a large sink countertop, the space afforded to the powder room was rather generous. I guess this is necessary to prevent guests from feeling claustrophobic because of the black colour theme here.

Karaoke Room

I was pleasantly surprised to find a karaoke room next to the powder room in the entryway, just shy of the living room. The karaoke room, having the same black theme, is furnished with a six-seater couch and a large coffee table. While most of the room is decked in black, the purple in the couch cushions adds some colour without contradicting the overall theme. The karaoke room’s sound system was good, and the soundproofing was excellent. We did not hear any music when the door was closed, even with the sound system blasting. The karaoke system was well curated with a song library, with oldies to recent hits in multiple languages. With the door closed, we did not feel like being in a hotel room’s karaoke room.

Living Room

The living room occupies the largest real estate in the Black Galaxy themed 1-Bedroom Mansion at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. The space was divided equally between the lounging and dining areas.

The living room of our 1-Bedroom Mansion

Lounging Area

The lounging area occupies the left side of the living room, and the Black Galaxy theme is most pronounced there. Furnished with two large three-seater European-style sofas and two oversized armchairs, the living room felt very cosy. With the large windows behind both sofas, the living room was a space we could sit and relax while either receiving entertainment from the 55″ flatscreen TV, which is loaded with local and international channels, or simply relax and gaze into the old Macau neighbourhood or the neighbouring Zhuhai. The use of turquoise in the sofa cushions complemented the Black Galaxy theme well without compromising on the overall theme of elegance and luxury. The three chairside tables, fitted with muted red lamps, made the lounging area feel cosier and more classy. The large coffee table in the centre of the seating area gave us ample space to place our drinks and snacks while watching TV. There is a gold-painted cabinet beneath the TV, which greatly expands the already enormous storage space we had in the mansion.

Dining Area

On the other side of the lounging area sits the dining area. Furnished with a large, gold-trimmed, round, black glass-top dining table and six comfortable fabric chairs, the dining area is a great space for us to dine, with my family occupying the 2-Bedroom mansion next door. The choice of furniture, along with the crystal chandelier hanging above the dining table, complements the Black Galaxy theme, adding a sense of luxury to the mansion. At the end of the dining area are two additional dining chairs and a table placed against the wall.

Bedroom

The bedroom in the 1-Bedroom Mansion at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16

The entrance to the bedroom in the Mansion is also found in the entryway, opposite the entrance to the Karaoke Room. Compared to the rest of the mansion, the bedroom feels much brighter in its colour scheme, mainly thanks to the beige carpeting. Despite a slight colour change, elements of the Black Galaxy are still visible in the walls. The beige carpet, together with the black walls, makes the bedroom feel cosy and comfortable. Right beside the entrance to the bedroom is the workdesk, which is quite sizeable for us to get some work on our laptops and iPads. The work chair at the desk was comfortable to sit in for hours. The only thing I did not like about the study desk is the placement of the power outlet. The deep, narrow power outlet meant we were unable to use our international adaptors, which have USB power outlets at the bottom. I like how Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 furnishes the wall space behind the work desk with an ornamental shelf. Despite serving no other purpose than display, the shelf not only adds a sense of luxury but also makes this space feel more like a study room.

The sleeping area in the bedroom is farther into the room, next to the window. Furnished with an oversized king bed with an elaborate European-style headboard, the sleeping area is very inviting. We had an excellent sleep on the king bed with its firm mattress and the choice of pillows that suited our preference. The mansion’s opulence was also evident in the king bed. The hotel installed slim chandeliers as bedside lamps that hang above the bedside tables, which not only frees up space on these already large bedside tables, but also reinforces the luxury theme that is seen in the mansion. The bedside tables were generous with the space afforded to us. Other than the large table top, the two drawers offered us tons of space to put away our stuff. Regarding charging, the power outlet’s design suffers from the same poor design as the one on the work desk. We had the same issues with fitting our international power adaptor and had to request an extension cord from the hotel. The bench the hotel provided at the end of the bed gave us the flexibility to stow our backpacks or sit to watch the TV mounted on the false wall opposite the king bed. The TV in the bedroom had the same entertainment options as the rest of the mansion (yes, there are more TVs in the mansion).

The false wall that the hotel installed in the bedroom not only provides a space for the hotel to mount the 55″ flatscreen TV, but it also creates a pseudo walk-in wardrobe in the bedroom. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 fitted two sets of two large wardrobes in the closet area of the room, with the wardrobes on the left side having more space. Two of these wardrobes are fitted with two four-tier drawers, giving us a total of eight drawers for smaller clothing items, while one is fitted with a smaller four-tier drawer. This is also where the in-room safe is tucked away. With the combination of the wardrobes, we were able to fit at least two weeks of clothing. Sitting between the two sets of wardrobes is the vanity area. An European-style mirror hangs above the vanity table, accompanied by a dark purple European-style vanity chair. The area at the vanity table is sufficient to lay out one’s entire set of skin care products and cosmetics.

