You know those deals that are so good you want to keep them a secret? That seem far too good to be true that you have to pinch yourself to be sure you didn’t just make it all up? That if you tell too many people, someone higher up might twig and take the deal away? Well, this post is about one of those.
The Conrad Hong Kong’s Weekend By The Pool package is an alarmingly good deal. So much so that when I found out about it, I actually did a double take and figured there was a missing number in the price. Happily, this wasn’t the case (or they haven’t realised… yet), easily making this one of the best hotel pool packages in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong doesn’t exactly suffer from a shortage of fabulous swimming pools. Public swimming pools, pools in residential complexes, pools in member’s clubs (and there’s always someone you can find that’s a member), plus let’s not forget the ultimate swimming pool – the actual ocean, which given that Hong Kong is a series of islands, we excel at providing easy access to.
However, if you want to get a little more exclusive and swank things up at one of Hong Kong’s hotel rooftop pools, that’s where things start getting pricey. Sometimes, they’re only available for guests, or only accessible if you’re booked an expensive spa package, or cost hundreds of dollars for a simple day pass – whereupon thoughts of doing laps in the lap of luxury are quickly forgotten.
But wait! Because The Conrad’s Weekend By The Pool package includes (deep breath):
- Access to the outdoor heated swimming pool from 11am-5pm
- A 60-minute massage at The Health Club
- An hour of free-flow champagne and cocktails from 4-5pm
- Snacks by the pool on arrival
- Free-flow fresh juice throughout the day
- Use of The Health Club’s gym facilities from 11am-5pm
- Access to a yoga, tai chi or water fitness group class (subject to class schedules)
And all for only $950 per person! Frankly, it’s worth that just for the divine spa-quality massage… or if you intend on drinking your body weight in champagne, like my friend Tom did!
I know that’s a lot of awesomeness to take in at once, so let me break it down for you:
The Pool
As a Hong Konger, I sometimes forget to be amazed by the coolness of the concrete jungle we live in. Well, The Conrad Hong Kong’s rooftop pool is plonked right amidst all our shimmering skyscrapers and glittering towers, and it feels pretty damn incredible – especially if you’ve got an out-of-towner in tow to impress, like I did.
Meanwhile the pool itself is great; it’s outdoors, it’s deliciously cool for when it’s hot, it’s blissfully heated for when it’s cool… what more could you want? It isn’t the biggest (less than the de rigueur 25m of my schooldays!) so if you go on a busy day, it would only take a couple of big groups or families to swamp it; luckily, we were there on a quiet day with just a few solo swimmers and one rowdy group of kids, so I was able to get a couple of lengths in and feel good about myself. The pool also has a lovely waterfall at the shallow end, lending further to the tropical bliss ambience, a nearby Jacuzzi, and is surrounded by an abundance of loungers and cabanas to make yourself at home in. We never wanted to leave!
The Massage
Unlike many luxury hotels here, The Conrad Hong Kong doesn’t have a dedicated spa – so I was surprised when my Sacred Nature Massage turned out to be as amazing as it was. The treatment room at The Health Club was unexpectedly spacious and my therapist, Moni, was an absolute pro. My body practically melted under her expertly healing hands.
The Conrad Health Club uses a line of products from Italian spa brand [comfort zone], which despite the annoying parentheses, was positively blissful. My treatment focused on an oil blend of burita (nope, me neither) and jojoba, which was deeply nourishing and smelt gorgeously comforting to boot. The only slight downside is that the rooms aren’t soundproof and are located quite close to The Health Club’s reception area, so you do get a bit of background noise – but the miraculous powers of my massage pretty much magicked all that away. By the end of the always-too-short hour (including a knockout amazing head massage), I felt looser, lighter, more limber and just utterly blissed out. Honestly, this massage was better than many I’ve had at dedicated spas in the city, where you’d pay $950 for that treatment alone… and it’s this component that really makes the Weekend By The Pool package such a steal.
The Food & Drinks
When the blurb said Weekend By The Pool included “light snacks on arrival”, I pictured a sad looking bowl of nuts. Hell no, Rach; The Conrad takes the concept of “light snacks” very seriously! Instead, my friend and I were dished up a platter of beef and chicken satay skewers (ladle on that gloriously nutty salty-sweet satay sauce!), grilled Halloumi cheese with fresh tomato and pesto (a classic combo, done excellently), and a couple of chunks of pineapple for good measure. We hadn’t bothered with lunch that day and this did the trick nicely.
I don’t drink so stuck to the free-flow fresh orange juice and water, whilst my friend Tom promptly necked about ten flutes of free-flow champagne in the hour. He’s British and thus born with an innate ability to drink like a fish – meaning he was in a very happy place indeed. Service was also great at topping up when needed… which in Tom’s case, was often!
The Facilities
The last time I willingly broke down in a sweat was probably chasing down a limited edition Hello Kitty toy, so sadly I won’t be reviewing The Conrad Hong Kong’s gym facilities for you. Nevertheless, I can tell you that The Health Club boasts an impressive range of cardiovascular machines, free weights, stretch equipment and other fancy equipment that I don’t know the names of, plus a sauna, steam room and whirlpool to take advantage of too. The shower facilities and rather-dark changing rooms are perfectly functional but a little on the small side – but honestly, that’s a minor quibble coming from a girl who needs a work-sized desk just to accommodate all her skincare, hair and make-up “essentials”.
Anyway, in case you hadn’t got the picture yet, The Conrad Hong Kong’s Weekend By The Pool package is A GREAT DEAL. I’m honestly convinced that as more people discover it, the powers-that-be will probably realise it was all a terrible mistake and whisk it away, leaving this review as the only evidence that it ever existed in the first place. It’s perfect for impressing out-of-towners, a great weekend activity with family and friends, or simply the ideal opportunity to get some indulgent downtime from hectic Hong Kong. So stop pinching yourself, this isn’t a case of too good to be true… and there’s simply nowhere better to make a splash!
The Weekend By The Pool package costs $950 per person or $280 per child (under 6s are free of charge), plus 10% service charge. Regular day-passes cost $370 for weekdays or $480 for weekends and public holidays.
The Conrad Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, +852 2521 3838
Note: this experience was by invitation
Through The Looking Glass 