Traveling the Canadian Rockies on VIA Rail

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Overnight passenger train travel can be more expensive and slower than air travel today. So why should you go? And where?

After spending two nights traveling the Canadian Rockies on VIA Rail‘s Canadian, the ‘why’ is easy to answer: in an age when traveling to a destination has become only about getting from Point A to Point B in a rushed, often stressful manner, a few days (or more) aboard a passenger train is a vacation in itself. The pace is relaxed, the scenery can be fantastic, and the service is friendly. After my experience aboard The Canadian, I would venture to say passenger train travel is in fact the sole remaining mode of idyllic transportation from the golden age, outlasting air and cruise travel.

Incorporating a VIA Rail journey into a Canadian vacation itinerary will greatly enrich your trip. There are many routes to choose between, the longest being the four day journey from Vancouver to Toronto on the Canadian. We opted for a fraction of this trip, embarking in Vancouver and departing in Jasper, Alberta (then returning on the same route after days of sightseeing in the Canadian Rockies). The 20-hour one-way trip was spent taking in the scenery from one of several observation cars with 360 degree views, dining in the relaxed yet elegant dining cars, getting to know fellow passengers, and sleeping, reading, working, or napping. We found that the ‘rail level’ views and relaxed pace afforded a more intimate experience with the British Columbia and Alberta wilderness.

Who to take with you:

If you’re bringing kids, I wouldn’t recommend this trip for kids under age six (though as always, parents know their own children best). During the rail trip, passengers are definitely confined to a series of train cars, and young kids would certainly get restless. Is there enough for older kids to do? Here’s what we found: a variety of board games in the ‘activity cars’, on-going snacks and juices in the lounges, and interesting sights out the window, whether it be scenery whizzing by or temporary stops at stations or through towns. In other words: not a lot of on-board entertainment.

If you travel with kids, we recommend downloading a few movies onto a computer, iPod, or iPad, and bringing plenty of reading material, activity books (such as coloring books) and card games. Plan on several hours between each meal that you’ll need to fill. Expect a primarily-adults-only passenger list: during our October trip, we saw only two children aboard the Canadian. This is not to discourage families from bringing kids: rather, know you’ll need to bring diversions and entertainment as needed. WiFi was not available aboard our train, though 3G and 4G service could be found via roaming off and on.

Which fare to book:

Determining which fare is right for you can be tricky. On the Canadian, there are two basic options: sleeper or economy. In economy, you’ll get a seat that reclines, access to an observation car with upper deck, access to a lounge with tables and chairs, and the option to buy food at the Starlight Cafe, serving meals and snacks to go. Passengers sleep in their seats, and share bathroom facilities. Economy is obviously the more affordable option, but quite frankly, didn’t look too appealing (despite the fact that VIA Rail seats are considerably more comfortable than airline seats).

Sleeper fare offers three bed configurations (each a different price) in the Sleeper Plus category.Passengers can opt between a one-passenger or two-passenger private cabin, or a semi-private upper or lower berth (closed with curtains). We experienced Sleeper Plus in a two-passenger cabin. We had a tiny-yet-functional cabin space with two chairs and a large window, a private bathroom with toilet, and a sink. Also included: a small amount of storage space and two outlets (yay!). In the evenings, a train steward comes by to lower your beds, which in the two-passenger cabin is bunk-bed style: upper and lower single beds. Beds are fully made-up each evening, and very comfortable (provided you’re not quite tall).

The one-passenger private cabin features one bench-like seat that flattens to accommodate a bed, plus a sink and toilet (the latter of which features a cushioned cover to become an ottoman during the day, but is covered up by the bed at night…a definite downside). Both the two-passenger and one-passenger cabins share one shower per car.

The last sleeper option is to book an upper or lower berth. These compartments feature bench seats (two facing each other) during the day, which fold out to become a lower berth bed at night. The upper berth bed folds out from the wall by the ceiling. These berths are made up at night and feature thick curtains for privacy. They share a public toilet and shower (one per car).

All Sleeper Plus fares include meals in the dining car (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, depending on when you’re onboard), snacks in the lounge, access to several observation cars and lounges, and complimentary champagne and appetizers upon embarkation.

