Unquestionably the Best Hotel I’ve Ever Stayed In Using Marriott Points! Here’s My Review of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

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F

or my

recent 30th birthday trip, my wife and I used Marriott points to stay free at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.  In short, we were blown away by our experience at the hotel.  The amenities, location, spectacular views, and outstanding service make this hotel worthy of a visit.  Our stay was definitely enhanced by getting complimentary access to the the Club Lounge, which offered delicious dining options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Plus, free wine and champagne, even Veuve Clicquot.

To book free stays like this one, I earn Marriott points with my

And when I need to top off my account for an award stay, I sometimes transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from my

or my

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve® – my overall favorite credit card.  You can use the annual $300 travel credit towards a Ritz-Carlton stay.
Using Marriott Points to Stay for Free at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Was a Highlight of My 30th Birthday Trip!

Here’s my review of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.

Using Marriott Points to Stay Free at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong has the designation of being the “highest hotel in the world.”  It’s located on the 102nd to 118th floors of the International Commerce Center.  The lower floors are occupied by large international financial companies and investment banks.

The hotel has 5 restaurants, including 2 Michelin-starred restaurants (Tin Lung Teen and Tosca).  And there’s a rooftop bar on the 118th floor called Ozone.

The hotel connects to the Elements Mall, which is a huge shopping center and home to many high-end retailers, an ice rink, and a movie theater.  The mall also connects to Kowloon station, which offers direct train service to the Hong Kong airport.  Also, Hong Kong is an Uber friendly city and it was really easy to request rides while staying at the hotel.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Is Located on Floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Center

The hotel’s location is really convenient, whether you want to explore Kowloon or travel to Central Hong Kong and Hong Kong Island.

The Hotel Connects to Kowloon Station, so You Can Take the Tung Chung Line Directly to Central Hong Kong

I booked a completely free 2-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong using Marriott points.  Until March 2019, this hotel is categorized as a Category 7 hotel, which means you can book an award stay for 60,000 points per night.  After March, the hotel (and several others) will move up to Category 8 and standard award night prices will increase to 85,000 points per night.

And don’t forget, you can get a 5th night free on Marriott award stays.  For example, team member Joseph booked 5 nights at The St. Regis Maldives in October 2019.

The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong Award Calendar Shows Good Availability in 2019. Be Sure to Book Before March 2019 to Lock In Your Stay for 60,000 Points per Night.

When using points for an award stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, you’ll be able to book a Deluxe Room with 1 king or 2 double beds.  As a comparison, nightly room rates for this room type range from $350 to $700, depending on your travel dates.

Using Points at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Will Secure You a Deluxe Room.  And Having Marriott Elite Status Can Get You a Really Fantastic Upgrade to a Larger Room With Better Views!

Beyond enjoying an awesome room, you can also access the infinity pool and hot tub on the 118th floor.  The pool view was great, but definitely not as cool as the rooftop pool at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

I Got to Enjoy the Pool on the 118th Floor to Myself!

There’s a hot tub on the same floor as the pool, which overlooks Victoria Harbour.

Relax in the Hot Tub While Taking in the Incredible Views!

Marriott Platinum Status Got Us a Spectacular Room Upgrade at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

Thanks to having Marriott Platinum status, we received a complimentary upgrade to a larger corner room, which had unbelievable views of the Hong Kong skyline and Victoria Harbour.

Marriott Elite Status Can Come in Handy for Awesome Room Upgrades, Like the Corner Room I Got at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong opened in 2011, so it’s still a relatively new hotel.  And it showed in the room with modern furniture and design.

Besides Having an Unbelievable View, Our Room at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong Was Spacious and Luxurious

The Ritz-Carlton touch was present throughout the room, including in the luxurious bathroom.

The Bathroom in Our Room Was Huge With 2 Sinks, a Bathtub, and a Shower

The views from our room were incredible at all times of day and night, but the sunsets were especially beautiful.

We Enjoyed the Sunset From Our Room on Our First Night in Hong Kong

One of the reasons I loved this hotel so much was the incredible hospitality.  My wife told the staff at check-in we were there to celebrate my birthday.  And the hotel went above and beyond to recognize the occasion.  On our first night, the hotel delivered a chocolate cake to the room.

A Delicious Birthday Treat at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

And on night two when we arrived back to the room, the hotel had set up balloons and a happy birthday banner.  And there was a thoughtful handwritten note left on the desk.

Thanks, Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong for the Birthday Celebration!
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong’s Instagram page is full of photos showing how the hotel recognizes special occasions like birthdays, engagements, and weddings.  In fact, there were 5 weddings taking place at the hotel during our 2-night stay alone!

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Club Lounge

Unfortunately, having Marriott elite status doesn’t get you access to Ritz-Carlton Club Lounges.  To enter a Club Lounge at any Ritz-Carlton hotel, you’ll typically have to pay $150 per person per day.  That’s a steep cost, but when you consider what’s included, it could be worth it for some folks.

We got really lucky during our stay and received complimentary access to the lounge.  Our room wasn’t available after arriving at the hotel at 6:00 am following our overnight flight.  So the front desk staff offered us access to the hotel spa and lounge to refresh and get something to eat.  For future stays at Ritz-Carlton hotels, I would likely pay for Club Lounge access because you can get a lot for your money between breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, and drinks.

It Wasn’t Your Typical Buffet Breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong. You Could Find a Wide Range of Options, Including Continental Breakfast Items, Hot Dishes, Dumplings, Fresh Fruit, and Much More!

Pastry lovers can definitely get their fill with this amazing tower of options!

I Had My Fair Share of Pastries at Breakfast in the Club Lounge

There’s plenty of seating throughout the lounge, including tables for two that run along the windows and have amazing views of the city.

Don’t Miss Out on the Sweets on Your Way Out of the Lounge

If you enjoy champagne, the lounge serves Veuve Clicquot.  Enjoying a few glasses could justify the cost of paying for lounge access.  As a comparison, it cost ~$30 per glass at the Ozone bar.

The Club Lounge Serves Premium Champagne, Which Can Make Paying for Lounge Access Worth It!

The lounge has other options for cocktails, including whiskey and wine.

The Drink Options in the Lounge Definitely Aren’t a Letdown

We enjoyed dinner one night in the lounge.  I’m not usually a fan of buffet style, but all of the dishes were delicious, especially the dumplings!

Dinner With a View! Hong Kong Has Some Fantastic Restaurants, but If You Have Access to the Club Lounge, You Could Save Money and Enjoy a Delicious Meal, Drinks, and Incredible View Right at the Hotel!

If you want to take a similar trip, these are the cards I’d recommend applying for:

Have you stayed at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong?  Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

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