Southside by Ovolo

The fire alarm kept ringing for nearly two hours right after I checked in. Staff gave no clear explanation, didn’t communicate properly, and offered no solution. We were left confused and stressed, with no chance to rest after a long journey. Completely unacceptable for a hotel that claims to offer comfort and safety. I wouldn’t recommend it or stay here again.

The location was a plus, with the MTR about a five-minute walk away. But our one-night stay was unpleasant. The water pipes made noise around the clock and badly disrupted our sleep. My friend and I also ordered a burger and an omelette, simple dishes that took around half an hour to arrive. There was only one waitress serving a full dining room.

The front desk staff tried their best, but management has a lot to sort out. The booking email said the full reservation price would be charged at booking, yet we had to pay at check-in, along with a HKD1000 deposit that wasn’t mentioned in the email or terms. At checkout, they said the amount first charged was short and added 10% in government fees, even though the email said it was the total. This isn’t a city tax, it’s VAT/GST and should be included in the advertised price. The toilet in our room wouldn’t flush. Although we were promised an upgrade over the phone, they moved us to a room in the same category with a worse setup, no bedside table on one side and a smaller bathroom. The rooftop is closed in winter. The advertised “apero” hour with a wine glass turned out to be a free water or can of soda during set hours.

The room was nice and clean, and the shared spaces felt cozy, which mattered since there’s no desk or chair in the room. Breakfast was just okay. The main dishes were fine, but the apples were mealy and bland, and the orange juice tasted like something poured from a 7-Eleven carton. Quite an insult. Skip the apple and choose tea or coffee instead of juice. You can’t have both, yes, really. That kind of penny-pinching takes away from the good parts.