Bathroom

The bathroom in our 1-Bedroom Mansion

The bathroom is situated inside the bedroom. Like the rest of the 1-Bedroom Mansion, the Black Galaxy theme extends into the large bathroom, which is mainly tiled in black marble for walls and floors. A large sink countertop with dual sinks runs the entire length of the bathroom wall, with a generous amount of countertop space for placing our toiletries. Behind the sink area are not one but two toilet cubicles, but only the one closest to the bedroom is equipped with a Japanese-style bidet. I am pleasantly surprised to find a small TV in both toilets to keep guests occupied while using these toilets. Equally surprising is the three-seater leather sofa in the bathroom, in front of the sink area. While weird it might be, I thought having this sofa gave us space to place our clothes.

Behind the sofa, and occupying â…” of the real estate in the bathroom, is the jacuzzi. Sitting on a raised platform and facing the large windows that looked out into Zhuhai, the jacuzzi is large enough for two to three people to enjoy the powerful massage jets in the tub while taking in the scenery of the river and Zhuhai. Due to its size, it can take quite a while to fill the tub with water. As the flooring was all black, I felt one could easily trip on the steps leading to the jacuzzi area, despite the hotel’s best efforts to lay down toilet mats on the stairs. A generously sized walk-in shower with a large rainfall showerhead mounted to the ceiling and a separate regular showerhead is installed next to the Jacuzzi. There is so much space in the walk-in shower that the hotel even fit a bench inside, doubling the shower as a steam room. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 supplies its guests with the luxurious Lanvin shower amenities, which not only smell great, but also keep our skin feeling soft after every shower.

Massage Area & Sauna

I was quite surprised to find a massage corner at the end of the bathroom. The massage corner is equipped with a massage table, a sink countertop, and a privacy curtain, which seem to cater to guests who want to order an in-room massage. I am equally surprised to find our private sauna sitting in the corner of the massage area, though we never used the in-suite sauna room throughout our three-night stay in this 1-Bedroom Mansion at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16.

Service

The service at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is good, but the service seems to stop at the hotel’s main reception. The reception staff were very friendly and helpful. As we had booked the mansion and will be checked into at the Club Millésime Lounge, like guests staying in the executive rooms and suites. When we approached a staff member at the reception, instead of shuffling us to the main queue, the staff member put down what he was doing and attended to us immediately. He arranged for his colleague, Sam, to bring us to the lounge to check in. Sam was very helpful and welcoming. He immediately jumped in to help us with our luggage and kept insisting even after we repeatedly declined. Throughout the journey to the lounge, Sam took the time to orientate us to the hotel’s facilities, pointing out where the breakfast restaurant was and the breakfast timing. Upon arriving at the lounge check-in area, instead of leaving us there, Sam waited around to escort us to our mansions. We bumped into Sam the next evening, and despite having worked the whole day, Sam was still as enthusiastic and friendly, and carrying a warm smile.

The other person who had displayed warmth at the hotel was our housekeeping staff, Bonnie. Despite the late night, Bonnie helped us arrange for our connecting doors to be opened. Before she left, she even checked if we required turndown service and if there were any items we would like to top up. The next day, we bumped into Bonnie along the corridor one floor below us. Upon spotting us, Bonnie immediately greeted us with a good morning and asked when it would be convenient for her to make up our mansions. Our mansions were always kept spick and span after Bonnie did her magic.

The great service that we had experienced at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 seemed to stop with the reception staff, Sam and Bonnie. The rest of the staff came across as if they couldn’t be bothered. Firstly, the male staff at the lounge check-in was rather rude. He also came across as impatient when we asked him some questions regarding the lounge. Fortunately, most of our check-in was processed by his female colleague sitting next to him, who was quite polite and welcoming. The male staff, instead of helping her to hasten our check-in process, just sat in front of his computer, seemingly staring at the blank screen and doing nothing. He only interrupted with a rude response when we asked his female colleague if the lounge would see a shorter line during breakfast. The staff at Mistral Restaurant were equally bad. We checked with one of the female staff members at around dinner time on the buffet, who seemed unwilling to answer our questions by replying with short, unrelated answers.

Having said that, when we requested to speak to the duty manager the night before our departure to share our displeasure that my sister’s mansion was not made up when we returned. Instead of being defensive, the duty manager listened with much empathy. I even spotted his female staff, Laura, checking on our mansions and taking down notes on the points we raised.

