Novotel Century Hong Kong

When I celebrated my birthday here, the hotel surprised me with a lovely cake on a plate, a chocolate message, and a card. I really appreciated the thoughtful gesture. Most staff were friendly, though checkout was strange and dismissive, with no acknowledgment from the desk agent. The rooms are somewhat dated but clean and comfortable, and the bathrooms are a good size for the city. The location is handy for Wan Chai MTR and several bus routes, with easy access to Central. A decent value for a short HK stay.

The location was good, near places to visit and an MTR station. The gym, shower, and nespresso were also good. But for the price, it wasn't worth it, mainly for these reasons: Check-in at midnight was slow, with just one person working and almost no information about the hotel or breakfast. They called my room an upgrade, but I'd booked a bay-facing room and was moved to one facing buildings, with only an extra sofa. Breakfast was very average, with low-quality food, frequent crowding, a slow coffee machine, and strangers sharing tables because there wasn't room for everyone. As an Accor Diamond member who has stayed around the world, I found the welcome drink the worst ever: only soft drinks, coffee, and water. I believe I got food poisoning from something at the bar, perhaps the Parma ham, salami, or pizza, and spent the night in the toilet. The wine and food served were very low quality, though one waiter was kind. The app described the room as modern, but it was old. The carpet and sofa weren't clean, with lots of dust. There were no bathroom amenities, just two towels for three of us, so I had to ask for more.

We had a warm, welcoming five-night stay at Novotel Century Hong Kong, thanks to the staff from reception through housekeeping. We were upgraded to a room with a partial harbour view and were glad to get a two-hour late checkout. Gary at the front desk deserves a special mention. I couldn't work out how to download and print a PDF of a train ticket for our upcoming trip, and he helped quickly. I visit Hong Kong nearly every year; this was my first time staying here, but it won't be my last.

The hotel's easy to reach from Exhibition Station: there's an escalator directly from the station, so no need to cross the road with luggage. Check-in was quick, and the Guest Relations team had prepared thoughtful welcome amenities for our special occasion. Our spacious room had a lovely view, though it was a bit close to the elevator. We didn't spend much time in the hotel, and housekeeping was generally good. They missed replenishing the shower gel on our last night, but brought it promptly when we called. It was a very pleasant stay, and I'd happily return and recommend it to my peers.