Here’s a photo depicting 1. a two-passenger cabin made up for bed, 2. a lower berth made up for day, 3. coach seats:

Which to book will depend on your comfort level (how much privacy do you need?) and your meal needs. We absolutely recommend the all-inclusive dining: if you opt out of this, you can buy meals a la carte in the cafe, but this option would get old (and expensive) if traveling more than one night. We enjoyed the privacy of a cabin, but could have been comfortable in an upper and lower berth as well. Keep in mind that only up to two passengers fit in a cabin: families of four or more will need to book two (or more) cabins or opt for two or more upper/lower berths in a row. (The latter option will allow for more freedom of movement between beds as needed, but you’ll only have access to a shared bathroom.

View our VIA Rail experience video:

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Tips:

1. Carry-on sized bags only are allowed onboard. Full-sized bags will need to be checked, so plan accordingly. Cabins have space for up to two carry-on bags, but if you opt for a berth, you’d be better off with only a large tote or backpack.

2. Bring a water bottle to refill. While coffee, tea, and juice is on offer at all times, I found the need to also keep a water bottle filled to prevent dehydration. If you like to sip coffee or tea all day, bring a small thermos or insulated mug.

3. Bring a hair dryer if you’ll need one: in cabins, towels, shampoo, and soap are provided, but not hair dryers.

4. Be prepared for plenty of motion and some train noise at night. We slept surprisingly well onboard, but you’ll definitely feel the movement.

Date last visited:

October 2013

Fare cost:

Calculate Via Rail fares here. Definitely plan early and check for fare discounts, offered several times per year. What we found: VIA Rail is not more economical than flying, so you need to consider the fare cost a part of your vacation experience, not part of your transportation costs.

Directions:

If embarking in Vancouver on the Canadian, you’ll depart from Pacific Station. Located next to Science World, it’s easy to get here from SkyRail from either the airport or the Waterfront station in downtown Vancouver.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we experienced The Canadian as guests of the VIA Rail, for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own, and we hope our experience inspires and equips other traveling families to make great decisions about rail travel.

About the author

AUTHOR: Amy Whitley is the founding editor of Pit Stops for Kids and content editor of Trekaroo. She writes on staff monthly as a family travel expert at Go Green Travel Green and Practical Travel Gear, and contributes to Outdoors NW as an outdoor adventure traveler. Find Amy at Google.

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With Bathroom Bill Dead, Houston-Founded Pastor Council Looks To Future Fights

Read article : With Bathroom Bill Dead, Houston-Founded Pastor Council Looks To Future Fights

Dave Welch speaks during a press conference in favor of a bathroom bill at the Texas Capitol near the end of the special session on August 14, 2017.

A day before the Texas Legislature ended its special session this week, a session that included a high-profile fight over a “bathroom bill” that appeared almost certainly dead, David Welch had a message for Gov. Greg Abbott: call lawmakers back to Austin. Again.

For years, Welch, executive director of the Texas Pastor Council, has worked to pass a bill that would ban local policies that ensured transgender individuals’ right to use restrooms in public schools and government buildings that match their gender identity. The summer special session, which was quickly coming to a close, had been Welch and other social conservatives’ second chance, an overtime round after the bill — denounced by critics as discriminatory and unnecessary — failed during the regular session that ended in May.  

But with the Texas House unlikely to vote on a bathroom bill, Welch gathered with some of the most conservative Republicans in that chamber to make a final plea. The bill, they argued without any evidence, would prevent men from entering bathrooms to sexually assault or harass women.

“If this does not pass during this special session, we are asking for, urgently on behalf of all these pastors across the state of Texas, that we do hold a second special session until the job is done,” Welch said at the press event, hosted by Texas Values, a socially conservative group.

 Though the group of lawmakers, religious leaders and activists were still coming to terms with their failure to get a bill to Abbott’s desk, for Welch’s Pastor Council, the years-long fight over bathroom restrictions has nonetheless been a galvanizing campaign.

The group, which Welch founded in 2003, has grown from a local organization to a burgeoning statewide apparatus with eyes on someday becoming a nationwide force, one able to mobilize conservative Christians around the country into future political battles. If Abbott doesn’t call lawmakers back for another special session to pass a bathroom bill, the group is likely to shift its attention to the 2018 elections. 

“Our role in this process shouldn’t be restricted just because people attend church,” Welch told The Texas Tribune. “Active voting, informed voting, is a legitimate ministry of the church.”

A pastor for pastors

Welch has made a career out of mixing the religious and the political. Before founding the Pastors Council, he spent time at the Christian Coalition and Vision America, a controversial national evangelical group led by Rick Scarborough, a Texas pastor. And just before he founded the Pastor Council, Welch briefly worked as the executive director of the Republican Party in Harris County, where he would get to know many of the politicians that would animate his later campaigns. Welch said he has known Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, one of the most outspoken proponents of a bathroom bill in state government, since he was a radio host in Houston.

