Trip review to Hong Kong: Some of the new, some of the old-fashioned

This trip was completed in July 2024.

With Cathay Pacific pulling out all the stops to capture traveler demand, fares to Hong Kong are currently competitive and the city itself is very accessible from many regional routes. In addition to being a relaxing trip, we also took this opportunity to check out a couple of the newer experiences at Hong Kong International Airport.

Below are our reviews of notable parts of the trip.

Airport Lounge: Kyra Lounge

Rating 8.4/10

This is a newly-opened airport lounge near Gate 23 of Terminal 1, which turned out to be one of our favorite lounges thus far. Having only been opened for a few days before our visit, we received high standard of service from the staff. As more travelers get to know this lounge, we believe it is likely to be a popular and crowded lounge.

Putting the debut of this Kyra brand aside, the lounge itself is designed to have multiple relaxation or productivity zones. The interior decor looked modern to us and the bar will be the first thing to greet visitors upon entering. The space is rectangular and open-concept, so the lounge do not feel cramped or narrow.

We were likewise impressed with the restrooms, both in terms of the overall décor as well as the finishings.

Food and beverage choices are above average in our view, and the quality is comparably better than many contract lounges. The buffet area is tucked towards the left side of the lounge after the reception. Special mention to the baked pork chop rice, which comes in a small aesthetic bowl for that extra effort.

Airport Lounge: Intervals Sky Bar

Rating 8.8/10

More of a unique experience for us, we like how obscure this place is within the airport. For those who may not be that familiar with Hong Kong International Airport, this location may be a little challenging to find for the first time. However, we certainly feel this is worth the small ‘hike’ up the escalator/lift towards the top of the Sky Bridge.

While it may not be that intuitive to describe the bar as between Gate 12 and Gate 24 (not in running number sequence), it indeed makes sense when you are there because this area branches off from Terminal 1 main Concourse at Gate 12. Look out for an unmanned convenience store and you can see the gates (13 and onwards) across the Sky Bridge.

Intervals Sky Bar is one of the few spots in the airport which can provide visitors with a similar perspective to the aviation control tower. The bar comes with a L-shaped layout and the entire area is not big.

The daytime and nighttime view is completely different, and personally we prefer the cosiness of the ambient lighting at night. However, that also means stronger window reflections and less plane-spotting.

Food was decent, but the drinks were great. The spaghetti we ordered was average, while the 3-piece snack set turned out better than expected. We recommend allocating at least 45 minutes when visiting this bar so as to not feel rushed (it may take some time for the food and drinks to be prepared and served).

Accommodation: Conrad Hong Kong

Rating 8.5/10

This is one of the landmark trio of towers in Admiralty, Hong Kong. Long a mainstay of the skyline, most of the hotels here can feel rather dated to many. However, being situated close to Central, The Peak and the surrounding office towers, the hotels around this area continue to be a top choice for both leisure and business visitors.

More specifically, Conrad is one of the ‘ring’ of hotels connected by an elevated level of road access to the individual lobbies, with the rest of the hotels being Island Shangri-La, JW Marriott and Upper House. They are all part of the integrated complex called Pacific Place, with a luxury retail mall below joined by several office towers.

In Hong Kong fashion, the hotel lobby is marble-clad and comes in yellow-gold kind of grand. During our time, the check-in took a while even with three counters assisting guests. While the check-in was not the smoothest, the attentiveness and composure of the guest relation officers were still commendable.

Ours was a suite facing the Victoria Peak behind the hotel. However, as it was a corner room, we could also catch a glimpse of the harbour and the surrounding central business district from our living room. The rooms were spacious and came with good natural light.

On the flip side, wear and tear were visible and expected from the hotel age. After all, this remains the first Conrad hotel in Asia Pacific. Entry room rates start at about HK2,300/night.

What took us to Conrad this time round was the view from the Executive Lounge. Situated at the top of the building, it offers sweeping view of the best that the city has to offer. The sunset there was mesmerizing and definitely left an impression on us.

That said, it gets crowded during the evening cocktail hour, and the limited canapes are another reason which will not keep us there for too long.

