The Park Lane Hong Kong

The first time i stayed here was in the 90s… Compared to its peers, the hotel is very dated, but the location could not be beat for me. Easy access to the MTR and shops. It was relatively affordable though, so I can’t complain.
The lobby can get really crowded with check in/​outs. Kudos to the concierge for helping me mail a package last minute. And there’s always a steady stream of taxis.
Now, I’m Chinese but I only speak Mandarin and American English. When I get into a taxi and say «Park Lane Hotel», they usually look a little confused. You have to say «Park» more like a «PAAHK». Tell me it doesn’t only happen to me!

This is not a very good hotel. And it is undergoing a huge amount of VERY NOISY renovations. The LOUD construction starts promptly at 8am and last until the evening.
This is absolutely the last hotel I will ever stay in the future despite the outcome of their renovations. It is absurd to have jetlagging people expected to deal with high decibel construction noise all day in this hotel.
This property is absolutely unsatisfactory and NOT recommended.

It’s an okay hotel, I stayed at better hotels in Hong Kong. The area isn’t that great, lots of shopping and too crowded. You’re better off closer to Central or across in Kowloon. The rooms here aren’t that nice, they tried to upsell me to a nicer room, but I figured with a 5 star hotel the room should be nice… I was wrong, this room was more like a Marriott hotel. I would stay elsewhere.
Staff wasn’t that friendly either, and the checkin and checkout process was painful. They still run this large hotel all via paper! It’s something you don’t see in 2014…
Go elsewhere.

What other rating can you expect from a five star hotel? My time here will always be remembered with joy and a hint of frustration. Frustration because it does not seem realistic to return in the foreseeable future based on my income!
I did not stay the night here, no, I had dinner at its Riva On The Deck restaurant on the 27^th floor. I was there with some good friends, which always makes an evening more enjoyable, and we started it by having a couple of drinks on the terrace that offers a 200 and something degree view of north, east and south Hong Kong — perfect with the setting sun sending hues of pinks, reds and oranges through a clouded sky. After admiring the view, whetting our appetite, and getting in the mood we made our way inside to our reserved table. A pianist lightly played a tune for the guests, the fancy décor, and huge open windows let me know it wasn’t Outback Steakhouse!
The menu has a good range of food. I opted for the beef tartar as a starter and tiger prawns and Scallop for the main — it was said that their German chef’s speciality is seafood. For one reason or another everyone else also went for the beef tartar, which was a good choice because it was delicious. The raw meat just melted on my tongue, beautiful. Our waiter was an extremely hospitable man named Terrance who was making sure our experience was the perfect one, and it was.
The main came some time later. This is perhaps the only point I’d criticize — maybe it’s because I’m not sophisticated enough to understand — but the portions was smaller than the appetizer. Don’t get me wrong, every single morsel tasted like heaven but there was just a very limited amount of morsels. Luckily enough for me my friends ordered the Tomahawk steak, massive slab of meat and bone meant for two… in this case three! I shared in the deliciousness of theirs as well as mine.
When I thought it was all over and done with the dessert came. Chocolate brownies with vanilla sorbet. No matter what size the portion a dessert it, it’s never big enough! not for me and my sweet tooth anyway. Once again, top class food.
Like I said, I wish I could go back because I’ll be dreaming about the food there for years to come!