But it was with the Pastor Council — at first a small group of Houston pastors — that Welch would begin to make his deepest mark in Texas politics.

“We formed the Houston area pastor council in 2003 as a group of 12 pastors, across racial and denominational lines, to engage together on a variety of social moral cultural issues,” he said.

 

That initial group has since expanded into two additional entities, the Texas Pastor Council and the US Pastor Council, though the distinctions between the groups can be murky. Welch — who himself no longer preaches, instead referring to himself as a “pastor for pastors” — leads all three groups, and the main phone number for the US Pastor Council is a direct line to Welch.

The group, according to Welch, has taken on a range of issues, from criminal justice reform to child foster care. But over the course of his career, Welch and the group have had a decided preoccupation with attacking LGBT rights, what Welch describes as “the continued tide of the radical political LGBTQ movement trying to work to undermine traditional marriage and traditional family.” On the US Pastor Council website, the only “current issue” listed is “Woman’s Privacy Protection,” a page that features a number of talking points in favor of a bathroom bill.

“They have made anti-LGBT activism their primary focus,” said Dan Quinn, communications director for Texas Freedom Network, a liberal watchdog group. “They’ve had their most public efforts trying to defeat anything that protects equality for LGBT Texans.”

Over the course of several years as a columnist for World Net Daily, a far-right website known for hosting conspiracy theories, Welch railed against same-sex marriage and legal protections for LGBT individuals. In a 2009 post titled “When the Wicked Rule,” Welch attacked a new federal law that protected LGBT individuals from hate crimes as condoning “every possible form of sexual deviancy.” He denounced the “radical sexual-deviancy jihad” in a post called “My Gay America” in 2010.

“Lesbian Mayor Annise Parker has gone above and beyond to now extend protection through executive orders to ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression,’” he wrote at the time. “Keep your wives and daughters out of Houston city restrooms.”

That rhetoric against Parker – the first openly gay mayor of a large American city — and legal protections for LGBT individuals in Houston would eventually become talking points against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which would have made it illegal to discriminate against someone based on 15 different “protected characteristics,” including sex, race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

During that fight — which concluded with Houston residents voting overwhelmingly to strike down the nondiscrimination ordinance — Welch played a leading role in both the electoral and legal campaigns against the city. Jared Woodfill, one of the lead organizers against the HERO ordinance in Houston, said that Welch and his organization were “extremely instrumental” in gathering the signatures that would ultimately prompt the lawsuit and referendum overturning the ordinance.

Indeed, organizing and mobilizing voters is a key part of the Pastor Council’s mission. Its website boasts pages titled “Every Christian Votes” and the “AMERICA plan.” Under the “AMERICA plan,” pastors are encouraged to communicate with congregants about political issues, distribute voter guides and register “every eligible adult” to vote.

In other words, Welch had already established an infrastructure for turning out voters before the HERO referendum — a battle that helped elevate his organization and its platform. Randy Wilson, national field director for Church Ministries for the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, which has worked with the Pastor Council, said this is easier said than done.

“Dave has to have an established and billed credibility with the pastors, a very untrusting demographic, really,” he said.

That credibility and visibility would only grow when the city issued subpoenas for sermons and other statements Welch and other members of the Pastors Council had made in support of a 2014 failed petition drive aimed at repealing HERO. That incident drew national attention, energizing conservatives across Texas and the country and landing Welch on national media. (In response to that incident, the Texas Legislature passed a lawearlier this year shielding pastors’ sermons from government subpoena power.)

“It certainly escalated some elements of what we do to a much higher level because of the visibility of that Houston battle,” Welch said. “That achieved national attention.”

With that momentum, Welch, Woodfill and other conservative activists began to look to the the Legislature as the next battleground for the issue. Welch would begin to use tactics that had worked in Houston — hosting workshops to educate pastors, blasting out emails on the issues and hosting rallies — on a statewide level.

“The network of churches that has become involved in this issue has become very, very important,” Woodfill said.“The same model is being used across the state of Texas.”

But that model has had its limits. In the Legislature, efforts to pass a bathroom bill have failed against stiff opposition from the House, in particular that of House Speaker Joe Straus.

