Address: Salisbury Road

Telephone number: + (852) 2840 7788

Website: http://www.peninsula.com/Peninsula_Hotels/en/default.aspx#/Hong_Kong/en/

Date of visit: March 2010

Approximate cost per head for 2 courses: N/A. If you are worried, don’t go.

Comments on wine list/beer: Everything available at a (highish) price

Summary:

It has been at least a decade since I stayed at the Penn. It’s a great hotel but as it’s so famous, everyone (9 out of 10 tourists) goes there to have their picture taken. It has therefore lost its tranquillity in the foyer and is now like a busy railway station.

As you approach it, you can see the famous green Rolls Royce parked outside. They provide a pick up service from the airport.

Afternoon Tea

This is provided in the dining areas in the foyer. They have a weird system. On the right (as you enter) is reserved for resident guests and non residents are required to queue on the left in front of the check-in counter.

Afternoon tea costs $398 for 2 or $250 for one. Beer is $68 a bottle. Add another 10% for service. ($11.30=£1)

Tea consists of a 3 layer cake tray with various cakes and sandwiches plus a coffee ice cream served in a small coffee cup plus tea or coffee. The cakes (fruit cakes, cream cakes, macaroons, etc) were good but not fantastic. Service was attentive. But you are here to be seen or to people watch. I was surprised to see one table with a chap in shorts. In the 90s, they would not have served you if you are wearing shorts.

(There will be an article comparing tea between the Peninsula (Tsim Sha Tsui), Mandarin Oriental (Central) and the Regal (Causeway Bay).

Felix

Felix was a bar at the top of the Penn with great views over the Harbour and the rest of Tsim Sha Tsui. It’s now a dining area with 2 smaller bars.

The loos are famous as it was designed by Philip Stack and its one of the 2 places that you can wee to a view (the other being the male members’ toilet at the Lords Pavillion on the ground floor).

Drinks here are ridiculously priced – house champagne is $180 a glass. Beer are around $80 for 330mls and cocktails are $100 plus. Both bars are waiter service (add 10%) and have only long communal tables.

The view here is amazing. Go for the sunset before the crowd moves in. The lift to Felix is at the back of the hotel (Middle Road entrance) on the right shopping arcade as you enter or left if you are coming from the foyer. Felix is only open in the evening from 5.30pm.

There are also European and a Chinese restaurant at the hotel – both are supposed to be pretty good.

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