As everyone knows, I generally prefer staying at newly opened hotels rather than old ones (especially those that are extremely new). The hardware and soft furnishings of newly opened hotels tend to be more up-to-date, making them more comfortable to stay in.
However, there are some luxury hotels that remain timeless; even after decades or a century of operation, they are still the top choices for those with “Old Money.” Particularly in Hong Kong, there are quite a few of these hotels.
Today’s article is a review of the Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong. Writing about the Island Shangri-La while in Hong Kong is quite fitting.
Let me explain why, during my last visit to Hong Kong, I stayed at the Island Shangri-La for two nights.
1) Cost-Effectiveness
I have thoroughly researched hotel prices in Hong Kong, and the Island Shangri-La consistently offers high value for money.
Although the nightly rates for a standard room at the Island Shangri-La approach 3,000 HKD, 80% of their rooms have been recently renovated between 2020 and 2022. The smallest room is 41 square meters in size.
At similar price points, other hotels either have smaller but newer rooms or larger but older ones. Moreover, none of them match the prime location of the Island Shangri-La.
Take a look at the Island Shangri-La’s rooms; they’re very new, right?
2) Location
The location of the Island Shangri-La is superb—it’s situated above the Pacific Place Mall in Admiralty, with the Admiralty MTR station and the mall right downstairs. Dining, shopping, and transportation are incredibly convenient.
The hotels situated above this mall include the Island Shangri-La, Conrad Hong Kong, JW Marriott, and The Upper House. Other than the JW Marriott, the rest can be considered almost top-tier hotels in Hong Kong.
I highly recommend the Pacific Place and Elements malls in Hong Kong; they are less crowded and have a complete range of brands.
To put it this way, you can likely buy Chanel at Pacific Place without having to queue up (at the Harbor City store, the queue is at least 1 hour long).
The Admiralty location of Pacific Place is really excellent.
If you are coming from Shenzhen, the East Rail Line from the border goes directly to Admiralty.
If, like me, you are going to Hong Kong to attend concerts, Admiralty is super close to the three major concert venues in Hong Kong. It’s one MTR station away from Central and the Exhibition Centre and two stations away from Hung Hom.
In short, it’s extremely convenient.
3) The Classical Charm of Island Shangri-La
Island Shangri-La opened in 1991 and has been around for over 30 years. If you want to relive the glory days of Hong Kong in the 80s and 90s, it’s a great choice.
Moreover, I have always thought that Shangri-La, MO, and The Peninsula are the three hotels where you can best experience traditional Eastern culture.
Especially Shangri-La, MO, and The Peninsula in Hong Kong.
At Island Shang, I’ve even seen an extremely old but still functional coffee machine. If you’re not a coffee machine enthusiast, you probably wouldn’t know what it is.
Usually, coffee machines of such vintage are just for display, but the one at Island Shang is still in use.
Now, let’s get into the formal hotel review.
Many people have a misconception about Island Shangri-La, thinking it’s a very old hotel. Actually, this misunderstanding is somewhat caused by Island Shang itself; the photos of its basic rooms give an impression of being quite dated.
In reality, the hotel spans from the 39th to the 55th floors, with a total of 557 rooms. Only the rooms on three floors have not been renovated. All the other rooms have been completely refurbished.
This renovation was personally overseen by Shangri-La’s current leader, Ms. Hui Kuok, who brought a feminine perspective and attention to detail in the design.
The newly renovated basic rooms look like this.
The control panel by the bed can control everything in the room.
If you opt for a sea view room (second-tier room type), the width of the window sofa is over one meter and its length is over three meters, making it possible to accommodate a third or even a fourth person comfortably.
From what I’ve seen in reviews, Island Shang is a top choice for many families with two adults and two children.
A city hotel for families doesn’t need a lot of children’s entertainment facilities; it first must ensure the room can perfectly accommodate two adults and two children.
The sea view rooms are teeming with technological features.
Mini bar + direct drinking water system, with both cold and hot water instantly available, eliminating the need to boil water or open bottled water.
Unfortunately, during my stay, the weather in Hong Kong was very poor, with a gray, hazy sea view and extremely low visibility, making it almost impossible to see the Rosewood on the opposite shore.
On good weather days, the view would be excellent. The guest room floors at Island Shang range from the 39th to the 55th floors, which is high enough to provide expansive views.
The rooms are nearly brand new, and the corridors on the guest room floors have been refurbished along with the rooms. The lobby and the crystal corridor, however, remain as they were when the hotel first opened, with a style that leans more towards “old money,” really exuding an old-fashioned and opulent charm.
There is a certain flavor of East meets West in Shangri-La, blending Oriental lyricism with Western elegance in a refined manner.
In Shangri-La, there must be a crane.
This place really exudes an “old money” vibe; it’s rare to find hotels that still have a live band playing in the lobby bar.
The chef mascot of Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong is a bear named Chef Bear.
In the atrium, there is a silk painting stretching across 16 floors, reaching a height of 51 meters, titled “Great Landscape.”
The “Great Landscape” painting encompasses most of China’s territory, from Qinghai and Tibet to Shandong, Beijing, and Guilin, including famous landmarks such as the Great Wall and Huangguoshu Waterfall.
It claims to be the world’s largest landscape painting. This atrium, I love it.
Now let’s talk about the dining at Island Shangri-La.
Summer Palace is absolutely a YYDS (forever a god-tier). It was the personal kitchen of Jin Yong, the renowned writer. Not only was he a regular, but he also often hosted banquets here.
I really feel for Summer Palace; it surely deserves more than just one Michelin star.
As soon as I checked in, I made a reservation at Summer Palace.
After not visiting for over three years, I opted for the chef’s recommendation menu. Such a menu usually encapsulates the essence of the restaurant. Whether it’s your first visit or, like me, you’ve not been there in a while, ordering the chef’s recommendation is the quickest way to understand the restaurant.
Hong Kong never lacks Cantonese restaurants, and places like Summer Palace and Shang Palace indeed represent the city’s highest standard of Cantonese cuisine.
The breakfast at Island Shangri-La is also worth raving about. When people visit Hong Kong, they often want to explore the local cha chaan teng (tea diners) and enjoy authentic cuisine.
Island Shangri-La invites famous tea diners and street vendors to set up stalls inside the hotel, not only preserving the original flavors but also ensuring better control of ingredients.
I stayed for two nights and skipped the breakfast at the Horizon Club (executive lounge) each day to dine at the buffet (café TOO) instead.
You must visit their bakery as soon as it opens in the morning because many items sell out by the afternoon. I recommend the rich chocolate cake, raspberry mille-feuille, and French macarons.
Island Shangri-La boasts eight restaurants and bars. According to my friends in Hong Kong, Petrus, the Michelin one-star French restaurant, is very reliable, offering both great food and fantastic views (the restaurant on the 56th floor overlooks Victoria Harbour).
I didn’t have enough time on this trip, so I’ll save it for the next visit.
Yes, the next time I return to Hong Kong, I will still choose Island Shangri-La.
Finally, I went to Hong Kong again, this time for Jay Chou’s concert. I specifically chose a hotel from which I could see the concert stage, and it was only a 5-minute walk away.
