Overall, Hotel ICON is a beautiful property with great facilities and exceptional service. From the moment you step into the lobby, you’re greeted by an incredibly fresh, clean scent that immediately sets the tone for the experience. The staff is extremely courteous, helpful, and accommodating, and everyone we interacted with made us feel welcome.
Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived, but we were still able to enjoy breakfast at The Market and spend some time relaxing in the lounge by the pool, which was a nice way to start our stay.
The room itself was surprisingly spacious, especially by Hong Kong standards, and everything was clean and well-maintained. Overall, the accommodations and amenities were exactly what we hoped for.
Unfortunately, my biggest issue with the hotel, and something that genuinely soured an otherwise wonderful experience, was the deposit policy.
Despite having already paid for our entire stay in full, we were required to provide a security deposit that was twice the cost of our booking. To make matters worse, the deposit had to be placed on a major credit card. Thankfully, my girlfriend had hers available, because otherwise we would have been in a difficult position despite having already paid for our accommodations.
What I found even more unreasonable was being informed that the deposit could remain on hold for up to two weeks after checkout. That’s a substantial amount of money to have tied up, particularly for international travelers who may be visiting multiple destinations and relying on access to those funds throughout their trip.
I completely understand the need for hotels to protect themselves against incidental charges or potential damages, but requiring a deposit equivalent to twice the cost of an already prepaid stay feels excessive. It’s an unnecessarily inconvenient policy that stands in stark contrast to the otherwise thoughtful and accommodating experience the hotel provides.
Hotel ICON has a lot going for it, from its beautiful facilities to its genuinely excellent staff. I would have loved to leave a glowing review without any reservations, but the deposit policy is something I think prospective guests absolutely deserve to know about before booking. And probably a big reason why I would book elsewhere when visiting Hong Kong again
