Chris Mitchell

Bless bet they are real cute, we had the same with our eldest went to Tunisia when he was a 5 yo blonde blue eyes created a lot of interest...... and then we lost him..... looked everywhere thought he'd been taken....went upto the room ... there he was sat outside our room.... he'd done waht we had told him at start of hol if he should get lost...'go back to room and wait there we'll come get you'..... he remembered, we forgot what we told him to do.

Chris

wongstonn

Hi Fraser

As I'm on an Atkins diet at the mo', I am not an expert on the HK beer price scene - much better on wine. This lack of knowledge is compounded by the fact that because of my HK Chinese relatives I end up going to the Chinese speaking places the locals go to, and the chances are that the prices would be different in the tourist frequented places in Kowloon, Lan Kwai Fong (on HK Island), Wan Chai and Causeway Bay that you'd most likely end up in.

Nevertheless, the HK authorities tax imported alcohol very highly, so stuff like wine is seldom cheap. Drinking Guinness (imported) is considered very 'cool' by the Chinese and so clocks in at GBP5.00 - at least at places where I have been. The local stuff turns out to be locally brewed Carlsberg and San Miguel that normally retails in small cans. This can be quite cheap and are commonplace.

Sorry, I don't know draft prices as I never end up in places selling draft beer! I've never seen bitter sold.

Neil

JackTheLad

I don't drink at all but I do hang out with a husband and some friends who enjoy a pint every now and then. Beer price varies from restaurant/bar to restaurant/bar. You can pay as little as $20 for large bottel (750ml) at a local restaurant or $50 a pint at a bar in Lankwaifong or $70 at a hotel.

Draught beer is very common. Most bars and large Chinese restaurants serve at least a couple of varieties - Calsburg and San Miguel as Neil says above. They are sometimes sold in a jug - about 3-4 pints I think. Licensing laws are more relaxed than in most countries I've been to.

Beer at supermarket is very reasonably priced and you can get beer from around the world at some of them. German, Belgian, and Japanese beer, etc, are all popular.

Cheers,
Mrs JTL

fraser

Hello Mrs JTL we're now looking at satying in a cheaper hotel as 4yr old and 2yr old boys don't mix to well with exspensove fittings we couldn't relax last time we stayed in one. Are you familar with the bishop lei and Island pacific

queenie

Got to agree with Mrs JTL on this one.

We have just been to HK for 2 weeks with our 2 blue eyed, blonde haired children. They got a lot of attention but it was not from the local Chinese. The locals were interested in their appalling table manners (whoa is me!) but not much else.

The interest actually came from Mandarin speaking Chinese, who seemed to be all on bus trips (Do they come for a day Mrs JTL?) and from Japanese people too.

Queenie

JackTheLad

Bishop Lei and Island Pacific are both fine. Bishop Lei is in a good residential district in the western mid-levels - transport to Central by taxi or bus is convenient enough. The morning traffic however can be quite bad. Island Pacific Hotel is in an old commercial/residential area in the Western District - not that great a location IMO.

For similar accommodation, I would recommend "Garden View International House" at 1 Macdonnell Road. I find the location much better than the other two - near the Botanical and Zoological Gardens and Hong Kong Park, in the Central Mid-Levels, one of the nicest residential districts in HK. 15 minutes walk (downhill) to Admiralty MTR station through HK Park. 10 minutes walk downhill to the Peak Tram terminal. 5 minute taxi to either Central or Admiralty MTR station. JTL and I always stay there when we visit my family. The rooms are small but clean. There's a small swimming pool as well. Good value for money. Ask for a gardenview room if you can get one - it's nice waking up to the screaming noise of monkeys at the Botonical Gardens and the wild white parrots.

Cheers,
Mrs JTL

fraser

Once again thankyou

fraser

We've just found one which has family suites the Harbour Plaza Metropolis and a great pool

queenie

We stayed at the Marriott in Pacific Plaza and the Ritz Carlton. I would not recommend the Ritz but the Marriott was in an excellent location. You take the elevator to the bottom floor then just walk through to the train station and shopping centre.

The shopping centre is quite posh, but has a McDonald's and McCafe and a big food court which was very handy. Being close to the train was excellent too.

The hotel had a big heated pool and hot spa and also a playground.

Our room had 2 double beds so the kids just slept together, also free bottled water.

Queenie

fraser

Thanks Queenie

JackTheLad

Hi Queenie,

The Marriott and the other 2 hotels at Pacific Place are indeed at one of the best locations for visiting HK. I'm glad you liked it!

The Ritz Carlton isn't at the best location but the Italian restaurant Toscana is the best in HK IMHO. If you enjoy good food & wine, and want to see how a first class hotel restaurant works, look out for cooking lessons that they occasionally offer once you are settled in HK. They usually do it on Saturday morning and you are taught by the master chef Umberto and his dessert chefs. If you can get a group of 6 friends together you can phone the hotel up and see if a class can be arranged. Everything is done exquisitely.

I'm feeling hungry writing this...

Cheers,
Mrs JTL

queenie

I love food and cooking! What an excellent idea. All I need now is the 6 friends.

Actually I didn't notice Toscana. There was a Japanese and a Chinese restaurant together maybe in the basement, a function room with catering and a smorgasboard. We mostly ended up going to the street parallel to the escalator to eat when we were there.

Any other restaurant recommendations? Not too pricey or meaty.

Queenie

JackTheLad

Towngas also offers cooking lessons - Cantonese, Shanghainese, Sichuan, Thai, dessert, etc - much more reasonably priced than the Ritz Carlton. I can't remember how much Toscana charges but it was about $500-600 per head including a 3 course lunch.

There are too many good restaurants to name. I'll just list a few than JTL likes as he's quite picky sometimes about food:

1/ Myunga - Korean - at the World Trade Centre.
2/ Dan Ryan's - American - at Pacific Place
3/ Angeletti - great pizza and pasta - (formerly Firenze) at Stanley Market
4/ Cafe Deco - fusion food - at the Peak
5/ The Peak Lookout - Chinese/Indian/Western, beautiful naan bread - at the Peak
6/ El Cid - Spanish - at Causeway Bay or Stanley Beach

When are you headed off again?

Cheers,
Mrs JTL

Yorkshire

HI,

You must have a meal at the Worlds Biggest floating restaurant in Aberdeen.

The food is excellent and is only 15 minutes from the centre of Hong Kong.

You get a boat taxi out to it, which gives it a nice but different slant to it.



Yorkie

Fairycakes

Hi Everybody.

This is a great thread and particularly as I have just booked my flight to Sydney with 4 day stopover in HK. I haven't been before so its great to read all of your recommendations, not sure I am going to have enough time to fit everything in, must go to the Peak and try to get to at least one of the beaches, just a bit worried that I might get a bit carried away with the shopping especially as I need to try to stretch my measly redundancy from the UK to last until I find a job in Sydney.

So,...just a few questions..

I have heard that there are cheap tailors in HK that will make made to measure suits for great prices in the matter of a day or two. does anyone have any experience of having garments made to measure in HK, or any recommendations? Always nice to have some nice new gear to get togged up in for interviews!

Also I am travelling alone, is it safe for a single female to get out and about in the city in the evening?

Any other hints or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Danielle