Review: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
When planning where we would stay for our weekend in Hong Kong, I narrowed it down between the two main Hyatt properties in Hong Kong: the Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui. I wrote off the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin due to its location relatively far from Central and Kowloon. I booked a room at each property and attempted to use on of my Diamond Suite Upgrades at each property. I was immediately able to confirm a Regency Suite at the Hyatt Regency, but was unable to confirm any sort of suite upgrade at the Grand Hyatt.
I was torn between the two properties — the Grand Hyatt is well-known for being the superior of the two properties, and one of the best Hyatt properties in Asia. The Hyatt Regency, Tsim Sha Tsui, on the other hand, has a very nice location in Kowloon, right above the entrance to the Hong Kong MTR.
We wanted the space of a suite since three of us would be sharing the room, and ultimately that was the deciding factor — since my suite upgrade never cleared at the Grand Hyatt, we chose the Hyatt Regency for our stay.
After arriving on a short hop from Shanghai on China Eastern, we hopped the Airport Express to Kowloon MTR station. Here, we took a cab to the Hyatt Regency (HKD $32).
An Around the World Trip — Oktoberfest and Asia
- Introduction
- United Global First Class Chicago to Munich
- Oktoberfest… and Six Other Highlights of Munich
- Le Meridien Munich
- THAI Royal First Class Munich to Bangkok
- THAI Royal First Lounge and Royal Orchid Spa
- A Layover in Bangkok
- THAI Royal Silk Business Class Bangkok to Shanghai
- Two Days in Shanghai
- Park Hyatt Shanghai
- China Eastern Economy Class Shanghai to Hong Kong (to Shanghai)
- A Weekend in Hong Kong – Ten Highlights
- Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
- Grand Hyatt Shanghai
- Air China First Class Lounge – Shanghai-Pudong
- Air China Forbidden Pavilion First Class Shanghai to Tokyo-Narita
- A Twenty-Two Hour Layover in Tokyo and the Hyatt Regency Tokyo
- ANA Suite Lounge – Tokyo-Narita
- ANA First Class Square Tokyo-Narita to Washington-Dulles
The Regency Suite
We were escorted to our room, a regency suite on the 21st floor. Though this was certainly a nice room, upon initially entering, we were a bit underwhelmed. This was clearly because we were spoiled beyond belief by our Park Suite the previous two nights at the Park Hyatt Shanghai.
The room setup was pretty simple. There is a marble entry way with a T-shaped intersection. To the left is the bathroom. To the right, the living room. In between the living room and bathroom was the bedroom. There were televisions in the bedroom and the living room, as well as a smaller TV hidden in the glass of the bathroom.
While certainly nice, this suite wasn’t nearly as spacious as our previous night’s accommodations, but it certainly was more room than a standard room. The view from our room was primarily of Kowloon. If you looked at a crazy angle to the left, you could barely see Central Hong Kong and the IFC Building.
The living room wasn’t too big at all, and when we had the rollaway setup out there, the living room was essentially not usable.
All in all, the suite was nice to have because it did have barely enough space for the three of us. I think it would be a perfect size for two people though. The amenities in the room were quite nice, and the view from the room was decent.
The Handy Phone
Though this was not my favorite hotel ever, and I was a bit miffed by the roll-away charge, the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, TST certainly redeemed itself with probably the most useful hotel amenity / perk that I’ve ever received.
Rooms at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong come with a personal smart phone called the “Handy”, which features:
- Unlimited calls and texts to the USA
- Unlimited 3G mobile internet access
- Unlimited use of a 3G mobile WiFi hotspot for up to five devices at a time
- Discount and ticket offers
- Hong Kong city guide
The availability of this smart phone means the need for a cellular data package or SIM card is not needed at all! We used the “Handy” phone as a WiFi hotspot whenever we left the hotel, and maintained perfect WiFi connections for the three of us at all times!
To me, this is probably the most useful hotel amenity I’ve ever received. I really can’t think of a better one. In my opinion, this is a great idea for any US-based hotel in a country outside of the USA.
Regency Club
The highlight of the hotel to me was the Regency Club. We received access since we were suite guests and because I’m Hyatt Diamond. The Regency Club is a two-story club with sweeping vistas of the amazing Hong Kong skyline. Every night, there is a two-hour happy hour with appetizers and cocktails. We enjoyed this one evening after a long day of touring, and really appreciated it. The drink selection was decent, as was the selection of snacks.
Breakfast was also served here daily, and was complimentary for Diamond guests. The breakfast buffet featured an assortment of fruits, breads, meats and cheeses, but was somewhat lacking in Chinese dishes like noodles or dim sum. We were able to order one hot item, and I chose the coddled eggs, which were okay. At the end of the day, it’s a free breakfast with a wonderful view — and that’s not half bad!
The Verdict…
Overall, the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui did its job. It was a comfortable place to stay, and it was quite nice. While the hotel itself is a bit older, and the rooms could use a bit of an upgrade, we did appreciate the location. Located directly above the entrance to the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station made this hotel incredibly accessible. We could easily get into Central Hong Kong in less than ten minutes. The location and the smart phone amenity are the strong points for this property, and when it’s priced significantly lower than the Grand Hyatt, it’s hard to pass up.
How I Booked it…
I booked a Hyatt Elite Rate for this stay. Since there were three of us in the room, we were able to split it three ways. The addition of the Diamond Suite Upgrade gave us some of extra space. At the end of the day, hotels in Hong Kong are expensive, and this was no exception.
Thanks for this timely review. I just booked a stay for three at the TST with C+P and and a DSU upgrade. Good to know I should expect the upcharge even though I booked for three. I still hope my Into the Nights thing gets figured out and I can switch to the IC instead.
Glad I could help. I was uncharged bc they said I booked for two. The reservation after the DSU was applied did say two (even though our original reservation was for three). That caused a bit of confusion. If your reservation is showing 3, I’d hope they wouldn’t up charge you for the roll-away, but who knows. Regardless, I felt the charge for the roll-away was excessive.
Just checked the email confirmation and it does say three, so hopefully we are in the clear. Would you suggest the Grand Hyatt instead if I can get a Suite Upgrade for the extra expense or are they more or less the same hotel?
While I haven’t stayed at the Grand Hyatt, from everything I’ve read and heard, it is a far superior hotel — especially if your DSU clears. I was told to request a newly renovated room at the Grand Hyatt if your DSU does clear, and from the looks of it, the suites at the Grand Hyatt are FAR SUPERIOR to the Regency Suite at the Hyatt Regency.
I really wanted to stay at the Grand Hyatt, but the upgrade did not work out. I think the only downside to the Grand Hyatt is that it’s a bit further from an MTR stop, while the Hyatt Regency is right near the TST MTR stop.