Continuing my HK adventures, I will stay at another popular hotel on HK Island. This time around, I will be checking out The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel located right in the heart of Causeway Bay. This is one of the more well-known hotels under the Pullman brand. The location makes it one of the best places to stay for tourists. The transportation links also ensure that business travellers can get to the business district in minutes. The hotel faces the harbour and is just right next to Victoria Park with the rooms boosting amazing views of them. The hotel has completed a lovely renovation and refreshed the offerings during the down period.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
The Park Lane is located in Causeway Bay. The location is very convenient. You are opposite the road from Victoria Park, 2 mins from the MTR and the Tram. There are tons of restaurants, bars and shops. It is a location that will never go wrong. Causeway Bay is like the Hong Kong version of Times Square. For business travellers, a couple of stops take you right into the heart of the business district. Seeing The World In Steps stayed as a guest of The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel. I was booked into their Premium Deluxe Executive Room. Do check out their rates directly as they are currently running some promotions to celebrate the return of the removal of quarantine. The premium rooms here come with either a Victoria Park or Harbour View. Do make sure to put in a request for your preferred view. Personally, I will go for the Victoria Harbour View. I am a sucker for sea views. The Park Lane Hong Kong, A Pullman Hotel features 818 guest rooms and suites spread across 9 categories. Not all of the room types here come with a bathtub. So that is something to take note of if you have a preference for one. You can find some detailed information on the rooms and categories below.
| Rooms | Executive Lounge Access | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | No | Yes | 26 Sqm | 84 |
| Deluxe | No | Yes | 30 Sqm | 218 |
| Premium Deluxe | No | Yes | 34 Sqm | 227 |
| Premium Pullman | Yes | No | 34 Sqm | 74 |
| Family | No | Maybe | 34 Sqm | 45 |
| Premium Family | No | Maybe | 34 Sqm | 40 |
| Deluxe Executive | Yes | Yes | 30 Sqm | 52 |
| Premium Deluxe Executive | Yes | Yes | 34 Sqm | 65 |
| Park Lane Suite | Yes | Yes | 66 Sqm | 13 |
Checking In
The hotel has great public transportation links! The MTR is only 2 mins away from the hotel with the nearest exit equipped with escalators. That will make it very easy for your bags! I took a bus from the Kowloon side and alighted right opposite the hotel. Pre-covid, the hotel also operates a shuttle service from the airport express station although this has currently been suspended. I arrive at the hotel at around 4pm in the afternoon. I was immediately helped with the door and my bags by the doorman. I was then ushered over to the reception area for check-in. The main entrance is easier for guests arriving by vehicle and the side entrance is more suitable for pedestrians. The lobby was chic and gorgeous. I love that they had some festive decorations around. It is connected to the mall next door too. Despite the age, the place still looks so fresh from the recent updates.
There was a short wait before I was assisted. You have some priority check-in lines for elite members. The place was well organised and separated into lines for check-in and check-out. I love the dark cool tones of the lobby which feels very posh and modern. I was helped by a friendly associate which gave me all the information for my stay. I was also offered a late checkout of my choosing. He is very attentive and upon noticing that it is difficult for me to hear him behind the glass screen and the mask, he came over to the front to continue the engagement. I was then escorted to my room.
Premium Deluxe Executive Room
I was assigned a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel, room 2246 to be exact. The Premium Deluxe Executive Room is the best room that they have in the hotel. This category has been recently refreshed. The room measures 34 Sqm, very spacious by Hong Kong standards. This category of rooms comes with either a Victoria Park view or a Victoria Harbour view. I was assigned one with a harbour view. Do put down your request if you have a preference for one. Having the sprawling Victoria Harbour view welcoming you once you enter is such a great welcome. The room has a short entryway. Immediately to the right you can find the wardrobe. The wardrobe is spacious and comes equipped with everything that you might require for your stay. There are plenty of hangers, an ironing kit, a safe, bath slippers and bathrobes.
