The Excelsior is pricey, but is a great location if you want to stay on the island.

I really have no criticisms but there is nothing really remarkable about the hotel which differentiates it from other higher end htoels anywhere in the world ... service is very good, a good selection of restaraunts (Yee Tung Heen is authentic and excellent / ToTT has a spectauular view), all the facilites you would expect (business centre, gym etc).

I am not sure why but the Excelsior could have been any high end quality hotel ... maybe because Hong Kong itself is so vibrant.

I have stayed here several times over the years and The Excelsior moves like a well-oiled machine. It is a large hotel in a busy part of town with several restaurants. The lobby has a high volume of foot traffic, but congestion is never a problem. I have always found the service to be outstanding, after all the Excelsior is now run by Mandarin Oriental. The restaurants are appealing. The location makes travelling anywhere in the city incredibly convenient.

My partner and I think of the Excelsior as our 'home away from home' and always look forward to our return.

Loved this hotel. We chose a harbour deluxe room and it is well worth it for the views of the harbour and the skyline from both sides. Entertainment in itself. The staff are friendly and the room had everything you needed for your stay and was immaculately clean. We stayed 9 nights. Room service was a luxury but affordable and you really have to have breakfast in your room overlooking the harbour. Lots of nice little touches like postcards of the views, a daily morning paper and sweets in a replica Excelsior hotel tin!!This is a great area for shopping and eating and it is only 5 minutes walk to the MTR. The hotel restaurants are great as well and there is an English pub (with weekly pub quiz) for those of you missing home. Great for families and it is really safe around. You overlook the noonday gun. You can walk to the star ferry in about 15 minutes. Victoria Park is also a short walk. Really glad we stayed on Hong Kong island and not Kowloon as the night life is on the HK side.

The Convenience Factor

I’ve been to Hong Kong more times than I can count, so I’m quite familiar with the roads, so if you are looking for a hotel with convenience, The Excelsior is one of them. It’s not spectacular…actually, it’s far from it, but if you are looking for a hotel in the center of a bustling location, then Excelsior would pretty much fit that profile.

The Arrival. Upon check in, we were told that the Club Level Non-Smoking Twin One Bedroom Suite did not exist, even though we were able to book it. The one bedroom suites only came with a king bed and only existed on a smoking level floor. Anyway, to make a long story short, we chose to go with the Club Level 1 Bedroom Suite on the Smoking level. They offered to push the two twin beds (that made up the King bed) as far apart as possible…which was about a foot. Oddly enough, I read on someone else’s review that they found themselves in the same predicament. Anyway, since we opted for the Club Level One Bedroom Suite, a full buffet breakfast, light lunch, and afternoon tea and cocktails were included. There was also complimentary bottle of wine, a large box of chocolates, fresh fruit, and Chinese tea upon our arrival.

The Room. Tired and haggard would be a good term for the room. There were open electrical lines, ajar windows that couldn’t close, peeling wallpaper, a not so cleanly toilet and very battered furniture. From afar, it was a very basic room, but when you actually start to sit and actually use the facilities, you’ll find that it is high time The Excelsior goes through a major renovation. Please see pictures and decide for yourself. Let’s just say it wasn’t worth what we paid. Oh yeah. I almost forgot. The in-room safe was unbolted to the floor. Technically, I could pick it up and walk away with it.

The Service. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. A trait that I was a bit surprised at since service and helpfulness are often not part of the “vocabulary” in Hong Kong. Most people could care less about what you wanted and care even less about trying to helping you out.

The Dining. We only ate our complimentary breakfast buffet at the hotel and that was…uh…how should I put this nicely…not so great. But breakfast was breakfast and if you just stuck to the basics: an egg, a piece of toast, and orange juice, then everything was OK. Let’s just say it was wonderful to have a Starbucks across the street.

The Departure. Check out was pretty normal. Everyone was courteous and professional.

Hindsight, I think I could have done without all the complimentary gifts and amenities and preferred the same room at a more reasonable rate. The room rate was about HK$5000/night (approximately US$625/night). Honestly, I wouldn’t stay there again since Park Lane is right next door. Between the Park Lane and The Excelsior, Park Lane wins.