[Bayrunner75]

Hello,

This is my first post on this site! I am moving to Hong Kong with my husband in April (can't wait) and I will no doubt have a lot of questions in the interim.

Whilst reviewing a number of sites, I have come across properties that have club facilities. Is entry to these facilities free for residents (as in Aus) or does one have to pay as you use?

In general, are these facilities of a high standard?

Thanks

[Skyhook]

We're from Aus too, and no, most facilities will still cost you a small fee, regardless if you own or rent a property. Out in the NT it's been consistently the case.

At our complex we have the following facilities on site.

2 x full size billiard tables ( $35ph )
2 x indoor squash courts ( $35 ph )
2 x sauna's ( $35 ph)
Large out door swimming pool ( $35 ph )
Fully equipped gym ( $400 per year )

Library aka reading room ( Free )
Main lounging room. ( free )
A BBQ area inc use of tables, brella's, all the gear for as many people that you want to invite ( free )

Out door Tennis court ( $35 ph )
A proper out door car washing bay ( very rare ) free)

2 separate childrens play ground equipment area's on the complex grounds, as well as a large park that is opposite complex inc a beach, which was a lucky existing feature and very much free.

The standard of our club facilities are very high for a residential complex. Nice and big too, as the clubhouse is a totally separate building to the apartment buildings.

[timklip]

different complexes have different rules..some are free to use, some have monthly/yearly fees, some have deposits plus some free/some pay activities...

for example, my estate has a clubhouse with pool, fitness room, childrens play room, tennis courts, indoor badminton/court sports hall, table tennis, sauna, golf nets...residents pay an initial HK$10,000 deposit for 4 person family, that allows free use of pool and childrens room, plus a monthly fee for fitness and (i believe) all other venues...deposit returned upon lease termination

you should ask for all the details when you visit your prospective property.

i would think in general most of the bldgs with facilities are relatively new (15 years?) so facilities are pretty good as a rule...

[wontun]

It'll either be one of the following two:

1. The cost of using clubhouse facilities is included in your monthly maintenance charge for your block.

2. You pay each time you use the facilities.

The agents/owners should be able to tell you when you've decided on where you're going to stay.

[KnowItAll]

>> are these facilities of a high standard?

Depends on the apartment block. On the high end, you have places with five star facilities like Parkview, Repulse Bay, BelAir and then you have places which provide basic facilities which are still ok to use frequently but might not be posh.

[Bayrunner75]

Thank you for your replies. Information is appreciated.

We are hoping to come over after Chinese New Year and have a look around.

I will make sure to ask those questions of the real estate agents.

[PDLM]

Originally Posted by wontun

It'll either be one of the following two:

1. The cost of using clubhouse facilities is included in your monthly maintenance charge for your block.

2. You pay each time you use the facilities.

Not only these. The Grand Panorama on Robinson, for example, has an optional annual fee to get unlimited access to some of the facilities (gym, swimming pool, ..., plus the shuttle bus to Central) and pay per use (independent of the annual fee) on some others (karaoke room, squash court).

[Football16]

At the Grand Waterfront in Tokwawan (Kowloon side on the water) we have similar prices and facilities to Skyhooks list. No squash courts here.

Right now, the "special" prices are there as the towers aren't fully sold yet (we rent) but there are user fees for the billiards and gym ($15HK). My sense is that the facilities are vastly underutilized here as when I go to the gymn in the morning I rarely see anyone else. The gymn is okay but is missing some key pieces I like to use but overall it is okay for recreation users.

The sauna and steam room and showers which are fantastic here are free so I use the shower every morning whether I go to gymn or not as I love the 132 streams of water coming from the ceiling over being in our very tiny bathroom with a tv set in the shower/bath tub.

This place has facilities that are odd in my view and you can see that for yourself on their website. I wonder about the practicality of some of them like the "Learning kitchen" and "Her Paradise" and "His Kingdom" which is not open I don't think but it looks like some sort of male manicure place.

This place has music and karoake rooms and a two lane bowling alley and MAC computers - with some charges as well as a grandiose theatre for small groups with a large video screen. Not seen that used yet.

In the future when this place is sold out I suspect the prices will rise from these lower prices now.

[sarah_hk]

Hi there,
We moved to HK a month ago (I'm Australian too, lived in Syd for 3 years). We saw dozens of properties and something we were especially interested in were the facilities. The best around, we found, were The Arch in TST, and Residence Bel-Air in Cyber port/Pok Fu Lam. We chose Bel-Air (indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, tennis courts, full gym, billiards, theatre, aerobics room, piano room, karaoke room, computer access room, basketball court, table tennis, indoor kids' play area, hairdressers/spa, cafe and shuttle bus upto closest MTR station). The basics like gym, pool and shuttle are free. Most of the others have only minimal charges (e.g. AU$2-7, a couple upto $10) which is just to secure the booking and ensure a user-pays system.
Good luck :-)

[Bayrunner75]

Wow - some of those facilities sound out of this world. Much more than the gym, pool and tennis court that I was envisaging!

Sarah, is Cyberport near an MRT? My husband will be working in Quarry Bay. I will check it out.

Thanks everyone.