OneWorld Asian Adventure, Part Nine: Stay at the Marriott SkyCity Hong Kong

Excellent stuff. Those beds do look fantastic, tho the scenery around the hotel looks a bit spartan and spotty. Perhaps that will improve with time.

It's with some sort of perverse fascination that I am reading your idiosyncratic trip report. I think it is because it is so completely out of phase with how I travel and why I travel. What is the purpose of your trip, Lucky, when you cocoon yourself up in little replica outposts of the U.S. ? You could have just stayed in New York or Houston and had just as wild an adventure.

Okay, so you are more "The Accidental Tourist". It's weird to me, and, like I said, oddly intriguing....Anyway, still a fan!

Thanks for the perspective, Ed. A few things I ask you to consider:

1. When I travel internationally I spend almost the entire day walking the streets of the city, seeing the sights, etc. I'm typically gone from morning till night when I travel (or at least as much as I can be, which is sometimes a bit less when it's boiling hot outside), and I always prefer an unstructured agenda over going with a tour group. I think that's the best way to get to learn the culture of a country. Nonetheless, my trip reports mostly cover hotels/airlines, mainly because there are better travel guides out there for the destinations themselves, while good airline/hotel reviews are are, in my opinion. Just because I cover mostly the hotels doesn't mean I spend most of my time at them.

2. As much as I'd love to be, I've never been much for "creative" food. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I was a vegetarian for eight years, because frankly I was disgusted with meat for a long time. Yeah, it was one of those slaughterhouse videos I saw when I was younger that caused it. I always want to know what I eat, and that's a bit of a problem when traveling internationally. I'd like to think that doesn't make me closeminded or uncultured, but feel free to form your own opinions.

3. I'm a miles/points whore. That's why I stay at "chain" hotels. With the amount of points I earn and the benefits I receive, it's hard to justify not staying at them, in my opinion.

I've had some amazing travel experiences which I could have never had in New York or Houston, from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam to the Bridge on the River Kwai in Thailand to the DMZ in Korea to the "land between" in Hong Kong.

I hope that clears things up a little bit...

I disagree with your reasoning for not covering the destinations beyond the properties. Good travel reading is all about experiencing other cultures through the unique perceptions, experiences and biases of those visiting and writing.

Frankly, writing about hotels and flights (especially annoying - a complete replication of the menus) is technical, repetitive and boring. Any criticism you make loses its punch when I realize that you are there simply because you spent as little money as possible to earn as many miles as possible. Even if the food was crap, it still cost you less than most any of your fellow pax in first class (since they most likely paid more for the miles they earned - if flying on an award - or are paying full fare). When I flew non-rev as a kid (my dad worked for Delta), I flew in premium cabins on several airlines. I was grateful for the opportunity. Sure, my flan may not have been as good as a landside restaurant...that's not the expectation.

I would much prefer to hear stories of interactions you have with the culture. It will give more insight into who you are (which is hard to get from these pretty bland retellings). The best part of this trip report, in my opinion, was your narrative on travelling into Manilla. Your humor came burstng through, and it was a joy to read.

I understand that you have a problem - you are a miles addict (or whore, by your own admission - very funny!). But even an alcoholic who wants to visit every bar in the USA, will focus on the experience of the bars, and will probably not write solely about what they drank at each bar (though that will be a part).

I love to travel, and I like good travel writing. I feel like I have got to know you just by following your blog, and I'd love to live more vicariously through your many travels - not just the flights and hotel stays.

Still (and always), like Ed, a fan.

Eric

It's all good: there is a place for every kind of travel journal and I find yours interesting too.

When I read this last installment on Hong Kong (and, even the one before), I got the impression that you were pretty much hotel bound. I'm glad you said that you do get out and walk around and soak up the ambience. (A long way to travel for a relatively small soak, though)

I'm too nerdy: for me, there is a cost/benefit ratio with travel. If it takes up a lot of time to get somewhere, then I'd better have my ducks lined up and know exactly what I want to see and do when I get there. Planning a trip is half the fun for me. I never talk to a concierge for advice because (1) I already know where I want to go before I get there and (2) my hotels typically don't have one! 🙂

I too play some of the points games with hotels...your blog has great advice in this area.

One thing thats very admirable is that you were able to take your father on such a splendid trip---you showed him a first class slice of travel, that's for sure.

Point taken re: writing about the actual stay, Eric. You're right, I appreciate it. In future reports I'll talk more about my actual travels within the country as opposed to just getting there and the confines of the hotel.

I'm not sure if I see your point about how much I paid for my ticket, though. I don't see how that's relevant to the product as such. In this case, for example, I've now flown both SQ F and CX F. Just because I paid very little to experience both doesn't mean I can't compare them on equal ground. I've gotten the "full" experience on both, and I know lots of people enjoy reading about that. Don't get me wrong, I totally appreciate *any* premium travel I can get on awards, and ultimately I realize what a great value it is. But I still think I should write my report based on the relative quality of the product, and not how much I paid for it.