Facilities around the Hotel

Breakfast @ Mistral Restaurant

Breakfast was served at the Mistral Restaurant, located on the 6th floor of the hotel. The restaurant could accommodate a large number of guests for breakfast, thanks to its size and plentiful seating. The food served was tasty, with a good mix of local and Western options, ranging from salads to bacon to fresh-cut fruits. There is even a small selection of Indian food, catering for the hotel’s Indian guests. In terms of the spread, I’d say the restaurant offers a huge breakfast menu, with its signature croissants placed on the table just inside the entrance. There is a made-to-order noodle bar where we could pick the type of noodles and the vegetables to pair with them. However, the menu stayed the same throughout our three-night stay at the hotel. Despite the repetitive menu, I thought the breakfast served was quite hearty and filled us up with energy to explore Macau.

Club Millésime Lounge

The Club Millésime Lounge, perched on the 17th floor in the hotel wing, is the hotel’s Executive Lounge. The lounge’s decor feels a bit tacky, with overuse of marble on the walls and fixtures that create a sense of luxury. The dark wooden wall cabinets at either end of the lounge, along with the dark brown carpet laid throughout most of it, create an old-school, luxurious vibe. Most parts of the lounge are furnished with dining tables for four, with those placed next to the large window that looks out into Old District Macau only accommodating two. A couple of sets of sofas occupied the ends of the lounge, catering to larger groups. An orange marble bar table was placed in the centre of the lounge for large groups to mingle. The lounge offers a great space for guests to relax, serving finger food during afternoon tea and evening cocktail hours, in addition to the smaller breakfast menu served in the mornings. Outside these hours, guests can visit the lounge to enjoy a drink, where cookies and nuts are also available. We were at the Club Millésime Lounge only for one evening cocktail; the food spread was rather limited. As the evening cocktail approached its end, the staff did not bother to top up the food (despite assuring us the chef would keep it flowing).

Swimming Pool

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 boasts not one but two swimming pools: the larger main pool, open to all hotel guests, and another located in the mansion wing, exclusively for mansion guests. The free-form main pool, located on the 6th floor of the main hotel building, appears to be designed primarily for families, making it somewhat challenging to complete decent laps. There is a small area in the pool, curved out as a jacuzzi, which makes relaxing here ideal. There are also a limited number of sundeck chairs around the main pool, which means only a small number of guests can use them at any one time.

The private mansion wing pool sits on the 8th floor of the mansion wing, catering to guests staying in the mansion. The mansion wing pool features an elongated design, ideal for swimming laps and for families to spend quality time together. There is a separate, dedicated jacuzzi pool at this pool. There seem to be more sundeck chairs at this pool facing the river than at the main pool.

Gym

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 features a spacious gym, located on the 6th floor of the main hotel building. The gym consists of two parts: a smaller room located next to the reception and the main gym floor. The smaller room beside the reception features free weights for guests to perform strength training. There are gym balls at the end of this room for guests to use for core training. The main gym floor is equipped with mainly cardio equipment like treadmills and stationary bikes positioned to face the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the main swimming pool. There are only three strength training machines, which work out only the arms and back muscles, placed in the centre of the gym floor and arranged to face the swimming pool.

Overall

The location of the hotel was good, as it was close to the historic centre of Macau, making visiting these sights very convenient. The 24-hour supermarket within a stone’s throw of the hotel made it convenient for us to get stuff even late at night. However, due to no casinos operating at the hotel, there are no free shuttle buses that run here. Fortunately, the bus stop in front of the hotel connects us to the major attractions in Macau, making exploring here a breeze. The 1-Bedroom Mansion that was assigned to us was very well-appointed. The large floor area allowed the hotel to fit many facilities, such as a Karaoke Room and a Sauna, within the room. The mansion’s decor was classy and luxurious, and the king bed provided excellent sleep quality. The breakfast menu was huge, and despite staying the same, it kept us fueled for the day of exploring Macau. It seems the reception staff were the only ones (as well as Bonnie) who were interested in providing good service. The rest of the staff, including those in the restaurant and lounge, and especially the male staff at the lounge’s check-in desks, do not seem to be providing good service to its guests.

[Accommodation Review] – Fairmont Peace Hotel (1-Bedroom Suite), Shanghai, China (14 – 18 May 25)

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Location

The Fairmont Peace Hotel is the most iconic hotel on the Bund in Shanghai. One cannot miss the hotel, with its iconic green metallic roof, a landmark that is part of the Bund skyline. The Fairmont Peace Hotel is situated at the end of East Nanjing Road on the Bund, where shopping options are plentiful, ranging from large shopping malls and department stores to small shops selling souvenirs and snacks. There are also several 24-hour convenience shops and multiple eateries, from street food to restaurants, within a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The hotel is conveniently located near East Nanjing Road Station, the nearest subway station, just a 5-minute walk away, providing easy access to explore Shanghai by metro. Guests wanting to visit the Pudong area across the Huangpu River also have the option of taking the Shanghai Ferry from Jinling East Road Ferry terminal, which is about a 10-minute walk along the Bund.

