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This is a step-up from the other hotels in this journal. The room rate is a reflection of this. A standard room will cost around HK2,600 while a Harbour-side room starts at HK3000. The other indication that this place is something special is the fact that it is owned and managed by the highly respected Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

The Excelsior Hotel is one of Hong Kong island’s most well-known hotels for travellers looking to explore the energetic entertainment and shopping areas of Causeway Bay. The hotel has a prime location overlooking Victoria Harbour and the upper floors of the 34 building, in particular, have great views.

There is a range of rooms starting from standard. These well appointed rooms have city views and facilities such as internet broadband and multi channel TV. These rooms are 26 square metres in area and the décor is elegant and cozy.

The harbour-side superior rooms have a great view over Victoria Harbour. In these rooms there is a comfy sofa in the bay window so that you can sit and enjoy the view. It’s the perfect vantage point from which to watch the boats go by. The rooms are approximately 30 square metres in area.From here you go upwards to grandluxe harbour view rooms, executive floor rooms and then suites. Deluxe suites are HK$8,000 and the Presidential suite HK$16,000. You won’t be surprised that I didn’t stay here.

The hotel has a great variety of bars and restaurants. My favourite space is the casual Cafe on the Ist. This has harbour views and one of the best buffets in the area. There is also a comprehensive a la carte menu. A nice feature is the speciality food counters which enable you to watch the chefs preparing your food. Talk of the Town is the dining and live entertainment venue on the 34th floor. It is stylish and trendy and open for lunch and dinner.

There are two other speciality restaurants. Yee Tung Heen on the second floor has authentic Cantonese cuisine. The restaurant has a warm and tranquil atmosphere, the food is superb and the cost is on the high side. It opens for lunch and dinner. Cammino is an Italian restaurant ideal for intimate and relaxing dining. The cuisine is excellent and there is a range of interesting wines.

The options don’t finish there. A light meal any time of the day from 11 am to after midnight is available from the Lounge on the Ist where you can sit in plush armchairs and overlook the vibrant lobby. Another nice corner is the lobby coffee bar where a sandwich salad and pastries are available to go with the coffee. The finally, don’t miss a visit to Dickens Bar on the lower ground floor. This is an traditional pub with a wide range of draft beers. The curry lunch has become quite famous and most of the major sporting events are shown on the in-house TVs.

As you would expect, a hotel of this category has a large well-equipped wellness centre. It boasts state-of-the-art exercise facilities and dedicated spa services. For those looking for outdoor exercise, Victoria Park just a block or so away from the hotel has thirteen tennis courts, a jogging track, swimming pools, basketball courts, volleyball grounds and lawn bowls lawns. Local residents practice "Tai Chi" here each morning. Don’t get a shock if you hear a loud ‘bang’ at midday. This will be the Noon Day Gun, a custom that dates back to the 1840s.

From journals Hong Kong Mid-market Accomodation