[Andrew W Scott]

OK, I'm moving to Hong Kong for 3 months mid August to mid November. Been there twice before for a week each time so I am MTR savvy.

I need to go regularly to 3 MTR stations: Central, Kowloon Bay and Heng Fa Chuen, so I concluded Quarry Bay MTR was the place to be based. Also I workout every day at Fitness First, and they have one in PCCW building in Taikoo Place very close to Quarry Bay station (covered walkway)

It appears to me that the two options to stay in a good serviced apartment around there is Harbour Plaza (50 mtr walk to exit C Quarry Bay station) or Grand Plaza (directly above Taikoo Station).

Could anybody give me any advice about these 2 places? Are there any other places I could try??

This is what I've been able to glean so far from the net:

HARBOUR PLAZA

Pros
1. walk directly to Quarry Bay MTR therefore only 1 train change needed to get to Kowloon Bay
2. maybe get nice view over harbour
3. maybe I can walk all the way covered to PCCW building in Taikoo Place (avoiding heat, humidity and/or rain) if I can enter exit C of Quarry Bay MTR and depart exit A of same station (are you allowed to do this without getting charged??), then get covered walkway through Taikoo Place

Cons
1. mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com including some cleanliness issues
2. have to walk down long concourse C to get to MTR station

GRAND PLAZA

Pros
1. directly above Taikoo Station therefore in the train in 1 minute
2. maybe (??) looks a little nicer inside than harbour plaza
3. the one and only review on tripadvisor.com said it was great

Cons
1. have to change train twice to get to Kowloon Bay station including painful 5 minute change from island line to purple line at Quarry Bay although maybe can change lines at North Point which is straight across the platform but one extra train stop to the west
2. no view
3. Could be a bit of a pain walking to PCCW building and back each day through heat/humidity/rain as I don't think it is covered (I could be wrong though)


Any help or advice would be really greatly appreciated.

[dougp]

I spent a month in Harbour Plaza when I first arrived and had no problems with it. As you say, good location for everything, including MTR, busses, Wellcome, funeral wreaths ...

You've been around HK too long already if you're complaining about the walk inside the MTR station from exit C!

From vague memory you may not be able to go from exit C through to A - I think the ticket barrier is in the tunnel before it splits off.

[tonyaki]

HArbour Plaza North point was a dump. Very old, rooms were dirty... I don't know about the other place.

[nivantj]

>> if I can enter exit C of Quarry Bay MTR and depart exit A of same station
Not possible
Unlike other stations, the only way to go from QB Exit C to Exit A is through platform..

[Andrew W Scott]

thanks for all your help, still looking!

[JonnyC]

I've recently been looking for a new apartment and went and viewed harbour plaza north point. It was ok, but it just had that hotel 'feel' to it which didn't make it seem very homely. And when I asked if there was any issue having guests come to visit or stay like when my friend comes to visit from england (because it's a hotel too and I know some hotels have issues with that) I was told it's best to let them know first and then they'll see what they can do. I don't need that when I'm supposed to be living in my own apartment and not in the hotel, I don't want to ask permission when it's meant to be my home.
Seemed quite expensive for what you get too, 18K for room with kitchenette seems a lot to me epecially for the area

[ct1]

I am surprised to hear about cleanliness issues with Harbour Plaza Northpoint and that the rooms were old.

Stayed there for over a month when we first arrived last December and I found them to be just fine.

Definitely feels like a hotel though. The walk to the MTR Platform is really not that long at all. Takes a few minutes that's all.

I liked it and would stay there again no problems. $18k per month is fine. Try $40k plus in Happy Valley for a studio/one bedroom.

[Kat123]

I am a HK local. I would prefer Grand Plaza Hotel Taikoo Shing to Harbour Plaza North Point although the latter is newer. There is a small gym at Grand Plaza, and you are close to many amenities and restaurants should you decide not to cook. You can always walk from Taikoo Shing to Quarry Bay (15 mins) for your Fitness First gym. Harbour Plaza is flocked with mainland chinese tourists and it is not near to anything.

[JonnyC]

Originally Posted by ct1

$18k per month is fine. Try $40k plus in Happy Valley for a studio/one bedroom.

Or 16.7K a month for a room the same size, better equipped kitchen and much nicer area (moving in on saturday)