Crafa Harbour Hotel

I left after two nights instead of the planned nine because of the lift noise, which kept me awake all night and sounded like a very loud drum. There was a lift sign saying maintenance was taking place. I tried to discuss it with two staff members, but language barriers got in the way. I emailed as well and got no reply. The booking was through hotels.com, which wasn't helpful in sorting it out, so I had to find another hotel, and it was a lot better. The hotel is a bit tired, which was fine, but the bathroom had used contact lenses and false eyelashes on the side that I had to throw away. They didn't help resolve the problem. I wouldn't recommend this hotel at all.

The room was clean, the mattress comfortable, and the view was amazing for the price. The location worked well too, with an airport bus two blocks down the main road. But the stay took a bad turn. At noon on the dot, calls and knocking kept coming to push us to leave. I've never had a checkout like it and felt harassed. On the second day reception called asking where the towels were. They were in the closet temporarily while we used the bathroom rack to dry clothes, and the call felt like an invasion of our privacy. When we checked out, reception said we had to pay for stained sheets. We asked for proof, but nothing conclusive was produced. After a lot of arguing over the alleged damage, they dropped the charge. We felt treated like dishonest, unclean guests, which we aren't. That was the last impression we left with, and it spoiled what had otherwise been a pleasant experience.

We forgot a friend's clothes in the room after leaving, including two T-shirts and a small bag or wallet with cash and important documents. The hotel said the two shirts had been found, but apparently not the bag. The money was gone and the bag wasn't returned. It was our mistake to leave them behind, but I would have hoped someone would turn the other items in. I stayed just one night and wasn't impressed with the upkeep. The room looked quite different from the photos: dark and dreary, with an old rolled-up towel propped against the window, presumably to catch a leak.

The location takes some finding, but it's convenient for Causeway Bay and Wanchai. For a good three-star hotel, the room is a decent size and has the things you need. The Victoria Harbor view, though, feels like a six-star hotel and makes it worth the money. There's a $500 CASH deposit at check-in, plus $100 if you need an extra card.