The day before we were due to leave Hua Hin, business class award space opened up on Cathay Pacific between Bangkok and Hong Kong. A lot of award space — there were at least nine seats when I booked, and the cabin went out mostly empty, so there were probably more.
Cathay Pacific 777 business class
Moving Heather and her crew to this flight gave them a ~20 hour layover in Hong Kong, which sounded better than an overnight in Bangkok and a 6AM flight. My husband and I booked the same flight to Hong Kong, with a connection to Male the next day, so we could all hang out in Hong Kong together.
While it’s never my first preference, we decided to book a hotel close to the airport. Given the timings of our flights, we figured it would be easier anyway, and hotels in Hong Kong were even more outrageously expensive than usual. The Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel is a Category 6 property, with free night awards starting at 30,000 Marriott Rewards points per room. Given paid rates were over $350 for the night, and as my husband is a Marriott Platinum with a hoard of points we never seem to be able to use, it seemed like a solid choice.
Ben stayed at the SkyCity Marriott back when it first opened, and had a great experience, so I was looking forward to our stay, and seeing how the property had aged.
To start, the Marriott now has a designated shuttle zone at the Hong Kong airport, which was clearly described in our confirmation email, and on the hotel website:
Marriott SkyCity shuttle schedule
The shuttle was easy to find, and incredibly punctual. We got lucky with the timing, so didn’t have to wait long at immigration either, and were at the hotel within about 30 minutes of landing.
The lobby was packed, which is reasonable given how many people were probably traveling over New Years. Check-in was still incredibly efficient and friendly, with the agent acknowledging the Platinum status and explaining the benefits. The agent also noted that he’d like to upgrade our rooms to suites, but that the only one they had available was right next to a chunk of rooms occupied by a large wedding party. I thought that was a stunning level of attention to detail, and we opted for the quieter non-suite rooms.
Our rooms were on the 15th floor, down a very green but impeccably-maintained hallway:
Marriott SkyCity hallway
We had the girls in our room for the night, so it was a bit of a scramble to take pictures before they threw their stuff everywhere, but I was really impressed with the rooms.
While the rooms weren’t that large, the furnishings were simple and appropriately sized. More importantly, everything was tidy and felt “fresh” — the furniture didn’t have any of the scratches and dings you’d generally see in an airport hotel after 8+ years in operation.
Marriott SkyCity room
And the beds were incredibly comfortable, which was a nice change from the Hyatt.
Marriott SkyCity room
The bathrooms were tidy as well, with a very functional layout for a small space.
Marriott SkyCity bathroom
Marriott SkyCity bathroom
The bath amenities were “Thann” — I don’t know if this is standard for Marriott or not nowadays, but I liked the packaging.
Marriott SkyCity toiletries
As we were getting settled, housekeeping delivered a fruit and cheese plate (which was promptly devoured by a hungry toddler), and a bottle of wine (which was promptly commandeered by his mother).
Marriott SkyCity welcome amenity remnants
The girls were hungry as well, so we went down to the executive lounge, which was on the 12th floor.
(As a side-note, how did 18-year-old-Lucky not comment on the elevator plates at this hotel? The teenagers I was with thought this was hilarious.)
Or maybe we were just over-tired?
Despite the very vibrant carpeting, I really liked this lounge. The city was fogged in during our stay, so the views weren’t great, but the windows were large, the space was well thought out, and there were a variety of seating options.
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge
The evening spread was decent as well, and has been significantly improved since 2009.
A selection of wines were on offer, along with a variety of hard liquors:
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
A variety of hot items were on offer, including a pasta dish, dumplings, and steamed pork buns:
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
There was also a salad bar set up, with a few different kinds of veggies and dressings.
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
And then there were several different sweet items, along with a selection of cheeses.
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge happy hour
I felt this was a generous spread, particularly for an airport hotel. The lounge was pretty busy in the evening, but the staff did a great job of keeping the buffet topped up, which was appreciated.
Breakfast the next morning was a similar affair, with an assortment of continental items, and a chef preparing made-to-order egg dishes.
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
Marriott SkyCity executive lounge breakfast
A great spread, and an impressive assortment for an airport hotel.
Ngong Ping
We’d all slept late, and the weather was pretty uninspiring, so rather than doing any significant sightseeing we decided to take the cable car up to Ngong Ping. This is obviously more popular when the weather is clear, but the station was just a few minutes taxi ride from the hotel, and we were all interested in spending as much time outside before our flights as possible.
Besides, it was Hello Kitty time on the cable car.
How cute are these banners?
And despite (or maybe because of) the weather, we really enjoyed the ride.
Ngong Ping cablecar views
Ngong Ping “village” itself is incredibly touristy, and it was a bit jarring after spending so much time in less popular places. But we had a nice time walking around, and seeing the Buddha.
Ngong Ping village
Tian Tan Buddha
After a hike and some lunch we took the cable car back down the hill, and the views were just as fun.
Ngong Ping cablecar views
A quick taxi back to the Marriott, a very efficient check-out, and we were on our way to the airport for the next leg of our adventure.
Bottom line
While I don’t typically prefer airport hotels, I was a huge fan of the Marriott SkyCity.
The property was perfectly maintained, and the service was flawless. This still felt like a new hotel, which is incredible given the traffic that generally goes through airport properties. The location and shuttle made it convenient enough for some quick sightseeing, so I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again on a layover.
Has anyone else stayed at the Marriott SkyCity? What was your experience?
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