Finally ticked off The Peninsula Hong Kong, the 'Grand Dame of the Far East,' from my bucket list for my birthday trip. The hotel exudes a warm, vintage, understated luxury. The afternoon tea experience was delightful; the dim sum was exquisite, and the service was proactive. For my birthday, they arranged a window seat, and even provided sparkling wine and a birthday candle. Dinner at Felix was excellent: the baked escargot, grilled octopus, seafood paella, and wagyu steak were all delicious. Aside from the house wine being a bit disappointing (terrible value), enjoying the food with a view of Victoria Harbour at night was a truly great experience. The hotel also gifted a birthday cake, which was of very high quality. Despite its bustling city location, I was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly quiet the room was. There was absolutely no street noise, and I couldn't hear any sounds from the hallway either. They've clearly put a lot of effort into soundproofing, better than any other luxury hotel I've stayed in. The hotel itself is connected to high-end boutiques like Goyard, LV, Chanel, and Chrome Hearts. Downstairs, there's a large and well-stocked Italian food supermarket offering a curated selection of Italian delicacies and ingredients, definitely worth exploring and stocking up – I almost wanted to ship a load home! The Peninsula Boutique gifts were also nice, and the staff were exceptionally friendly, even offering instant photos. I had read reviews complaining about cold front desk staff and unfriendliness towards mainland guests, but every single staff member we encountered, including the female front desk agent during check-in, was friendly, enthusiastic, and proactively helpful, which I found very touching. The room's furniture was a bit old-fashioned and plain, but the electronics were impressive. An iPad by the bed controlled room lighting and room service, the TV remote was a touchscreen, the vanity mirror was electric-powered and retractable, and there was even a large fax printer hidden in the desk cabinet! The only downside was the old toilet; it lacked a heated seat, and the flush button was difficult to use. Also, the shower was awkwardly positioned, clashing with the door and making it easy to hit your head, so you had to be very careful.
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