The Suite

We checked into the 1-Bedroom Suite in Fairmont Peace Hotel. The suite has a floor area of 89㎡, with dedicated spaces for the living room, bedroom, bathroom, and even a walk-in closet.

Layout of the 1-Bedroom Suite at Fairmont Peace Hotel (not drawn to scale)

Entryway

We could see the old Shanghai colonial decor from the entryway to our 1-bedroom suite at Fairmont Peace Hotel, featuring dark wooden flooring and plastered walls. In addition to serving as a transitional space between the living room and main entrance, the mini bar, fully stocked with snacks and drinks ranging from soda to liquor, is discreetly tucked into a niche next to the main entrance of the suite. I was pleasantly surprised to find the latest Nespresso Vertuo machine equipped in the mini bar area. The mini fridge is housed in a dark wooden cabinet in the minibar area. The entryway was also home to the entrance to the powder room and the walk-in wardrobe, which had direct access to the bathroom.

Powder Room

The powder room, furnished with a sink and a toilet, is located on the right side of the entryway and provides an alternative location for using the toilet. Decked in white and black marble, the powder room exudes the classical luxury vibe characteristic of the other parts of the suite.

Living Room

The living room of the 1-Bedroom Suite, occupying approximately half of the suite’s space, is adorned with French Colonial decor, from the beige patterned walls to the intricate carvings on the beams and ceiling. Topped with a floral-patterned hanging light on the ceiling, we were swarmed with a luxurious vibe in the living room. The beige fabric three-seater sofa, sitting next to the window and facing the entryway, immediately invites guests to take a seat and enjoy the view of the Bund. A small dark brown coffee table, decked with welcome amenities, together with the table lamp resting on the side table in a corner, gave us a cosy feel. I find the TV cabinet’s placement a little off, as it is positioned next to the sofa rather than facing it, which makes watching programmes on the 55″ LED TV a tad difficult. I also find a lack of storage space in the living room and the suite. The TV cabinet provided us with the only storage space for temporarily storing the items we had bought. When it comes to entertainment, TV channels offer only a handful of English channels, while the majority of channels are in Chinese. Fairmont Peace Hotel makes up for the lack of English channels by treating guests to a complimentary small catalogue of on-demand English movies (selectable under “Joy Cinema”).

The living room of the 1-Bedroom Suite

The high-back armchair, tucked in a corner of the suite next to the entrance to the entryway, invites the suite’s occupants to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or read a book. The living room in the 1-Bedroom Suite at Fairmont Peace Hotel is furnished with a fairly large work desk, placed by the wall of the powder room. Despite being fitted with a table lamp, I still find plenty of space to work on the work desk.

Bedroom

The French Colonial decor also dominated the interior of the bedroom. The king bed was luxurious and very comfortable to sleep on, thanks to its firm mattress. However, the sleep quality was impaired by the pillows, which were too soft for my liking and gave me a neckache the next morning. Although I was unable to find a list of pillow options, the Fairmont Peace Hotel was able to provide the buckwheat and foam pillows that I requested, which significantly improved the sleep quality on the king bed. I thought the space afforded by the bedside tables for us to place our lifestyle devices was generous. In addition to the phone/alarm clock and the large bedside lamps, we still find plenty of space for us to charge our mobile devices overnight. The two drawers in each of the bedside tables allowed us to store our belongings neatly.

The bedroom of the 1-Bedroom Suite at Fairmont Peace Hotel

The TV cabinet is placed against the wall and not facing the king bed. Fortunately, we were able to swivel the TV to face the bed, allowing us to enjoy the same entertainment as the TV in the living room. The bedroom is also furnished with a two-seater sofa and another coffee table, placed opposite the king bed by the window. Perhaps the hotel intended for guests to sit on this sofa and watch the bustle of the East Nanjing Road below, or to peek out into the Bund from the comfort of our suite.

Bathroom

The bathroom can be accessed via the door in the bedroom or the walk-in wardrobe. Being connected to the wardrobe gave us the convenience of accessing our clothing. The bathroom is adorned with white marble, which lends it a luxurious ambience. From the bathroom entrance, the first thing that caught my eye was the deep-seated bathtub nestled by the wall furthest from the entrance. The bathtub was perfect for us to soak away the fatigue we had accumulated from exploring Shanghai. Despite having a small TV installed at the bathtub, I find it rather useless, as the angle at which it was installed made it nearly impossible to watch while soaking in the bathtub.

The bathroom of the 1-Bedroom Suite

The walk-in shower and toilet cubicles are installed on either side of the bathtub. The walk-in shower, fitted with a rain shower and a regular shower head, was quite sizeable and even had a bench fitted inside. The toilet on the opposite side is fitted with a Japanese-style bidet, which is also quite sizeable. The bathroom in the suite is fitted with two sinks, opposite the walk-in shower. The countertop space on each of these sinks is very generous, allowing us to place our toiletries without having to resort to a game of Tetris. As if the space is not enough, the hotel further increases the countertop space by installing another ledge underneath the large mirrors in the bathroom. The hotel also provided a vanity table in the bathroom, located outside the toilet cubicle, but we merely used this table to store our toiletries bag.

