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JW Marriott Hong Kong – the Highs and Lows

I stayed 2 nights at the JW Marriott Hong Kong this past March. It was just a small part of a great adventure!

 

Instead, of an all-encompassing, comprehensive hotel review, I’ll provide you a peek at the hotel properties I visited with some highlights and lowlights along the way, and without all the unnecessary clutter! Without further ado…

JW Marriott Hong Kong – the Highs

 

The Executive Lounge –

I love Marriott Gold status for stays at JW properties, where you receive free lounge access as a result of said status! This is especially handy in Asia where it seems executive lounges are taken seriously. Meaning high quality food and high quality drank – all for $0, if you’re utilizing your status! And by nothing, I of course mean the cost of being an American Express Platinum cardholder ($450-$550), where Marriott Gold status (via SPG status match) comes easy!

The food and drink selection on the 33rd floor is vast… both morning:

And night!

With extra dining space and harbor views presented on the 34th

We considered hitting up a rooftop bar for some harbor views during our stay, but the JW Exec Lounge gave us all the view we needed – and let’s just say the drink prices (free) were favorable to what we would have spent elsewhere!

 

Location, Location, Location –

If you read any of my hotel highs & lows, you’ll notice location always makes the list – sometimes as a high and sometimes as a low. So much of the overall hotel experience is dependent on location, and therefore it should never be ignored…

The JW Hong Kong is no different, and I am happy to proclaim the location as a high point!

The Peak tram, the harbor waterfront, the Central district (shops, restaurants, & nightlife) – all within a reasonable walking distance (30 minutes or less). Not to mention the fact that the hotel is connected to one of Hong Kong’s many high-end shopping centers, Pacific Place.

The location was so prime that my wife and I walked everywhere – no need to invest time or energy in learning the metro system!

Your Robe, Sir –

Some people just love hotel robes. Those of you who do, you know who you are. And for those of you that don’t believe me, why do you think they put a premium price tag if your robe just so happens to disappear?!

I normally don’t do robes, but the JW Marriott HKG robe is on point. None of that terry-cloth scratchy and sweat inducing sh*t – this robe is smooth… like butta!

Maybe a silly highlight, and not reason alone to select this property over competitor hotel properties, but if there is a tie that needs to be broken – advantage, JW!

I hate to complain (do I really?), but it wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops… the Lowlights!

 

The Room Selection –

While Marriott Gold status scored us access to the Executive Lounge, it did not seem to make much difference when it came to room selection and upgrade potential.

The room was nice, but small and nothing to write home about… and I didn’t have stamps so I guess I couldn’t have even written home if I wanted to…

Standard Deluxe room, no harbor view – despite some mid-high-ish status… therefore a lowlight.

Traffic, Traffic, Looking for My Chap stick –

While I really appreciated the Executive Lounge offerings and convenient proximity to the rest of Hong Kong – it seems everyone else does as well!

The lobby is a happening place – all day and most of the night!

A busy lobby means business is good, but unfortunately it can be off-putting at the same time. A hotel lobby reflects the hotel and if your lobby is always, it becomes easy for hotel guests to relate the stifling feeling to the rest of the hotel experience.

A Bit Dated –

While the room was still in great condition, the look and feel seemed dated and in need of a modern update. I am being critical here, and as it is only ever-so-slightly dated.

Perhaps my judgement has something to do with my later stays at the brand new Andaz Tokyo Toronoman Hills and the prestige, Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (Highs and Lows coming soon!) but I call ‘em like I see ‘em.

Final Thought and Overall Impression

Our stay at the JW Marriott Hong Kong was a pleasant one. We used 80,000 Marriott Rewards points for our stay (transferred in 1:3 from SPG!) and $0 out of pocket. You cannot beat $0 out of pocket… unless they pay you I guess!?

I enjoyed my stay and would definitely consider another stay the next time I find myself in Hong Kong! While the small room size and lack of harbor view was a bummer, the hotel more than made up for it with its magnificent Executive Lounge offerings!

I hope you enjoyed the little peek at the JW Marriott Hong Kong and appreciated my highlights and lowlights without the cluttering details of a full hotel review.

Let me know if you appreciated just the highlights or if you prefer details galore!

And if you are dying for more details surrounding this hotel? Considering a stay? Be sure to check out Andy’s Travel Blog as well for his perspective on the JW Marriott Hong Kong, including some pretty amazing photos!

Happy Travels!

DW

6 Comments

    1. Good to know! Perhaps I will consider going back to the full scale reviews if enough readers call for them!

      DW

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