BOOKED: Novotel Nathan Road, Hong Kong

As I wrote in my last post, we are destined for HK and Macau in our first honeymoon trip. We plan to spend a couple of nights in HK and a couple of nights in Macau.

Probably the most challenging part in this trip so far is getting a good and not-so-expensive hotel in Hong Kong. I'm used to staying in a hostel when I visit HK, but of course, we won't settle for that in this trip. As we do our research we've come across some nice options that other honeymooners can consider when planning for their trip and intend to splurge a little.
 

Novotel Premier Room

Our Choice
Novotel Nathan Road - I initially wanted to stay in a luxury hotel, but we decided to save it for more shopping. We picked this hotel mainly because it is just minutes away from the Jordan station of the MTR and it's in the heart of the shopping district in Nathan Road. I've read good reviews about the hotel in Tripadvisor (which by the way has a great app for Ipod) as well. Room rates start at HK$1,000 + tax (breakfast not included, no cancellation policy).

Also, check out this blog entry from travel blogger Ivan Henares to know more about their room upgrade promo. I inquired about this promo and true enough your superior room can be upgraded to a premier room (with free wi-fi and buffet breakfast) for free. If this promo is availed, the standard room rate for a superior room will be HK$1,200 + taxes.

Other Options

-> W Hotel - This hotel still makes me drool. From the pictures, interiors are just very modern yet elegant. Would love to try out this hotel next time. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,800+.

-> Langham Hotel - Has good location and is near the star ferry pier. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,600+.

-> Langham Place - Right at the heart of Mongkok, this hotel should be perfect for tourists who love shopping. I was just afraid that the area may be too busy. Still, this hotel might be worth trying in the next visits. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,400+.

-> Luxe Manor - Has really unique interiors. All rooms seem to have a mystic feel in them and their themed suites may be worth a try someday. Somehow the themed room pictures remind me of the Victoria Court rooms here in the Philippines. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,100+.

-> Novotel Citygate - Nice hotel, but just way too far from everything else. Very close to the airport as well. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,000+.

READ: The Dip by Seth Godin

Just finished reading The Dip by marketing guru Seth Godin. I bought his book out of curiosity after watching one of his talks in TED. I must admit, it was an interesting read that gave me a good perspective on when to quit and when not to. It's also a short book, just a perfect book to carry whenever I'm commuting or maybe doing my thing in the restroom.

Godin explains in his book when to know if you've reached the point where you are in The Dip and according to him, it is during this time when most people quit. Successful people though find a way to fight through The Dip. He also shared his perspective of being able to quit on something as early as possible, in fact he encourages quitting and quitting often.

There are a few things that stuck the most in my head.

1. Determine under what circumstances would you quit even before starting something.

2. If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.

3. If you're not going to get to #1, you might as well quit now.

To be honest, another reason I got this book is because a part of me believes I've hit a plateau in my IT career. I don't feel like I want to move up ranks and face the challenge. After reading The Dip, I gave myself a new perspective about my career and when I should quit and definitely now's not yet the time.

BOOKED: The Venetian Macau

Last month Joyce and I booked for our first out-of-the-country trip as a married couple. Taking advantage of Cebu Pacific's 50% off sale, we got MNL-HKG and MACAU-MNL tickets for just P8,500! It's no P0 fare, but it's quite a good deal considering that we'll be greeting the Chinese New Year there.

* Royale Suite

For our stay in Macau, we decided to book a 2-night stay in the very famous The Venetian Macau. And since we were booking early, we got a good 20% discount as part of their early bird promo. Still, the price didn't come cheap as we'll be spending about HKD5,000 for two nights in their Royale Suite (Cotai Strip View) Both Joyce and I wanted to experience the luxury of The Venetian so we never really bothered to look for other options. 

One thing that makes me nervous about our trip to Macau is the timing. We'll be there during Chinese New Year and since everyone's on holiday during that time, I'm pretty sure tons of visitors from the Mainland and Hong Kong will be flocking Macau and gambling through the holiday. Still, I'm pretty sure the atmosphere will be festive and that's something I'm looking forward to. Worst case scenario, we'll end up staying in our luxurious suite during most of our time there. ;)