Despite those setbacks, the US Pastor Council itself has continued to grow, Welch said. According to tax documents on a database maintained by ProPublica, the US Pastor Council, which is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and does not disclose its donors, saw its revenue more than double from $329,696 to $833,749 between 2014 and 2015, the last year for which data is available and the year of the HERO ordinance vote in Houston.

Welch said the group does not buy large ad campaigns, instead focusing resources on hosting workshops and organizing among pastors.

“There aren’t many religious groups that overtly have this partisan affiliation or policy preference as pronounced as the Pastors Council,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “That’s been a major change we’ve seen since 2013 or 2014.”

With primary season approaching, members of the Pastor Council are preparing to take their campaign to the ballot box and unseat Republicans who did not do enough to challenge Straus’ opposition to a “bathroom bill.”Steve Riggle, a pastor to a congregation of more than 20,000 at Grace Community Church in Houston and a member of the Pastor Council, said he and others are talking about “how in the world do we have 90-some Republicans [in the 150-member Texas House] who won’t stand behind what they say they believe.”

“They’re more afraid of Straus than they are of us,” he said. “It’s about time they’re more afraid of us.”

“This is not over”

In early August, in the midst of the special session, Welch and dozens of other pastors descended on Austin. Hundreds of pastors had signed a letter in support of the bathroom legislation, and before heading inside, the group that had made the trip gathered on the Capitol steps for a brief rally.

Throughout his campaign for a bathroom bill, Welch has enjoyed easy access to the state’s elected officials. He hosted a policy briefing in February that featured, among others, Patrick and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The August rally, which the Texas Pastor Council had promoted as a response to “opponents of God’s created order,” was no exception.

State Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, and state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the authors of bathroom bills in their chambers, both spoke to the importance of the bill as Welch acted as the effective emcee of the event, leading the crowd in chants of “Let the House vote.”  

“We’re going to take this letter to the House as the voice of the state of Texas and our churches today,” Welch said.

But even as he represents pastors across the state, Welch and his work enjoy far from unanimous support from Christian and other religious leaders. During the regular session, about 50 faith leaders of various denominations lined the stairs outside the Texas House in protest of bills targeting LGBT Texans.

And just days before Welch arrived in Austin for the rally this month, dozens of religious leaders gathered in the very same spot to denounce the bill as discriminatory and hypocritical. In front of a crowd of more than one hundred supporters, an imam from Austin, as well as pastors and rabbis from across the state spoke about how their faith led them to oppose the legislation.

For Steve Wells, a self-described conservative pastor at the South Main Baptist Church in Houston, the campaign for the “bathroom bill” represents “bad theology.” He says he wishes that Welch and other like-minded pastors would focus more on the common dignity granted human beings.

“You will never in your lifetime meet someone who was not created in the image of God,” he said.

And in July, leaders of the national Episcopal Church sent a letter to Strausasking him to remain “steadfast” in his opposition to the legislation, also denouncing it as discriminatory.

Terri Burke, the executive director of the ACLU in Texas, described the “bathroom bill” as the latest frontier for far-right groups opposed to LGBT rights. Now that sexual orientation is largely protected under the law, she said, gender identity has become a target.

“I think those who want to discriminate have figured out LGB are hard to discriminate against, so they’ve pulled the T out,” she said.

To Welch and his fellow members on the Pastor Council, though, the group’s positions are is well in line with the teachings of the Bible. And even if the death of the “bathroom bill” in the special session represents the loss of a single battle, the broader war continues. 

“This is not over,” Riggle said.

Disclosure: The Texas Freedom Network has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors is available here.

HONG KONG: Mini Hotel Central, Mini Hotel Stanley : REVIEW

Read article : HONG KONG: Mini Hotel Central, Mini Hotel Stanley : REVIEW

Mini Hotel Central.

After a quick trip to Customs, we took a quick cab ride that took about 30 minutes down to the heart of Hong Kong in central where we ushered into the cozy expanse of the Mini Hotel Central.

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Located about five minutes uphill of Lan Kwai Fong the de facto nightlife district of Hong Kong, the Mini Hotel Central is also just five minutes away from the Central station on Hong Kong’s MRT and by extension, the rest of the city.

The cozy hotel is separated from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the district by a sturdy glass door and a helpful concierge who brought our luggage up and into the vast lobby.

Done by a noted designer, the chain of Mini Hotels all boast of a similar aesthetic in terms of their room and lobby décor.

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Upon walking in, you’re greeted by a vast lobby that’s both a meeting and waiting area. Uniquely different chairs sit clustered about the large hall to encourage conversation and for those seeking privacy.