Next to it is the luggage storage area. It is on the smaller side and could only fit cabin-size pieces of baggage. For bigger suitcases, you might need to get a portable stand which will be available upon request from the hotel. It would be nice if they could preemptively offer one in the wardrobe.
The minibar chest is right next to the luggage storage area along the wall. I love that they come with an actual coffee machine as well as some packaged tea. It is nice to have a proper coffee machine in the room rather than those instant sachets. Complimentary bottles of water are provided. These are replenished during daily housekeeping and turndown service. The mini fridge is left empty for your convenience.
The bathroom is located towards the left of the entrance. This is one of the highlights of the room. Look at how gorgeous this is. I love that the bathroom has glass panels rather than the usual walls. This helps to maximise the Victoria Harbour views of the room. It also makes the place more spacious. It allows you to enjoy the view of the harbour from the tub or the standing shower. They have even attentively installed dimmer lights that you can use while soaking or taking a shower to prevent any reflection at night to enjoy the view thoroughly.
In the showering room, you have a super luxurious freestanding deep and spacious bathtub as well as a rainforest shower head. I appreciate that the tub is nicely designed for couple soaking. Water pressure is excellent and temperature control is great! I had a lovely soak. Amenities are from C.O. Bigelow Elixir White Collection. I love the scent. Accor doesn’t provide any single-use amenities as part of their concept but if required, items like toothbrushes are available upon request. To nitpick, I feel that they could have a handle installed by the tub as it can be challenging getting out when it is wet and soapy.
The room comes with a large high-quality and high-definition Smart television. It comes with a great selection of local and cable TV channels. You can also cast content from your devices to the television. It supports both Apple Mirroring and Chromecast.
Next to the television, this is where you can find the circular dining table and the working area. It will be lovely to dine with such a great view. This might just be the world’s best office. The perfect place to have a private romantic dinner. Outlets are readily available here and the wifi is fast.
By the side of the bed you can also find an armchair, this spot is great for reading a book or having a glass of coffee. I love that they have furnished a chair that can be swivelled. This way you can face both the TV or the harbour view. The best thing about this room!
The plush double bed takes up most of the room space. The mattress is extremely comfortable and the beddings are top notch. I love that they are slightly on the firmer side. The same goes for the pillows. They offer great neck support. You can also request for harder contour pillows. Flanking both sides of the bed, you can find nightstands. On one side of them, you can also find an alarm clock. They have controls for the lighting and power sockets installed on both sides of the beds. They also have USB ports installed. I do wish that they had electronic controls for the sheers and blinds.
Finally, let’s come to the view! I have mentioned this way too many times already. No pictures can do it justice but let’s let them do the rest of the talking. Both were jaw-dropping in the day and the evening. You can see an expansive view of the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade.
To round up some of my thoughts on the room itself. It would be nice if they can touch up on the little aspects such as the electronic blinds and sheers. I would also really love for them to have a proper hairdryer provided in the room. These fixed-on-the-wall, press-and-hold kind just does not reflect luxury.
With regards to my specific room or perhaps the 46 stack, given the configuration and the view, I feel like they should have swapped the layout around. It will be much better. You will get a nicer view of the harbour due to the angle. Look at the view from the TV.
And the view from the bed in the current layout. This should not be too challenging to rectify.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre is on level 5 and is open from 6am to 11pm daily. The fitness centre is of a good size and modern. There is plenty of equipment in the gym from treadmills to bikes and even yoga mats as well as exercise balls. I shall let the pictures do the rest of the speaking. Some of them have a slight view facing Victoria Park too. I also appreciate that there are staff on hand that go around sanitizing the equipment after guests’ usage.
In warmer months, the rooftop garden is also open and you can practise yoga on the roof. This will be a great workout alternative and you have the amazing Victoria Harbour keeping you company. A yoga mat can be found in your room wardrobe.
Executive Lounge
The Executive Lounge on the 26th floor is one of my favourite spots in the hotel. It is open daily from noon to 10pm. The lounge has been recently renovated and is super gorgeous. I love the look of the place. It looks so chic with a touch of nostalgia. It is a spacious facility and boasts a lovely view of the harbour. The design allows for plenty of natural light. The furniture is gorgeous and fitting. The space feels like a luxury yacht. I especially love one of those seats by the windows with views of the harbour. This will be a great place to get some work done if you would like a change of scenery. Here are some pictures of the lounge.