Walk-in Wardrobe

The walk-in wardrobe sits between the bathroom and the entryway and can be accessed from both parts of the 1-Bedroom Suite. I like how the Fairmont Peace Hotel carved out a space as a walk-in wardrobe and made it accessible from the bathroom. The hotel fitted two large open wardrobes facing each other in this space, but with more hanging space than storage space. I thought there was plenty of space to hang up at least 2 weeks’ worth of clothing, but the limiting factor is the number of hangers, which I am fairly certain the hotel will be able to provide when requested. One of these wardrobes is fitted with only hanging racks, providing space for us to store our luggage after unpacking. The other wardrobe has a similar design, but features a three-tiered open shelf and a single drawer. Despite having these designed into the wardrobe, they only increase the storage space for smaller clothing items slightly. The in-room safe is located on the open shelf.

Service

The service around the hotel is generally very good. All the staff that we met during our stay made us feel welcome and were always wearing their smiles. The doormen at the main entrances would always be one step ahead of us and open the door for us. The reception staff were always ready to assist guests in answering any questions regarding the city and the hotel. The staff at the Fairmont Gold Lounge were always welcoming. We visited the lounge twice and were always greeted with a warm welcome by the staff. We requested to visit the rooftop terrace at night, and the lounge staff brought us up, sharing with us the best views and photo spots.

Gordon, the Fairmont Gold butler, got in touch with us months before our arrival. Following our initial email to the hotel, checking on the suite we will be staying in and other options that were available to us. Gordon was very responsive and patient in answering our questions. He also helped us arrange for our private transfer between the airport, the cruise terminal and the hotel, so our trip would not be affected. He was also present during our check-in and made us feel welcomed. Gordon also arranged a private historic tour of the hotel and a private visit to the roof terrace, where we enjoyed a privileged nighttime view of the Bund and Pudong area. Gordon generously shared his local knowledge with us, enabling us to plan our stay in Shanghai effectively. Gordon’s efforts were pivotal in making our stay in Shanghai enjoyable.

Wefie with our Fairmont Gold Butler – Gordon

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ Jasmine Lounge

Breakfast at Fairmont Peace Hotel was served at the Jasmine Lounge, located on the Ground Floor of the hotel, next to the Jazz Bar. I’d say there is quite a good spread of food available during breakfast. For Western options alone, we were spoiled for choice, with a large variety of salads and cold cuts, as well as a wide selection of pastries, in addition to the hot favourites of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. What makes the breakfast served at Jasmine Lounge stand out is the equally large menu of Shanghainese options. We could choose from dim sum, Shanghainese street noodles, pot stickers, and Shanghainese pancakes. The food quality served during breakfast was excellent. Having said that, I did not notice any menu changes throughout my three-night stay at the hotel.

Fairmont Gold Lounge

The Fairmont Gold Lounge is located on the 9th floor of the hotel, accessible to suite guests and Accor members with platinum or higher status. The Fairmont Gold Lounge employs an earthy tone, which feels very relaxing, while the chandelier hanging on the ceiling exudes a luxurious vibe. The relaxing feeling was even more pronounced when the lounge was empty most of the time during our visit, contrasting with the bustling scene on East Nanjing Road below. The lounge is dotted with dining tables with four accompanying chairs, creating a great space for guests to relax as a group or for business meetings. There is a part of the lounge that feels more like a living room, with couches placed in front of the TV. There are only a handful of tables that were furnished with sofa seats, allowing guests to chill.

We were only at the lounge on one occasion (due to spending most of our time exploring Shanghai), and we visited during their evening cocktail hour. The Fairmont Gold Lounge serves hors d’oeuvres during afternoon tea and evening cocktail time in a buffet area at the back of the lounge. Considering the evening cocktail where food is served in bite-size portions, there is a great variety of food available. From cold cuts like smoked tuna, prawns, and octopus to hot food options like fried dumplings, sweet and sour fish, and even a station with smoked duck, to pastries, I thought the variety served during the evening cocktail was quite substantial. Guests are free to help themselves with the variety of spirits and soda.

Swimming Pool

The Fairmont Peace Hotel is fitted with an indoor pool located on the 1st floor, accessible via the same entrance as the hotel’s in-house spa, Willow Stream. The pool is a little on the small side, but still allows guests to do some decent laps. The pool is slightly heated, allowing guests to swim comfortably. There is a limited number of poolside chairs available at the pool, which allows only a small number of guests to use the pool at a time. Fortunately, the pool does not seem to be popular with guests at the hotel. During our visit to the pool, there were no other guests present. There is a sauna facility in the changing room.

