Hong Kong: The 34th Floor
Oh, the things I would do to wake up back at the Excelsior Hotel, Hong Kong.
I know now that if one wants to maintain a blog about travel, one needs to photograph the hotel's exterior and interior in order to create an effective visual for one's readers, but... I didn't do that and at this point, it is what it is. 2,500 pictures throughout my three-week Asian adventure was plenty and probably part of the reason my computer runs so slow nowadays. I'm learning as I go, okay?
Just trust me when I say that it was wonderful inside and out, upstairs and down. One night, the hotel staff even left us a handwritten note, some fruit and a bottle of champagne "just because."
Our mornings would start off with a fantastic breakfast offering more Eastern and Western options than I knew how to handle and as we ate, we gazed out at this alluring harbor. In addition, the basement was a charming little English pub, which offered some tasty reminders of home.
The hotel was also a mere two-minute walk from the MTR (subway) and was ideally located among all of the action that Causeway Bay had to offer.
Added Bonus: just a few minutes away from a swanky little Pizza Hut... our starvation savior.
But my main reason for writing this is to emphasize how fantastic the 34th floor of the Excelsior was.
A hidden gem, ToTT's was one of the coolest places I have ever been. And I realize now that we really should have spent more time there.
They offered some fantastic drinks, literally anything we wanted, but the best part was...
...this view.
The walls of the bar were windows to the most spectacular neon skyline.
Although, I definitely wouldn't recommend ToTT's for those who suffer from acrophobia. I swear you could feel the hotel rocking back and forth.
It was really funny though, because the first time we went up to the bar, it was horribly foggy and we did not even realize that there was a view to be seen. It just seemed like a dimly lit place to eat and drink. We had absolutely no idea as to what the fog was concealing until it mysteriously vanished and the gaudy panorama revealed itself. It was in that moment that I almost experienced my first heart attack.
ToTT's also offers patio dining. We were never able to dine outside, but we definitely made an effort to sneak out there. I'm pretty positive that I invaded some people's personal space and disturbed some romantic dinners with my camera flashes and oohs and aahs, but I had to be sure that I had a photo from every angle, even if it meant climbing on/over/under strangers' dinner tables.
On a side note, congratulations to Alexis, my roommate, on her engagement!
If you ever get the chance to explore Hong Kong and find yourself in Causeway Bay, be sure to grab a drink or two on the 34th floor of the Excelsior. You definitely won't be sorry. That is, unless you let those Singapore Slingers take advantage of you.