The lounge offers a great view of Victoria Harbour. The view is amazing during the day and in the evening. A great spot for catching the sunset too.
The lounge currently has two offerings, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. Outside of the service, all-day drinks are offered. You can find some fruits, chips, cookies, juices and soft drinks. Coffee and tea are served by the staff. In the past, breakfast is also offered. I can see that once occupancy picks up, they will restart it. It will be a very good space for overflow. This will be great for elite members and VIP guests as they provide a much more exclusive and private venue.
Afternoon tea is served from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Staff service is excellent and polished. The food offerings are served by the staff and the choices change every day. They have some spring rolls, sausage rolls, scones, vanilla crumble and a raspberry pudding. Everything is delicious and fresh. For a brand with French ties, I am glad to see that the pastries don’t disappoint. Refills are offered.
Some of the drinks are self-serve. You have your choice of soft drinks, juices and even beers. Asahi, Carlberg and Tsingtao beers are offered. It is commendable that even alcoholic drinks are offered for afternoon tea. Not a lot of hotels are this generous. I had a glass of iced latte and it was excellent. Having afternoon tea with this view is a great way to spend an afternoon.
On my second day, they had some Thai fish cake, seafood rolls, tarts, quiche and scones. I got some iced lemon tea to go with it.
Do come early to snag one of the harbour view tables for evening cocktails. They are awesome. I love coming here early when it is still bright. You get the best of both worlds. Admire the view when it is still bright over a glass of wine. Stay till it gets dark. It is mesmerizing when you see the city lights up. Evening cocktails are served from 6pm to 8pm. Drinks-wise, they have red and white wines, beers and spirits. You have Gin, Vodka, Rum, Whisky and Baileys.
They also have some speciality cocktails. They have one made with vodka, grapefruit and lime. The other one is gin based with apple and honey. I tried both of them and I prefer the gin one. The honey was a nice touch and refreshing. This will be great for pre-dinner drinks.
For the first evening, they had some scallop tartare, caramel tart, blueberry cheesecake and a couple of fried items. The scallops were pretty good. Similar to afternoon tea, they can be refilled.
What I really like about the lounge is that the offerings change day to day to keep things fresh. Visit my IG for a lovely time-lapse taken from the lounge. Staff service is polished and has a great attitude. They also show initiative in offering refills. I do wish to see a sparkling wine or champagne offered in the lounge. That will be nice in keeping with the French background. One of the better lounges that I have been to!
Ebb & Flow
The lobby bar and cafe are known as Ebb & Flow. It is located right beside the reception area. This is a great spot for a quick meeting or bite if you are in a rush. The place is very comfortable and nicely decorated. You can also come here for a drink and get some work done if you want a chance of scenery. The place has plenty of power outlets and is work-friendly.
Skye Restaurant
Skye is the signature restaurant of The Parklane Hong Kong on the 27th floor. The restaurant offers an outstanding view of the surrounding area. You have a great bird’s eye view of Victoria Park, Causeway Bay and the promenade. The Victoria Harbour and TST promenade views are gorgeous. This is a special place for a date night or celebration. The restaurant is open from 12 pm to 12am, till 1am on Fridays and the weekends. The restaurant measures 8,000 sq ft. It has both an indoor area as well as an outdoor roof bar that is an absolute happening to be in the evening. The vibes are really good. Check out some pictures of the restaurant.
The views are pretty expensive you can get almost a 270° or 180° view of the area. Do make your request for a particular view if you have one when making a reservation.
Prices are definitely on the high side but the ambience and vibes make it absolutely worth it. You can find the menus for the restaurant here. I love the cocktails specials that they are running when I stayed last month. They have cocktails based on your horoscope. This is a great and unique concept. If you hold an Accor Plus membership, this will be a good place to enjoy your dining perks.
