W Hong Kong

W Hong Kong occupies an enormous glass tower overlooking Victoria Harbour, which is attached to the popular Elements shopping mall. Check-in is not located on the first floor; guests take one of the three elevators to the lobby on the sixth floor. Decor throughout is typical for a W -- trendy, with plenty of avant-garde touches, such as blue neon-lit reception desks. House music often plays in the background. The lobby lounge Woobar is a popular local spot for a drink, and sometimes has live DJs -- though the noise level usually isn't too loud to allow for conversation. The summer pool parties at the rooftop pool, featuring great DJs and the option of table service, also draw a cool scene. The hotel is popular with business travelers and tourists alike and has an upbeat, busy vibe, especially during check-out times when the lobby can feel crowded.

The W Hong Kong is located in the densely populated neighborhood of Kowloon, overlooking Victoria Harbour and adjacent to the high-end Elements shopping mall. Below the mall are the Kowloon metro station and the Airport Express stop -- where it's possible for travelers to check their bags for their flight before they even get to the airport. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the airport on the express train, or a half-hour by car. On the metro, it's only one stop (about 15 minutes) to Hong Kong Station in Central Hong Kong (the business district, on Hong Kong Island across the harbor); for those who prefer a taxi, it's a 12-minute drive. The hotel also offers a free shuttle every 30 minutes or so, stopping at the Sheraton in Tsim Sha Tsui, as well as at Harbour City and Canton Road.There are plenty of shops, restaurants, temples, and nightlife options nearby, as well as open-air markets and parks within walking distance. It's a three-minute walk to West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, a 12-minute walk to to Kowloon Park, a 17-minute walk to Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard, and an 18-minute walk to the Jade Market. Star Ferry Pier, the Hong Kong Museum of History, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art all take 20 minutes to reach by foot. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is a 15-minute drive. It's a 14-minute drive to Avenue of the Stars (21 minutes via public transportation) and a 20-minute drive to The Peak (52 minutes via public transportation). Hong Kong Disneyland takes just over 20 minutes to reach by car.

Rooms at the W are stylish, high-tech, and spacious; the entry-level Wonderful Rooms start at 431 square feet, or 40 square meters, and categories range to the elaborate Extreme WOW Suite, which an expansive 2,160 square feet (200 square meters) and has its own small plunge pool with harbor views. Modern, streamlined decor is consistent across room and suite categories, and features gray wood furniture, cream walls and carpets, and accent colors in the bedspreads and wall behind the bed. The beds themselves are comfy signature W beds with 400-thread-count linens and goose-down duvets. Tech amenities impress: All rooms have 42-inch or larger flat-screen TVs with DVD/CD players, bathtubs with LCD TVs and pay-per view movies, iPod docks, and notably, and "Handy" 3G smartphones with unlimited local calls, an interactive map, and instant messaging via Wechat and Line. Minibars and coffee- and tea-making facilities are also provided. Bathrooms are sleek, with slate tile, walk-in showers with square-shaped rainfall showerheads, separate soaking tubs, long countertops with double vanities, and mirrored walls with fanciful illuminated borders. There are eight room categories. The Wonderful Rooms, Spectacular Rooms, and Fabulous Rooms all measure 431 square feet (131 square meters) and feature either two extra-large single beds or one king. These three types of entry-level room don't vary much, save for their views (Wonderful Rooms have City views, Fabulous Rooms look over Victoria Harbour, and Spectacular Rooms look out on both the harbor and the International Commerce Centre). Cool Corner Rooms are slightly larger and have king-size beds plus tubs with windows looking out on the city or harbor. Fantastic Suites, Marvelous Suites, WOW Suites, and Extreme Wow Suites add separate living rooms.

The W Hong Kong offers an excellent selection of features aimed at business travelers and tourists alike. Wellness facilities include a modern gym with a good selection of cardio and weight-training machines, plus a Spa -- Bliss -- offering massages, treatments, and nail care. Its facilities include saunas, steam rooms, and heated, jetted "vitality pools." There's also an outdoor lap pool -- WET -- on the 76th floor that's flanked by lounge chairs, and has an adjacent pool bar and whirlpool hot tub. The hotel's lobby bar -- Woobar -- features afternoon tea in the day plus a wide selection of cocktails and wines along with regular DJ performances in the evenings. The W has two restaurants. Kitchen is the more casual of the two, with all-day international dining and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the harbor. A breakfast buffet is offered every morning for a fee. Sing Yin offers Cantonese fare and is spread over a few different sections with varying, generally dated, decor. Room service is available 24 hours a day.Conference facilities span across two floors, with rooms in a variety of sizes for up to 420 guests seated theater style. All come equipped with screens and projectors and catering is available on request. There's also a business center and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and the W provides free loaner smartphones; travelers in Cool Corner Rooms and suites even get free international calls to the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, China, and Australia.