Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel

Most everything at this hotel has a go-big-or-go-home look to it -- from the massive staggered facade, to the expansive, marble-clad interior hung with Chinese decorations and lanterns, to the towering pillars all around. That being said, while the size is impressive -- and a good amount of TLC has gone into the interiors' upkeep -- the style looks lifted from the '90s. Outside, the tropical grounds have plenty of trees, flowers, and bushes, plus a path that runs along the water to a plaza with fountain. The hotel also features a wedding garden with glass-roofed gazebo and offers direct access to Golden Beach. Multiple amenities for children, including a kids' club and a waterpark, make it popular with families, though business travelers are also frequent guests. 

Gold Coast Hotel is in Tuen Mun (Castle Peak), right on Golden Beach, in a neighborhood that's home to residential buildings, restaurants, convenience stores, and the Gold Coast Piazza mall. It's 10 minutes by car from Tuen Mun center, which has an MTR station and tmtplaza mega-mall, with over 400 shops plus dining and entertainment. Central Hong Kong is a 25-minute drive or about 45 minutes away by MTR from Tuen Mun Station. That being said, most guests are families coming here to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, or business guests with events in the area. Sam Shing Hui Seafood Market is a five-minute drive from the hotel, while Tuen Mun Ferry Pier on Castle Peak Bay is a little over a 10-minute drive. The Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery is within a 15-minute drive, as is Hong Kong Disneyland. Hong Kong International Airport is a 25-minute drive away.

The 453 rooms at Gold Coast Hotel are a mixed bag. While all are pleasant enough -- with lots of white, beige, and brown plus wood light wood furnishings and white cotton bedding -- many are dated. The Deluxe Balcony Seaview Room that we visited had peach walls, pastel-hued wall art, and light tan and orange marble that hearkened back to an earlier decade. Big windows do their bit to keep things bright, as do the light tan carpets, but the majority of rooms are looking a bit tired. The hotel does have more modern rooms, so it's worth checking ahead to make sure you're getting your money's worth. Standard amenities include desks, safes, tea- and coffee-making facilities, minibars, and big flat-screen TVs with satellite channels. Some rooms have balconies and/or sea views, though the balconies were not furnished when we visited. Suites have iPod docks, and some also have sitting areas with sofas. Bathrooms are spacious, with good counter space around the sinks and walk-in showers; some also have tubs.

The hotel features a huge lagoon swimming pool with a poolside bar, plus a shallower pool for families with children. Two waterslides are also available for the kids. Set next to the pool, the water park features water sprayers, tower showers, bucket soakers, and floor fountains. There's a playground with oversized slides, ropes, and spinners, plus an outdoor sandbox, while a colorful indoor kids' club has interactive games, a play kitchen, and a reading corner. The daily breakfast buffet (not included in room rates) features hot and cold Asian and Western items, but not much variety. One of the on-site restaurants serves traditional Cantonese cuisine with a modern twist, with an outdoor dining area with sea views. The other serves Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine, also with alfresco dining available. The cafe has buffets with pan-Asian, Hong Kong dishes, and Western fare and offers outdoor seating around the pool. The lobby lounge offers sea views along with a food menu, drinks, an afternoon tea, and Sunday brunch buffet with live entertainment. Room service is available.A full-service spa offers a wide array of massages, wraps, and scrubs and there's a bright fitness center with cardio and weight equipment and views of the surrounding greenery. The hotel also has a concierge desk, a business center, and meeting rooms, and weddings can be arranged. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but parking costs extra.