Rosedale Hotel Kowloon, Hong Kong

4.3 out of 5.0 stars

Relaxing Stay in Mong Kok

My second stay at the Rosedale Hotel Kowloon, this time without my family. I contacted the hotel direct and booked like previously. Was given a Superior Room on the 26th floor. My four night stay was in late March 2019.

Getting There

On this occasion I was able to catch the K5 shuttle at the Kowloon MTR station as my flight from Singapore arrived on time and during daylight hours, so there was less chance of missing out on a shuttle. There was already a good crowd in the waiting area, so had to sit, wait and then line up. The shuttle then took about 40-45 to do its round of hotels before reaching its last stop at the Dorsett/Rosedale Hotels in Ivy Street (metres round the corner from the Rosedale).

Knowing how much time it takes doing this round it might be a better option to alight the Airport Express at Tsing Yi MTR station and catching the train to Olympic and then walking the 10-15 minutes to the hotel. Of course the Airport Express is more comfortable with padded seats and has luggage space while the commuter trains have neither. If carrying light luggage the commuter train could be an option. With heavier luggage the shuttle or taxi from Kowloon station would be a better choice.

The hotel has its own complimentary shuttle and can be spotted at Kowloon MTR station not far from the K5 bus stop, but do check their timetable on the hotel website. On the return trip the hotel shuttle leaves from the service bay on Tai Kok Tsui Road and will do several stops before Kowloon MTR station.

Getting Around

The hotel shuttle service is very good and would recommend using it when possible. I used it twice, once to get to Temple Street market and on the day I departed to Kowloon MTR station. The shuttle will also take you to Harbour City Mall a stop before Kowloon MTR station, where you can shop, eat and walk to Avenue of Stars and view Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island.

Room

The Superior room I had was no different than the Deluxe room I stayed previously. Only difference is this room was on a higher floor. The configuration of the room and size was the same. The comfort was no different.

Breakfast

Being without my family I spent more time at breakfast. As I’m an early riser I prefer to have a big meal so I can spend more time doing things during the day and perhaps just having a snack in the early afternoon. Being happy with only breakfast I didn’t partake in lunch, tea or dinner at the Sonata Restaurant, eating out in the evenings usually after 5-6pm. I had two comlpimentary drinks vouchers but didn’t use them. I prefer to drink in company, with my wife. So I’ll be keeping them for our next trip to Hong Kong. At breakfast there is plenty to choose from, both Western and Asian. Reminder if you want fried, scramble eggs or omelettes you’d need to ask as the omelette chef is not out at opening time and usually comes out a little later.

Asian and Western breakfast.
Asian and Western breakfast, and view of Sonata Restaurant.
Sonata Restaurant.
Sonata Restaurant.

Last Word

As I mentioned in the previous review about a year ago I would contemplate coming back to the Rosedale Hotel Kowloon. I think I will continue to do this unless I get offered to try other hotels. The price is still competitive compared to other hotels in the same category, even to the Dorsett next door which is rated higher by Tripadvisor reviewers mainly because of service, but the Dorsett is consistently more expensive. I don’t see that much difference in the accommodation. Perhaps they have better Family rooms but I think only good if the children are young. As they get older, when teenagers they would want their own room. This is what we did the year before. My two stays so far at the Rosedale Hotel Kowloon have been good so I doubt I’ll change. If you are after a non pretentious place to stay I can recommend the Rosedale Hotel Kowloon.

Note: Rosedale Hotel Kowloon was used as a quarantine hotel during COVID-19. Also the free Airport Express Hotel Shuttle bus service was suspended permanently from 30th June 2020. No details of a possible reinstatement are available due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

Update: The Rosedale Hotel Kowloon has closed permanently. The property has been acquired by investors and will be turned into residential apartments, shared spaces and other amenities. Previously the hotel enjoyed success in the prosperous Hong Kong tourism industry until the political and social unrests of 2019, but the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 in particular hit the hotel hard. For information on other Rosedale Hotels visit the Rosedale Hotels Group website.

All Photos © Carlo Irlitti

Ambiance 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Cleanliness 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Comfort 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Facilities 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Food 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Location 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Noise 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Service 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Staff 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Value 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
WiFi 4.5 out of 5.0 stars

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