Centrally located in the bustling Wan Chai District
About a 10-minute walk to the Wan Chai and Causeway Bay MTR stations
All rooms come with smartphones with free calling, minibars, and flat-screen TVs
A restaurant, sports bar, a bar and lounge, and a coffee shop are on-site
24-hour fitness center with treadmills, stationary bikes, weight-lifting machines, and free weights
Business center with computer stations and printers
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Free shuttle service to Hong Kong's Convention and Exhibition Center
Most rooms are small, and in need of updating
Some of the renovated rooms lack windows
Fee for breakfast
Though not quite in Causeway Bay, the mid-range Charterhouse Causeway Bay Hotel is still conveniently located in the middle of Wan Chai. The 294 rooms range from dated to swanky, but all but the priciest Signature floor rooms are quite small, and some of the newer rooms lack windows. With three places to eat on-site -- a full restaurant serving local and Western fare, a sports bar serving lunch, and a coffee shop -- the hotel also has a lounge and bar, a gym, and a business center. Every room comes with a smart phone with unlimited local calling, and the hotel offers free shuttle service to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Travelers looking to stay in the same neighborhood might want to compare rates with the three-pearl iclub Wan Chai Hotel.
Scene
Traditional mid-range business hotel
Marble floors and wood-paneled walls cover the hotel's small lobby. Seating is limited, with a few red leather stools providing spots where arriving guests can pause. Though the lobby is small, its celling spans three stories, with an open staircase rising along the wall above the recessed reception desk and circling up to the floors above. A showy chandelier sits at the top for maximum effect. Convenient to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, the Charterhouse Causeway Bay Hotel attracts mostly business travelers.
Location
In Wan Chai, with walking distance of Causeway Bay
Located on Wan Chai Road, The Charterhouse Causeway Bay Hotel is within walking distance of upscale restaurants and shops -- the popular Times Square Shopping Mall can be reached in about six minutes on foot. It's about a five-minute drive to both the Wan Chai Ferry Pier and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (to which the hotel provides a free shuttle), depending on traffic. The posher Causeway Bay neighborhood sits to the east of the hotel, and the main MTR Causeway Bay Station is a 10-minute walk down Hennessy Road. Expect a 40-minute drive to Hong Kong International Airport.
Rooms
Mix of styles, with minibars, flat-screen TVs, and desks
The 294 rooms range from tiny Economy Single Rooms (12 square meters, or 129 square feet) to S Signature Rooms, which come with extra "smart office" features. Most rooms have not been updated and are furnished in traditional Western-style decor -- they're small with homey (and often scuffed) wood furniture, including rounded corner cabinets and small desks incorporated into the window ledge. The white-on-white Family Rooms look newer, but the two double beds leave no space for other furnishings. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, minibars, and electric tea kettles. The newer Signature tier rooms are all on one floor, have a modern decor, with coffeemakers and bathrooms with rainfall showers, iPod docks with speakers and surround sound, and extra business features, such as use of the Signature Room for private meetings. The largest of these rooms have sitting areas with sleek couches and ambient mood lighting, but note that some lack windows.
Features
Guest smart phones, multiple dining options, a bar, and coffee shop
The hotel has three casual on-site dining spots, with the Gazebo Restaurant serving a breakfast buffet, which is not included in the room rate, and all-day a la carte dining in addition to the changing buffets of Asian and Western cuisine. Harry's Bar and Lounge serves lunch and afternoon tea, while Champs sports bar is open for lunch and hosts a daily happy hour. Le Petit Salon is an espresso bar with a small pastry counter, with seating at a few small bistro tables. Business facilities include a business center with computer stations and printers, and two meeting rooms, which can be combined to host up to 70 people. There's also a fitness center, with cardio- and weight-training equipment. All guests get a free 3G smart phone with unlimited local calls, as well as free international calls to select countries. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.