As far as the menus go, it just comes to show you how everyone's different. In a previous report when I left out the wine selection the first comment I received was a request for the wine menu.

Anyway, I always appreciate your comments, Eric, and enjoy your blog (especially the *incredible* pictures). 🙂

Ed, I agree with you about planning more as well. In the past I've done quite a bit of reasearch online before the trip, although I don't typically buy guide books because they're a bit too structured for me.

To be honest, this year has been crazy so far. I unfortunately didn't have a whole lot of time to prep for the trip, so was going into it "blind." That's fine for me in Hong Kong, since it's a city I know pretty well in the meantime and love just walking the streets of for hours, but that wasn't the case for Manila. I should have done more prep work. As far as the second stay in Hong Kong goes, we were planning on going into the city for the evening, but our flight ended up being delayed by about an hour, which means we didn't make it to the hotel before 3PM or so. Since we were planning on going to bed early, that didn't leave a whole lot of time to go into the city, and considering the cost of about $50USD roundtrip for two people, we just didn't think it was worth it.

Keep up the writing! You are very prolific!

Ben,
I'm sorry for the negative feedback from the other posters in this comments section. I would ask them to consider a kinder way of expressing what they would like to read more of and less of and with a more respectful tone. I understand you put your heart and soul into these trip reports and that they take a lot of work. It shows too, they are excellent.
Folks, be considerate of Ben's efforts and show him some encouragement before you would hope to question his style. Keep in mind this is his blog and not yours. If you have a problem with where he goes and how he writes about it, please find a good-natured and less harmful way to make suggestions, or simply find another blog to subscribe to. His loyal readers would appreciate it, and I'm sure Ben would too.

Amen Jeremy. I think the blog and the reports are fine. If you don't like what you see don't read it and don't come back.

I'd hate to see less info about hotels and flights. I for one care about what was on the menu!

I , too, find your trip reports to be honest and fascinating, and you shouldn't change a thing. I love the flight and hotel details, but I still contend that access to some of these exotic restaurants is the main reason to travel.

Thanks for your report and esp. the stay report about this property. Having plans for HKG (in summer or autumn), I am considering to stay at this hotel before or after a flight.

The pool looks nice and big.

Looking forward for the report of the next flight on CX and JL

Ben, your travel journal is strangely addictive. I wish I had discovered it sooner. I enjoy reading it because it covers precisely the things I never do when I travel, i.e. for the sake of miles or points. Just about all my personal travel is to the same places visiting friends and family so never any tourist stuff or plush hotels. Anyway, thanks for writing. I disagree with Eric's opinion that writing about hotels and flights is annoying. While I welcome learning more about your experience at a destination (but not at the expense of flights, menus, winelists or hotels), if that is all Eric seeks, he is probably reading the wrong blog. This is not intended to be rude, just saying that he is not your target audience. Really looking forward to reading the menus on your next two flights.

Hate to jump on the bandwagon, but I also dig your reports just as they're written. If I wanted information on what to see and do in Manilla, there's a million places to look. But if I want to know what the executive lounge looks like at various hotels around the globe (and I often do!), there's only a couple of places to find it... and Lucky does it best. Thanks again!

First of all, I have to say I love the detail you put into describing the menus in first class, which I have not have the pleasure of experiencing.

Though I wonder why you chose to stay at an airport hotel in HK? Could have gotten the Renaissance in TST for around the same price. It's a mere 30 minute subway ride and saved your $20 on that atrocious looking pizza.

Recently travel to HKG and Tokyo over a 7 day period and stayed at:

Skycity Marriott HKG
JW Marriott Hong Kong
Grand Hyatt Tokyo
Hyatt Regency Tokyo
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tui

The lounges at the two Marriott’s were significantly better than the 3 Hyatts. Grand Hyatt Tokyo only passes out hot food – circulating tables.
Hyatt Regency Tokyo only allows you to order 1 of 2 small samplers – fish or chicken – but just a few bits.

The JW Marriott Lounge food looks more like what you show for the Grand Hyatt Restaurant.

The JW Marriott also has mid-day food which includes sandwiches (such as open face Salmon and Shrimp, ham, veggie, etc), scones, cakes, deserts, etc. The dinner food is extensive. All this on the upper floor lounge.

Most of your reviews are Hyatt’s (maybe Sheraton and IC) and OneWorld /AA.

My experience at the SkyCity had more food that want you experienced in your review.

Also - I would say the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is not a convenient location. Long walk to the MTR. You could have taken the high speed train then taxi - maybe quicker than taxi all the way.

JW Marriott has a great location - you can walk inside from underneath shopping mall to the MTR.