We found the best deal for this hotel and booked the room on their web site. I was impressed with their quick and thorough email responses to the few questions that I had regarding my upcoming trip. They advised me about the airport shuttle that I assumed took me directly to the hotel but upon reading other recent reviews (after my trip) I see that it can’t make it up that all important hill. So, I guess it’s just as well that my husband and I missed the shuttle. You see it stops at midnight and our 9:30 pm airport arrival time was delayed until about 12:15 am.

We then took the airport train to Kowloon and a taxi to the hotel from the train station. If you think you might have the same problem be sure to have HK$ since you need that currency for the taxi and most of the airport currency exchange booths are closed by midnight.

I don’t know if the hotel’s front desk employee resented being on the graveyard shift, our late arrival, or just had an attitude problem but he was not friendly or overly helpful at all. Or maybe I was just overly sensitive due to no sleep in the prior 24 hours. The day shift staff seemed friendlier.

The room was fine. It was clean and a bit roomier than I thought it would be. I don’t have much else to say since we immediately hit the sheets. Upon waking we had the hotel buffet breakfast. It was good and well worth the price. Since we were in transit to a cruise ship in Hong Kong we immediately left the hotel for limited shopping/sightseeing before checkout time at noon.

Everything others have said about the hill is true so I won’t add more of the same. But, do take Knutsford Terrace. It gets you to Nathan Rd and you pass a great variety of restaurants that I would have liked to try had I stayed longer. Getting back into the hotel from Knutsford Terrace was no problem for 2 sleep deprived travelers but that hill would have killed us.

By now, it is obvious that the hotel sits on a steep slope. Hopefully, my photo could show how steep it is. My wife and I stayed in this hotel for 5 nights, and we booked the hotel in full awareness of the slope because of the positive reviews here.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the room. The staffs are friendly and helpful - I would give them a plus. Did not try the breakfast nor any meals at the hotel as there are many food choices around.

There is an alternative walk to the hotel via Kuncksford Terrace instead of walking up the slope. Knucksford Terrace is actually a lane just before the hotel entrance. We didn't even realise it till the second last night, but at least we spent two nice nights having beer and watched soccer at one of the pubs. From Knucksford Terrace, one can just take the lift from the basement instead of walking further up to the hotel main entrace.

Location: Yes, it's on a very steep hill, one that has a staircase up the sidewalk, so be prepared! Lots of good restaurants nearby, and close to a subway stop- maybe a 5-10 minute walk. Easy to walk from here to a lot of Kowloon.

The Airport Express bus is K5- get out at the Empire Hotel stop.

Accomodation: We had no problem checking in and getting our room. Although the internet description said rooms have in-room safes, some of them don't. Don't worry, though, you can use your own safe-deposit box at the front desk. There's a fridge in the room, a kettle, some teas and coffee as well. Internet was free- we had a wireless connection that the hotel provided a username and password for every 3 days. We were also provided with a power adaptor when we requested one. Housekeeping service was very attentive whenever you needed something, like when our kettle stopped functioning, they brought us a new one in just a few minutes.

The bathroom is terribly dated and small. I felt like I walked in to my parents 1970s bathroom and the blowdryer looked like some kind of vacuum! Quite a riot actually! But the water pressure and hot water were always fine. The bed was like a rock as well.

However, overall the room was adequate given we were barely there, and it was very clean.

Overall: We couldn't get in to the YMCA Salisbury, so I think this was a good second choice. The staff were all very helpful and our room was more than adequate. I would recommend staying here to others.

A pleasant, clean, if fairly budget hotel, in a really good location in Kowloon. The room was pretty small, but as we spent most of our time out and about this wasn't too important. Staff were friendly and helpful but, by God, when the brochure says that teh hotel is on a hill, it wasn't joking. OUr coach transfer dropped us at the bottom of the hill as it couldn't make it up there! If you have any mobility problems at all, then think again...