Hong Kong

II travelled to Hong Kong for three nights to attend the Travel Counsellors gold conference. Flying overnight, directly to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, we were swiftly transferred to the 5* Cordis hotel at Langham Place in Mongkok, Kowloon. The hotel is in an excellent location - directly opposite a huge shopping complex and just a five-minute walk to the Ladies market and Mongkok MTR. We had an early morning arrival and in a bid to stay awake we did the hop on hop off bus tour - and boy did that keep us awake! There is so much to see in Hong Kong. The peak is a must, the peak tram ride to the top is stunning. You slowly rise above all the sky scrapers of the city and admire the view from the top. The Star Ferry ride from Kowloon to Hong Island is also included and you get a sense of calm on the water as you cross and admire the skyline. This is a great way to see Hong Kong and to gain your bearings. After a brief siesta we headed down for pre-dinner drinks and a fabulous barbecue hosted in the outdoor area of the Cordis known as “the backyard” which is a little bit of an understated name. It’s more than just a backyard. The abundance and quality of food was second to none, with fabulous service from the staff at Cordis hotel. On day two we had our Gold conference presentation with our directors and sponsors Royal Caribbean, P&O, Cunard and Celebrity Cruises. Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Tourist Board were there too. We then headed out on our 'New Territories cultural tour'. The tour guides we had were amazing. We visited a temple, a walled village, the Railway Museum as well as a wishing tree - here you can buy an 'orange' and you throw it on to the wishing tree whilst making your wish (it is not as easy as it sounds!) This is a good tour to see another side of Hong Kong that is not as well known. At night, we had a wonderful hosted dinner at the Harbour Grand Kowloon and we dined with views to die for across Hong Kong harbour. Yet again there was amazing food and wonderful service and hospitality too. For day three we had arranged some hotels visits, so after a brief visit to the rooftop pool on the 42nd floor of the Cordis, we headed off to visit some fabulous properties such as Cosmopolitan Hotel (opposite Hong Kong Jockey Club) soon to be re branded as the Dorsett. They really have thought of everything for families with amenity packs, age appropriate books, snack packs and hidden treats for the kids – not to mention a portable bookcase with books and toys and baby packs where relevant. The hotel hosted a traditional “Chinese banquet” which really was delicious and authentic. Next stop Kowloon (from Hong Kong Island) to visit the Shangri-La hotel. This stunning hotel is in a great location with views across the harbour and shopping and dining on your doorstep. We then moved on the trendy Mira boutique hotel in Kowloon which is also in a great location opposite Kowloon park and the outdoor public pool in Kowloon. Later that evening we had a truly memorable evening at “Hutong”, a Michelin starred restaurant (the other one is at the Shard in London) with even better views than the first night across Hong Kong harbour. We enjoyed the infamous light show, followed by our very own Chinese dragon entertainment. The food was fabulous food and yet again service was second to none. On our last day in Hong Kong we were due to fly back very late at night. We decided to go and visit the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island. We travelled on the Metro and I have to say this is one of the easiest and cleanest metro networks I have ever seen! Usually you would get the cable car up to the Buddha but we went on the one day it was closed for maintenance. Undeterred we took the local bus, a 40-minute journey up the mountains! Looking out you see the city disappear below you and then you look out for the Buddha! A definite 'must see', the Buddha sits 34 metres high and I could not stop looking at it - you can wonder round it's base and take in the sights with amazement - there really is something magical about it! Po Lin Monastery is also here and I would recommend a walk around here. After our return journey using the same public transport, we had a quick wander around the Ladies Market and picked up a few bargains here! Then it was time to return to Heathrow - a very brief visit and most definitely a place I would recommend.