Gym

The hotel also has a small gym, located on level 1 in the same area as the Willow Stream spa and the swimming pool. Despite its small size, the gym is well equipped with workout machines for cardio and strength training. For cardio training, guests can work out on the stationary bikes, the three treadmills, and the elliptical machine. The gym is equipped with machines that work out every muscle in the body, including a machine for the abs. On top of these strength training machines, the gym is also equipped with a set of free weights. In addition to the equipment on the main gym floor, the Fairmont Peace Hotel also features a yoga studio for guests to practice yoga. I am not sure if the hotel offers any yoga lessons, as there were no indications that it does.

Overall

We had a wonderful stay at the iconic Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai. Being located on the Bund, we had a great view of the Pudong skyline, the icon of Shanghai, from our hotel room. The hotel is also well-connected to the rest of the city via the metro, with the nearest station, East Nanjing Road Station, just a 5-minute walk away. The 1-Bedroom Suite is comfortable with sufficient furnishing for us to enjoy the suite without over-cluttering it. The sleep quality on the king bed was excellent, which left us feeling refreshed every single night. The service at the hotel was top-notch, from the moment we arrived to our daily interactions with the staff; everyone made us feel welcome, and nothing seemed too small to bother them.

[Accommodation Review] – The Park Lane Hong Kong – A Pullman Hotel (Park Lane Suite), Hong Kong (10 – 13 Nov 23)

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The Park Lane Hong Kong, managed under the Pullman brand, is part of the Accor hotel group. Despite not being in the centre of Hong Kong, the hotel is very well connected via public transport. The Park Lane Suite is the only suite room in the hotel. The service is what you will find in a typical 5-star hotel. However, some staff members made our stay memorable.

The Park Lane Hong Kong Signage
Facade of The Park Lane Hong Kong viewed from a nearby building.

Location

The Park Lane Hong Kong – a Pullman Hotel is situated at Causeway Bay, in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. The hotel sits at the edge of the Causeway Bay shopping district, which can get very busy on weekends. The Park Lane Hong Kong faces Victoria Park and part of Victoria Harbour, making it one of the few hotels in Hong Kong that look out into the open. I particularly like the hotel’s location, as the shopping area is right in the hotel’s backyard. There are several 24-hour convenience stores and a 24-hour supermarket near the hotel. The Park Lane Hong Kong is also very well connected by public transportation, with the nearest MTR station, Causeway Bay Station, being a 2-minute walk away. Numerous bus services and the iconic “ding ding” tram stop by the stop, which is a 3-minute walk from the hotel. There is even an airport shuttle service about 1 block from the hotel.

Park Lane Suite

The Park Lane Hong Kong offers several room types. However, the Park Lane Suite is the hotel’s only suite room. The spacious 66m2 Park Lane Suite offered us tons of space and has a separate living room, bedroom, and bathroom.

View of Victoria Park from the living room of the Park Lane Suite

Entryway

The Park Lane Suite’s entryway sets the entire suite’s design language. The wooden feature wall emits a comfortable and cosy feel. I thought it was smart of the hotel not to clutter the entryway with furniture that would otherwise make this small area look small. I like the ledge fitted on the feature wall, which allowed us to place smaller items, such as the keycard.

Powder Room

We found the powder room behind a translucent sliding door in the entryway area next to the entrance to the Park Lane Suite. The powder room is rather spacious and has one toilet and a sink. The powder room had a sizeable sink and a large countertop, making this area look less empty with its sparse furnishings. The powder room not only provides us with an alternate toilet but also allows our guests to use the toilet without barging into the bedroom to use the toilet in the bathroom.

The powder room is quite spacious.

Living Room

The living room occupies a good amount of space in the Park Lane Suite. The contemporary living room is spacious, with the right amount of furniture. All the furnishings in the living room serve a function rather than for ornamental purposes. A brown leather three-seater couch sits by another feature wall in the living room, identical to that in the entryway. The brown leather couch emits a sense of luxury and sophistication. The thick cushioning on this couch makes it comfortable. On both sides of the couch are two stone-top tables, which are placed in a spot that does not obstruct the usable space in the living room. They also provide us with an alternate avenue to place our items. Another single-seat 360° swivel beige colour armchair rests at the side of the couch near the entryway of the suite. Sitting in the centre of the couch and the armchair is a two-tiered glass-top coffee table thoughtfully stocked with snacks and welcome amenities. The use of glass as the surface of the coffee table not only enforces the luxurious vibe in the living room of the Park Lane Suite but also makes the suite look less cluttered.

