Hotel Pennington by Rhombus

Opened in 2013, the Hotel Pennington is a purpose-built property and the fifth in Hong Kong by the Rhombus group. Although the hotel's facade and signage have a "cyber" feel, stepping inside there's a clear emphasis on natural materials with plenty of wood paneling, earth tones, and gray stone. Low-lighting and smart modern design furnishings create a cool and contemporary mood in the forth-floor lobby, while bespoke artworks introduce pleasant splashes of color and copies of Wallpaper magazine point to the hotel's hip design aspirations. With just 79 rooms, this is one of Hong Kong's smaller boutique hotels and thus provides a more personal and welcoming experience than many of the city's larger properties.  Pieces by local artists can be found on each of the 24 floors which follow the theme of the city’s attractions and traditions. There's also an outdoor lounge deck -- though it's popular with smokers. While largely designed with business travelers in mind, the hotel also attracts plenty of vacationing couples.

The hotel is located in the particularly lively and built-up neighborhood of Causeway Bay and the East Point area -- one of Hong Kong's main business and shopping districts. There's a wealth of restaurants, bars, and retail outlets in the immediate surrounds including the famous Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung three away minutes on foot. There are also plenty of local public transport links including Causeway Bay MTR station which is a five minutes' walk away. The hotel is also a 10-minute drive from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) while Hong Kong International Airport is around an hour's drive.

The hotel's 79 rooms are decorated in five designs, though all feature fresh yet cozy contemporary styling finished in natural wood -- yellow mood lighting is inset in wooden panels above the beds. Amenities such as high-tech power tracks with USB-charging and sliding power sockets appeal to business guests, while 40-inch flat-screen TVs have surround-sound systems and satellite channels. Wi-Fi is also free of charge and minibars and pillow menus come standard. Sliding glass doors open to modern bathrooms complete with walk-in rainfall showers, free bottled water, and robes and slippers. While most rooms are fairly spacious, some of the entry-level rooms are very small, and there have also been reports of poor internal soundproofing. 

The hotel's restaurant -- Casa Pennington -- is located on the third floor and offers a choice of three set menus for breakfast: fry-up, traditional oriental, or continental. Breakfast isn't included in the standard rate and is a set price for all three. It is also open for late brunch and dinner specializing in seafood. An open terrace forth-floor lounge overlooks the city's bustling streets, while card key access allows guests access to assigned room floors for added privacy and security. Wi-Fi and LAN Internet is also free of charge and airport transfers are available for a fee. The hotel's main shortcoming, however, is a lack of health or fitness facilities on-site.