My family and I took a cousin from NY to visit Hong Kong just before the Chinese New Year (from Feb. 1-3). I had initially wanted to be in the city in time to see the parade and fireworks, but friends had told me that many businesses would be closed on the dates around the the actual New Year (Feb. 7 this year) and we'd be stuck there with no place to go but the hotel. I took their advice and it was well worth it.

The Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel has been our hotel of choice since way back... the first time I had ever been there was in 1985, if I'm not mistaken. It is primarily a business hotel, and its amazing proximity to the Star Ferry and the docking area of cruise ships cannot be surpassed. If you are a business traveler who is attending a trade show at the Convention Centre across Victoria Harbour on the Hong Kong side, taking the ferry is your best bet. You cross over, walk on the convenient walkways over the traffic, and enter the Renaissance Hotel through the bridgeway, and you're inside the Centre. Of course, people have asked why we still stay at the Marco Polo HK when it's all the way on the Kowloon side and the Renaissance is actually attached to the Centre... and my answer is shopping. Yes, shopping is better on the Kowloon side, in my opinion. The Hong Kong side is the business district, if you will, and of course there's the bar/club scene to be had there, but since I am not interested in that, it really holds no fascination for me. Besides, as the Marco Polo HK sits on Canton Road, it is just across Kowloon Park (which I have wandered into by mistake some years ago and spent some relaxing hours wandering about the gardens; it has nice paths), it is close to the frenetic shopping on Nathan Road some streets over, it is just a Promenade walk away from the historic Clock Tower and cultural center and the science museum, among many other places. If one wishes to check out the night market along the Ladies Street and Temple Street in Mongkok, you just have to take a quick ride on the subway (just HK$5.00).

Inside the Marco Polo HK Hotel they have a Lane Crawford store with high end items. The entire Harbour City complex in fact houses the biggest names in fashion. And when it's the sale season, just as it always is just before the Chinese New Year, prices go way down. You don't even have to go outdoors, really. Just wandering inside the complex will have you fed and clothed. This was an advantage for us during this last trip, because it was cold (for Asian standards), some 8-10C, and with icy rain falling.

The Marco Polo HK Hotel primarily has location going for it. Also, since the SARS situation years back, the staff has become more helpful and have been positively solicitous of guests. The hotel itself has undergone renovation work in the lobby and the restaurants and the rooms. If you are used to European spaces, you will find the hotel rooms quite spacious, which is actually typical of hotel rooms in Asia.

They issue actual room keys and then they also issue elevator key cards. This is a good security measure, I think. I often encounter this in Swiss hotels.

The buffet breakfast, if you are lucky enough to get it included in your rate, as we were, is amazing. The selections are so numerous that it is impossible to try everything at once (although we've seen some fellow guests attempt it!). They make very nice eggs, their bacon is not too salty, and their boiled ham rather tasty. The Asian selections are equally good. Try congee for breakfast just as the Chinese do, or cold soba noodles topped with shredded nori and green onion and drenched with a light soy sauce, among others. This breakfast is good enough to take you through the most hectic guided tours or the most involved of shopping expeditions.

The room's minibar had more of a selection this time, and complimentary water that's replenished everyday, besides.

My only complaint is that one hears the showers of one's neighbors, although not the neighbors themselves. Also, our shower dripped. You could hear the tap-tap-tap of falling water.

We also tried the dinner selection of Cafe Marco, and that buffet was also quite good, if also quite expensive. Next time, we will try their other restaurant, Cucina. It had a lot of hype while we were there.