I was warmly invited in and got one of the tables facing Causeway Bay and North Point direction. The staff then politely introduced the menu to me before seeking my preference for still or sparkling water. I went for their set dinner with wine pairing. This will allow me to get a holistic experience of their cuisine here. Service started with some bread and butter. I love their cheese rolls and they were served warm. So delicious.
The sommelier then comes to introduce himself and start with the first wine of the course. For my starter, I got the Kaviari Caviar which was served with Japanese Sea Urchin Cream and Bread Butter Toast. For this dish, it was paired with a South Africa Sparkling Wine. The dry and sparkling wine helps in cutting the heaviness of the cream.
Next up was the soup, I went for the Lobster Bisque. Interestingly, they actually recommended a cognac for the pairing. I was offered some Hennessy VSOP Cognac. They recommended this as cognac was incorporated into the cooking of the bisque. I love the pairing as the complexity and sensation actually change when you have the soup after a sip of the cognac. It is quite a unique feeling. The presentation was top notch and the soup was served table side. I love the mascarpone sandwiches which add some texture and crisps to the dish.
For my main, I went for the Turbot. The Grilled Turbot was served with confit shallot, roasted leek and a truffle beef sauce. They had paired the dish with a full-bodied Napa Chardonnay. It is a perfect pairing for such a rich fish. The flavour of the wine actually tastes super different when you have it with the fish rather than on its own. I love how the acidity helps in reducing the richness and fattiness that you get from the Turbot.
Finally, it was time for dessert! Lemon Meringue Tart! It came with a mango sorbet which goes so well with the tart. I love that it is not overly sour. For this, we had a Germain Riesling dessert wine.
After my meal, I retreated to the outdoor Roofbar area for more drinks and wine down the evening. The vibes are awesome here. It is super crowded especially since it is the weekend. I love that you have such an amazing view of the night scene and the skyline of Kowloon. Such a great company for drinks. It was really chilly at this point but they had some heat lamps that helps things and you can also request blankets.
Here are some pictures of the Roofbar. Do make a reservation if you are coming on the weekends especially if you want one of those tables by the side. They also had a DJ playing up tunes. Great vibes.
I got some champagne and tried some of the skewers from their light bites menu. All of them are excellent special mention to the wagyu beef. I will recommend ordering them in small portions rather than all at once if you are getting some food here. Especially when you are here during the cooler season. As it tends to get cold easily with the breeze.
Breakfast at Playt
Breakfast is served at Playt Restaurant which is located on the first floor. Breakfast service is from 6am to 10.30am. Do take note that the restaurant is on the mall side. Simply turn left after exiting the elevators. I appreciate the generous service timings for breakfast. The restaurant was vibrant and welcoming. I love the twist on the name and the concept. It is so colourful.
It was pretty crowded when I was down for breakfast. Hot drinks are served by the staff. Here are some pictures of the restaurant.
They have various stations and food areas. The selection was pretty good and you have a varied selection from Chinese offerings to Western dishes. I shall let the pictures do the rest of the speaking.
Special mention goes to the dim sum which was really good! I am usually not a fan of dim sum at buffets and lounges but they do quite a good rendition of it. My favourite dish for breakfast would be the noodle soup. I love the scallops soup and having a piping hot bowl of it early in the cold morning is such a great way to warm up. You can customize your choice of noodles and offerings. I would love to see some local touches like fish balls and wantons that HK is famous for. That would be perfect!
Conclusion
I had nothing but good things to say about this property! It is close to perfect. To reiterate, just minor stuff to improve on in the rooms, such as the hairdryers. The hotel is well-maintained and recently refreshed. The location of the hotel is the top appeal that they have and this is the reason why they can command this premium. You are right in the heart of Causeway Bay with plenty of transport links. There are tons of eateries and shops right downstairs. The hotel will be great for both leisure and business travellers. Special mention to the lounge which is excellent! That view of Victoria Harbour is so mesmerizing. This property will be a good choice for Accor members.
This was a hosted media stay, all views expressed are my own.
Seeing The World In Steps 
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