Are staycation breaks welcome?

Uninterrupted sunset views

A stay at Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel a few months ago felt like a beachside getaway without the hassle of having to carry luggage or passports. We had also considered Tai O Heritage Hotel — more of a boutique property located at the western-most point of Hong Kong. Its past life as a police outpost gives it an appealing colonial charm. The unobstructed views of the sun dropping into the Pearl River Delta are a bonus. Ultimately we decided on Gold Coast Hotel instead, and took advantage of the shuttle bus from Tsim Sha Tsui to get there.

Our package included a set lunch at Satay Inn and a set dinner at Gold Coast Prime Rib. While we enjoyed the authentic Singaporean fare of the former — the duck egg yolk laced deep fried fish skin was particularly delicious — we thought that our surf and turf dinner was a throwback to 1980s-style steakhouses.

The same goes for the hotel in general. Its location, adjacent to a beautiful stretch of sandy beach, makes it popular with families. Yet its confusing layout meant that guests in swimwear or track pants had to walk through the all-day dining restaurant Cafe Lagoon to get to the pool or gym. Its 1990s free-form series of outdoor swimming pools including a water slide was perfect for children rather than adults looking to get some outdoor exercise.

Our guest room was similarly dated and lacked basics such as bathrobes. Its best feature was a spacious west-facing balcony with uninterrupted sunset and sea views. We concluded that Gold Coast Hotel's location made us feel like we were on holiday, but the property could perhaps tweak its layout and consider updating its facilities to compete with more contemporary resorts.