Dining: Sun Hing Restaurant (Kennedy Town)

Rating 7.9/10

For nothing but pure nostalgia, this hole-in-the-wall dim sum eatery is worth a visit. To some, this may be a late-night hunt, while to the elderly, this is early morning fun. The restaurant opens at 3am and for travelers reaching Hong Kong in the early morning, it is quite a suitable spot to start the day.

This is one of those traditional local places where seating is narrow and tables are meant to be shared among a handful of strangers (as mentioned in another restaurant of our previous Hong Kong review). Therefore, do come prepared to jostle and order the way locals do.

Given that ours was a busy morning with full tables, we did not managed to review much. However, what turned out surprisingly tasty for us was their siew mai. More importantly, the local customers are friendly, so always ask for help or recommendations to make the most of the experience!

Kennedy Town itself is an up-and-coming trendy area so do also allow some time to explore other parts of the neighbourhood where you can find a good mix of modern shops and cafes.

Dining: Salisterra Bar

Rating 7.8/10

Having been featured on social media quite often for its beautiful interiors and window views, Salisterra Bar is another high-altitude spot we were keen to experience first-hand. However, given its popularity and upscale positioning, reservations need to be made in advance and certain seating will be restricted at peak timings.

Even when we were there in the off peak timing, most window seats were already taken. As for the menu, it is on the expensive side but most customers are there for the view as much as the food and drinks themselves.

Another key feature of the place for us is actually the washrooms. They are some of the most aesthetically-pleasing washrooms we have been to in Hong Kong. They came with floor-to-ceiling windows with many degrees of unblocked views, complete with mirrors and a long modern basin.

Dining: Kai Kai Dessert

Rating 8.3/10

Just off the main street of Nathan Road in Jordan, this is a shop selling traditional Cantonese dessert. While there are many of such eateries in the city, the cleanliness and hygiene, as well as rapid turnover made this shop one of the best we have been to.

While their prices are not exactly budget, the absolute price point is still affordable since it is still only a bowl of dessert.

More importantly, their dessert are done well and rich in flavours. You can taste the quality of the ingredients and the dishes were never overwhelming or too artificially sweet. Away from the halo of its Michelin recognition, a bowl of dessert served here is simple but heartwarming.

Do take note that queuing time can vary quite a bit, and since it is just a shop space off the street, customers waiting outside will be exposed to the weather. Further down the road is Yat Tung Heen restaurant situated within Eaton HK, which can be a good place to start before ending with Kai Kai Dessert if the initial queue turns out to be too long.

Activity: Tai Kwun

Rating 7.9/10

Part of the façade was under renovation while we were there. However, it does not take away the allure of the heritage venue. Located right in the city center, Tai Kwun is a large cultural revitalisation project which saw it transformed into a predominantly arts-related compound. The red-and-white brick buildings house many of the city’s history, including the former Central Police Station and Victoria Prison.

Apart from the galleries and exhibitions, there are also boutique shops selling general ware and more trendy merchandises. A proper visit to this heritage venue can take up to half a day in our opinion given the many adjacent buildings, although the main halls will likely only take an hour or two. While in the vicinity, it is also a good idea to explore around SoHo for its entertainment and food options.

Activity: Starstreet Precinct

Rating 8.2/10

We were first attracted to this area because of its network of cool street names like Star Street, Moon Street and Sun Street. Right within Wan Chai, this is a more local area to hang out, in a way similar to Lee Gardens at Causeway Bay. We were there on a sleepy afternoon, and the quiet neighbourhood offers a peaceful respite with only a few shoppers in every shop.

A handful of stores we visited are Elephant Grounds, Blue Bottle Coffee, Kapok, and Monocle. Many of the alleyways are great to explore although be prepared to tackle the slopes of the terrain. Some photo spots include the rainbow stairs at Sau Wa Fong as well as the Dominion Garden with its stairs access to Sun Street.

This was never intended to be a long trip for us. We find Hong Kong to be an easy city to travel around, and there are always enough to keep us coming back. This time round, we featured less dining places and instead selected small meals like dim sum, bar and dessert for a different take than proper main meals. In the same manner, we decided to highlight some smaller places of interest rather than big tourist attractions.

Having completed a few more cities over the summer, do look out for our subsequent trip reviews.