A 40″ flat-screen TV is mounted onto another wooden feature wall, identical to those in the entryway. The TV provided numerous entertainment options while we were resting in the suite. Despite various local and international channels on TV, I find more local channels than international ones. The Park Lane Hong Kong furnished a large TV console underneath the TV. I find the TV console practical as it gives us additional space to dump our shopping without messing up the suite’s living room. We also found minibar snacks (chargeable) and an electric kettle nicely tucked in the two cabinets in this console. A two-tiered glass-top work desk sits in the area furthest away from the entryway, right by the window. The sizeable work desktop has a swivel design, providing sufficient space for guests to work on their laptops. However, I wouldn’t say I liked the placement of the power outlet, which is located on the floor next to the stem of the work desk. The Park Lane Hong Kong furnished a very comfortable work chair, with its body wrapping design giving guests excellent back support. Perhaps in an attempt to free up as much space on the work desk as possible, instead of fitting a reading light at the work desk, The Park Lane Hong Kong had the reading light fitted onto the ceiling, which I found did not sufficiently illuminate the work desk.

The mini bar is found in a standalone cabinet by the wall of the powder room. A Nespresso Machine and a filtered water machine, alongside some cups and glasses, occupy the top shelf of the mini bar cabinet. I found myself knocking on the wine glasses fitted on the ceiling of the shelf several times when I tried to access the water tank of the Nespresso machine due to the clutter. Also, I was not too fond of the filtered water machine as we often had to top up the small-capacity water tank. A sizeable drawer-styled in-room safe is fitted at the centre level of the cabinet, and the mini fridge was found on the lowest level of the mini bar cabinet. The mini fridge was fully stocked with beers and soft drinks. However, these beverages are chargeable. Right next to the mini bar cabinet is another wardrobe, which I thought the placement was a tad weird. Placing a wardrobe in the suite’s living room was inconvenient for guests to access their clothing. Perhaps the hotel intends this wardrobe to be a space for guests to hang their jackets.

Bedroom

A solid wooden sliding door separates The bedroom from the living room. The decor in the large bedroom exudes an elegant and comfortable feel, where the colour palette used here is lighter, contrasting the darker tone in the living room. The first thing that caught my eye in the bedroom was the large tree painting handing over the headboard of the king bed. The colour used in this painting is pleasing to the eye and exudes a sense of calmness. The bedroom’s centrepiece is the king bed resting flush to the bedroom wall. The king bed is a great size, and the firm mattress gave us great sleep quality. However, I find the pillows a tad too soft for my liking. The hotel has a limited pillow menu, but the options did not include any pillows firm enough to my liking. The two sizeable bedside tables on either side of the king bed, with their large drawers, afforded us lots of space to place and charge our lifestyle devices with the power outlets strategically fitted at these tables.

The bedroom in the Park Lane Suite

View from the bedroom of the Park Lane Suite.

There was another single-seater armchair that came with an ottoman placed between the bed and the window. The placement of this chair gave us another space to chill and look out into Victoria Park from the bedroom of the Park Lane Suite. However, we mainly use this chair to stow our backpacks. The bedroom in the Park Lane Suite also has a 40″ flat-screen TV mounted to a feature wall with the same design as those in the living room. We could obtain the same entertainment options as the TV in the living room. The oversized light brown TV console placed below the TV gave us additional options to stow our items. I thought the wardrobe in the Park Lane Suite, which can be accessed from both the bedroom and the bathroom, was a tad small. It only gave sufficient space for one of us to hang our four days’ worth of clothing, which meant that one of us had to use the wardrobe in the living room. It does not help that The Park Lane Hong Kong placed a yoga mat in the already limited wardrobe space. We found a two-tiered drawer in the wardrobe, giving us space to put away smaller clothing items.

Bathroom

Access to the spacious and well-designed bathroom is only possible via the suite’s bedroom, which employs the same wooden theme. The bathroom is functional and aesthetically pleasing, with a distinct wet and dry area. The dry area is fitted with dual sinks on a long countertop that spreads across the entire bathroom depth, giving us tons of space to place our facial products. The hair dryer is tucked in the only drawer along the countertop, where we found the only power outlet for shavers on the hairdryer holder. The Park Lane Hong Kong seem to sacrifice functionality over form in the design of the power outlet. The drawer is not deep enough to accommodate the size of the charger, and it did not work! Another flaw in the bathroom is the lack of hooks for us to hang our clothes. It seems the hotel mitigated the lack of hooks by designing a small wardrobe accessible from the bathroom.

Peeking into the bathroom of the Park Lane Suite

The wet area is separated by glass panels with a sliding glass door to increase the sense of spaciousness in the bathroom. The wet area houses both the walk-in shower and a large bathtub, which I thought was a very good design. This design ensured the dry area stayed dry as we did not have to walk through the bathroom with our wet feet after soaking in the tub. It also gave us the convenience of showering right after soaking in the tub. The bathtub in the suite was of a great size, with running LED lighting; soaking in this tub was relaxing. The hotel fitted the wet area with a rain shower and a regular shower head with excellent water pressure. Despite looking refined with the wooden panelled flooring in the wet area, I found this design impractical as the floor would stay damp overnight. The toilet cubicle is tucked in the corner furthest away from the entrance to the bathroom, next to the wet area of the bathroom. The area allocated to the toilet cubicle was relatively large, and Park Lane Hong Kong fitted a Japanese-style bidet with seat-warming functions, complete with a ledge for us to place our mobile phones in the toilet.

