Priceline Hotel: 3* Hong Kong (West) Cosmo Hotel

[hclee]

Hi

Wasnt expecting to get this hotel, but it sure looks good from the website. Hope that it will be a pleasant stay.

Check-In Date: Friday, March 17, 2006

Check-Out Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Hotel Name: Cosmo Hotel (http://www.cosmohotel.com.hk)

375 To 377 Queen Road East

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

852 35528388

Your Offer Price: $59.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 4

Subtotal: $236.00

Taxes and Service Fees: $41.82

Total Charges: $277.82

[Chris26WI]

That's interesting... seems the Cosmopolitan Hotel has an attached part with cheaper rooms called Cosmo... which make it a 3-star in PL... ... - The rooms even seem to look nicer according to the website than the Cosmopolitan's ones.. with plasma TVs in every room.. though the Std Room measures only 15sqm. But well, might be a good deal for that price.

[thereuare]

Was this your first bid in the zone?

[hclee]

I bidded originally for 4* in West HK at $60, but were not successful. As such, I added 3* and changed the price to $59 and was successful.

[baldtomato]

though the Std Room measures only 15sqm.

15 square meters is about 160 square feet.... which is probably one-third or even half the size of the dwellings of many 4-membered families in Hong Kong. I wouldn't exactly call that small considering that everything is relative. People don't bid Priceline Hong Kong for a spacious room with 2 Queen beds with two outdoor pools, or a private balcony overlooking the whole harbour for that matter.

Looking at the photo you posted on the hotel reviews thread, the "city" view is actually not bad. You can't really get zero noise in Hong Kong if you want to be within any walking distance to an MTR station. Let's just hope that all the fun and around-the-clock shopping will get you physically tired enough that you'll appreciate any cool shower and private space offered by your modest hotel room.

to hclee, I think you'll enjoy your stay at this hotel - cabs in Hong Kong are so much cheaper than in North America, the money you saved by going thru PL to get this hotel will save you more than enough money to take a cab to and from the closest MTR stations (which I think might be WanChai? I might be wrong - but that's between Causeway Bay station and Admiralty.) It looks like this hotel is situated in a subdivided area called Happy Valley, so-named because there's a large horse-racing track in the area named so, that still runs races 1-2x a week during non-summer months.

[Chris26WI]

Looking at the photo you posted on the hotel reviews thread, the "city" view is actually not bad.

Yepp, but I stayed at the Cosmopolitan (4star) part, not the Cosmo-part (3star) of the hotel, and that room measured more then 20sqm.

The next MRT station is Causeway bay. The happy valley horse racing course is just opposite of the hotel.

[baldtomato]

ah, yes, it would actually be closer to Causeway Bay station then. That area has a lot of hidden "after dinner hangouts" that locals frequent. A lot of exquisite bars and lounges that offer more character and cosiness than the meat-markets of Lan Gwai Fong. For the non-alcholics, there is a well known dessert house within walking distance that serves lots of exciting, authentic and/or fusion hot and cold portions for a very good price (no more than USD 4-5 each). You might have to (plan a couple of evenings ahead and) ask the hotel front desk for directions and cross your fingers that they are "true locals" (as opposed to people who take 1 hour bus ride to go there to work)!!

En route to Times Square (where the closest MTR stn is), although those few blocks can seem superficially somewhat lifeless after dark (due to prominent occupation by blocks of car dealers and business-based malls), you'll also find many small eateries that are locally well known if you ask the right people :-)

Alternatively, if you don't want to walk those few dimmer blocks, you can ask for directions to take a 15 min walk to (or take a USD 2-3 cab ride to) Lockhart Road where there is also a street entrance to MTR station. Ask to be dropped off near Sogo department store (Japanese style multi level dept store that closes past 10 pm). It's crazily busy / crowded during daytime with abundant supply of chain stores and unique boutiques alike (usually run about mid to low-mid price range), and the after-Sogo-hours' commercial scene is very happening as well and definitely affordable. You will find good-yet-cheap places there to eat too! You can walk from there back to Times Square if you want - Times Square shops are comparatively more upper scale. That will be a much happier round-trip route.