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TRAVEL
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October14
Family-owned Ovolo launched
in 2002 and has become one of
Hong Kong’s larger independent
hotel and serviced apartment
operators, with a half-dozen or
so properties in Hong Kong and
Australia. I gave their flagship
hotel, Ovolo Central, a spin; here
are three things that impressed
me about it.
Freebies
If you like a hotel that exudes a spirit
of generosity, you’ll love Ovolo. There’s
free stuff galore here, including a “Loot
Bag” waiting on the main console
of your room. Mine was filled with
packets of chips and chocolates, and
a rabbit-shaped lollipop. It might only
be a few dollars worth of stuff – a small
percentage of the room rate (which
starts at around the S$300 mark) – yet
it’s still a welcome treat after half a day
of international travel.
Need something to wash it all down
with? The mini-bar is free, too – yes,
including all the miniature bottles of
spirits. And if that’s not enough booze
to kick-start your holiday, Ovolo’s Happy
Hour, 6pm to 8pm, is also free, with
cold beers, wines and snacks served
in the lobby.
Other freebies include daily breakfast
at adjoining Café Ó – more modest than
a huge hotel buffet but still fresh and
filling – and free Wi-fi, not only in the
room and the public areas of the hotel,
but also
out and about in Hong Kong
itself, via a “Y5Zone pass” that allows
access in various shoppingmalls, coffee
shops and fast food outlets.
Quirks
The hotel’s sense of playfulness starts
with the wording on the terms and
conditions of the Wi-fi usage: “DO NO
EVIL”. It’s evident in Ovolo’s online
presence, too: take a look at www.
ovolohotels.com for a very different spin
on a regular hotel website. And when
I stayed over Easter, there was an in-
house competition that involved locating
a pair of “bunny ears” that were stashed
in your room, then putting them on,
taking a photo, and Instagramming it;
the prize was a night’s stay at any Ovolo
hotel. (There are five in Hong Kong and
one in Melbourne.)
Basics
Freebies and quirks are all well and
good, but often they’re a ruse to hide the
fact that a hotel doesn’t get the simple
things right. Not the case with Ovolo;
it fully deserves its high TripAdvisor
ranking for Hong Kong. The location
is ideal: perched just above popular
nightspot, Lan Kwai Fong, and within
walking distance from the Airport
Express station at Central, provided your
bag is light enough to lug. The rooms are
excellent; all have the same 35-square-
metre layout – you just choose between
an Executive Suite and a “Super Shiny
Room”, which has more extras thrown in.
And the staff are happy and helpful – not
only in dealing with any issues you might
have during your stay, but also before
you arrive, emailing comprehensive
notes about your booking, a map of how
to get to the hotel, recommendations of
nearby bars and restaurants, a list of
Hong Kong apps you should download
before your visit, and a Cantonese
“survival guide”.
Ovolo Central is at 2 Arbuthnot Road,
Central, Hong Kong.
3105 2600 | ovolohotels.com/en
THE HOTEL