The wet area inside the bathroom

The large bathtub that is fitted inside the walk-in shower area

Service

The service at The Park Lane Hong Kong is generally good, with every staff member striving to make their guests feel welcome. Some left a deep impression with their hospitable personality. Kitty was our first point of contact with the hotel. I emailed the hotel in advance to arrange a birthday cake for my friend, whose birthday fell during our stay at the hotel. Kitty responded promptly to my email and helped me arrange a birthday surprise. My friend was pleasantly surprised with the birthday amenities and the decor the hotel placed in the suite. It is a shame that we did not meet Kitty during our stay at the hotel. I would like to convey my thanks personally for her efforts.

June, whom we met at the Executive Lounge, left us with the deepest impression. She would always welcome us with the warmest greeting every time we saw her in the lounge. She would ask how our day was and was generous in recommending places or restaurants where we could visit. June’s excellent local knowledge allowed her to immediately recommend where we could get the food we sought and how to maximise our time in Hong Kong.

We met Jonathan during check-in, who warmly welcomed us to the hotel. Jonathan was expeditious in processing our check-in and was very detailed in briefing us where to get breakfast, the timing for breakfast, and the Executive Lounge’s operating hours. Jonathan even volunteered to help us with our luggage to our rooms after he processed our check-in.

Even the housekeeping staff made us feel welcome. We made small talk with one of the staff members as we checked into our rooms. Despite being busy and having a tight schedule, the cheerful housekeeping staff welcomed us to the hotel. These unsung heroes will always warmly greet us whenever we bump into them along the corridor. These housekeeping staff would always ensure that we returned to a clean and comfortable room after a day of exploring the city of Hong Kong.

Hotel Facilities

Executive Lounge

The Park Lane Hong Kong has a beautiful lounge perched high on Level 26 of the hotel. The Executive lounge is open to guests with lounge access from 6.30 am to 10 pm daily. The contemporary decor of the lounge comes with tons of seating space, from the more open main dining area to a secluded area where we found ourselves somewhat isolated from the rest of the lounge. Besides small bites and drinks, we like the lounge for its views. We were treated to the beautiful skyline of the harbour side of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Other than breakfast, The Park Lane Hong Kong treats its lounge guests with afternoon tea from 3 pm to 5 pm and evening cocktails from 5 pm to 7 pm. Outside these “meal times”, we also visited the lounge for snacks and drinks.

Breakfast

As guests of the Park Lane Suite, we were offered the option of having breakfast at the restaurant Playt located at Level 1 or the Executive Lounge. Playt is your traditional breakfast restaurant, which offers us a wide variety of choices for breakfast in buffet style. There is a good mix of local and international choices for breakfast, from counters serving Hong Kong-style breakfast such as dim sum and congee to one dedicated to Western choices like bacon and hashbrowns and a good selection of bread and eggs. Playt also has an extensive choice at the salad bar. I particularly find the soy milk the restaurant served during breakfast tasty and not too sweet.

Breakfast at the Executive Lounge offers a different breakfast experience compared to Playt. The Executive Lounge at The Park Lane Hong Kong has a small selection of Hong Kong cuisine at the hot counter and cold cuts, salads and bread at the cold counter during breakfast. The lounge also offered an ala carte buffet menu where food was prepared ala minute. Despite the limited selection, we preferred having breakfast at the lounge as not only were we treated to a great view of the Hong Kong skyline, but the crowd was thinner at the lounge.

Gym

The gym is the only fitness facility that The Park Lane Hong Kong has, and it is located on level 5. The gym was well-equipped with fitness equipment and machines for various workouts, from cardio to strength building. The gym equipment is top-notch and identical to that of paid-member gyms. For strength training alone, there are machines that work out every muscle in the body. There are several choices for cardio workouts, such as stationary bikes and treadmills. There is even a space dedicated to gym guests wanting to practice yoga. We also found a small sauna room in the gym’s changing room.

Overall

The Park Lane Hong Kong is very well located. The hotel is close to the shopping strip at Causeway Bay and is very connected via public transportation. There are several 24-hour shops near the hotel. Dining options are plentiful within a stone’s throw from the hotel. The contemporary Park Lane Suite was very comfortable and spacious. The Park Lane suite is one of the few hotel rooms in Hong Kong that gave us a breathtaking view of Hong Kong and Victoria Park. The service at the hotel was great, and every staff member we met was welcoming. I would return to The Park Lane Hong Kong the next time I visit Hong Kong.