Have you checked out Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour yet? When I settled into my room, I was surprised that it hadn’t been on my radar – because it was really lovely!
Just look at the room. Harbour view, modern design and marble bathroom (also with a view) for under $1,500 per night? That’s quite a steal! The vibe and view reminded me of a staycation I did last year at Kerry Hotel, which is almost directly across the harbour from Hyatt Centric. Kerry does have a few more luxurious touches and five-star service, but it is also significantly pricier. For a less costly alternative, this is a great spot.
The reason for this visit was to check out the latest stop on Hyatt Centric’s new Tour the World in Hong Kong staycation series: Korea. It’s done in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organisation, The History of Whoo (luxury skincare brand) and Ottogi (manufacturer of Korean snacks).
This staycation will likely appeal to various groups, including:
- Couples, friends or families wanting to do a hanbok photo shoot
- Stressed-out urbanites wanting some R&R courtesy of a The History of Whoo gift bag
- Anyone interested in Korean snacks
And the best part is you don’t even have to choose an option because the staycation package comes with all three!
Hanbok photo shoot
The first stop was a 30-minute hanbok photo-shoot session. Upon arriving at the photo-shoot room, one of Hyatt Centric’s gracious staff was on hand to help to lace up the hanbok, suggest accessories and advise on the best spots for photos. Sometimes hotel photo-shoot rooms are self-service, so it’s a great perk to have staff helping out. While the adult hanboks are one-size-fits-all, various sizes are available for children.
After enjoying your photo-shoot session, take a break and have some tea and snacks.
VR travel session
If you’re interested in virtual reality, there’s a set-up in the lobby that allows guests to visit eight provinces in Korea. The videos are well done and just a few minutes each, so they’re easy to squeeze in before lunch.
Lunch at The Farmhouse
Having worked up an appetite, the next stop was lunch at The Farmhouse. As part of this promotion, a variety of popular Korean foods are part of the regular buffet. If you’re a fan of Korean cuisine, definitely check out this buffet, whether you do it as part of the staycation package or alone. There’s all-you-can-eat Korean fried chicken, Korean BBQ, pork belly bao, seafood pancakes, japchae, tteokbokki, banchan and more alongside standard buffet favourites like Hong Kong roast meats, sushi and made-to-order noodles.
The room
Which of the aforementioned groups do I belong to? A bit of all, but mostly I’m a stressed-out urbanite wanting some R&R. So I was really excited to pamper myself with The History of Whoo products while relaxing in the king-sized bed (very comfortable) and tub (with a view).
But I also needed to do some work, and at first I was worried that the desk was more pretty than functional. Surprisingly, the desk and chair were both really comfortable – perhaps the most comfortable set I’ve found in Hong Kong. They were perfect for dealing with emails and having late-night calls.
Before my late-night calls, I ordered some room service – very tender steak frites ($260) and a bottled green juice ($65).
As for the room features, everything is modern and sleek; that’s no surprise as the hotel is only a few years old. There’s a Nespresso machine as well as some Hong Kong–themed mugs. The one downside (but acceptable for the price point) is that there are no luxury toiletries.
The best part though was falling asleep to the harbour view and waking up to sunrise over the city.
Breakfast at The Farmhouse
This package comes with breakfast at The Farmhouse. While the breakfast buffet is not as extensive as the lunch buffet, all the standard stations are there. The omelette of the day (pesto mushroom) was nice and fluffy, as were the breakfast pastries.
Verdict
There’s a lot to love about Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour. It’s one of the best deals in town for a modern hotel with a harbour view (and it’s located conveniently across the road from North Point MTR station). The new Korea-themed staycation package is also a good deal given the amount of entertainment and goody bags included. The quality of the lunch buffet (dinner even more so, I imagine!) was great too. Grab this deal while you can; the offer is available until 15 April 2021.
More details of the package:
- One night’s accommodation in a king/twin room
- Breakfast buffet for two at The Farmhouse
- Hanbok trial and Korean teahouse experience
- Korean VR activity zone
- Gourmet snack pack from Ottogi
- Skincare gift set from The History of Whoo (valued at over $1K)
- Borrow traditional Korean games (gonggi, ttakji and yut nori) from the concierge
- Korean-themed lunch or dinner buffet for two at The Farmhouse (optional)
- Rates range from $1,180–1,830 depending on if it’s a weekday or weekend stay and whether or not you opt for the lunch or dinner buffet
1 North Point Estate Lane, North Point, 3762 1234, book online
This write-up is based on a complimentary media staycation provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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