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For those looking for conversation and a place to work, there’s a large wood hewn trestle table taking pride of place in the centre with long wooden benches that encourage casual conversation and cooperation.

Just behind it is a faux fireplace flanked by the essentials – a coffee machine and a vending machine.

The coffee machine itself took in capsules – we were issued four of them to keep us charged through our stay and extras cost HKD40 for a pack of four. Operating it was a cinch. You simply raise the level, popped a capsule in, put a cup below the receptacle and away you go.

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One thing to note is that most of the amenities aren’t usually provided with the room. You’ll have to nip by the vending machine downstairs for the aforementioned amenities that include coffee, mineral water and shampoo. There’s a dispenser for soap in the shower but that’s about it on that front.
The rest you’ll have to BYO or buy from the vending machine downstairs.

The vending machine was of interest and had a full array of hotel essentials ranging from shaving razors to bathroom shower gel, slippers as well as a variety of snacks for sale.

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In one corner of the lobby was a grand piano and while we weren’t able to play it, it was in working order and all it needed was someone suitably skilled enough to tickle the ivories.

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After a short wait, we were issued our keycards and ushered up into the double room. The area is a bit cozy but it’s ideal for a couple with a large double bed that has a little shelf all along it for smartphones and the like along with a mirror that takes up the entire expanse of the wall.

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BELOW: Note the mirrors, the powerpoints and the ledge where I was sitting on – that ledge served as a “table ” for us to charge 2 cameras, 2 powerbanks, 4 phones (each of us owns 2), a spare camera battery and 2 laptops. Do bring an EXTENSION cord if you are a social-savvy traveler like we are.

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But the view!
Ahh… you won’t believe that you are in CENTRAL, one of the busiest part of Hong Kong.
Our room window opens out to the pleasant view of Hong Kong’s urban sprawl with apartments and skyscrapers stretching to the sky all the way to the horizon yet the patches of green lungs in between.

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BELOW: When the sun sets…

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I’ll go into details of the Mini Hotel Central’s green surroundings, but let’s get back to the room shall we?

As I was saying, each room is equipped with two three pin power plugs for charging phones, laptops and other gear. If you’re coming from Malaysia, they’re using the same type of wall plug so there’s no need to bring an adaptor into Hong Kong.

A wall safe is directly beneath the bed on a slide-out tray and there’s a bit of space for luggage too though it won’t be able to take in larger sized suitcases. Apologies as I forgot a picture of this feature, but look underneath the bed, it’s there for sure.

As the room is rather cozy, the in-house TV is mounted on the wall so watching the telly will require you to get in bed. There’s no chairs or stools around the room (we sat on the bed with our laptops on well, our laps) as there’s a premium on space but you’ll be too busy shopping and exploring Hong Kong.

Right next to the bed is a small dressing table along with a hair dryer in a bag and a small kettle just beneath it. 2 power sockets are allocated here presumably for the hair dryer and for you to boil your water. Obviously you have to shave here too.
The dressing table also has an additional two power points, one of which would usually be used for the hair dryer while the other is for the discreetly located kettle that you can use to brew up some hot drinks or instant noodle cups which you can buy from the vending machine downstairs.

BELOW: Our room. Thankfully my 32″ luggage fit underneath the “table”.

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BELOW: Another configuration of the room. The use of mirrors cleverly added the illusion of space.

Step farther in through a glass door and you get a sitting toilet and a small sink with both hot and cold water on tap. The glass isn’t frosted so you’ll have to be somewhat friendly with whoever you’re staying with. There isn’t a mirror above the sink but all preening activities can be done in front of the mirror above the small dressing table.

Past a plastic shower curtain, you’re greeted by a soap dispenser as well as a standing shower. It’s highly functional and makes the most of the tight space available.

The beds themselves were firm and the linen and pillows clean, comfy and cushy. It’s the good stuff.

Once we were done setting down our luggage we explored the top floor of the hotel that was an open air gathering area done up with stone walkways, jaunty parasols, seating and a fantastic view of the city.

BELOW: The corridors of Mini Hotel Central.

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We were told that there’s great parties here on major holidays but we alas were not able to enjoy one but in the daytime it does offer solitude and a contemplative place to gather your thoughts.
The WIFI strength is fair here so it is possible to chill with a movie or plain surfing work.

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Rooms at the Mini Hotel Central run to HKD 500 – 700 a night and you can find out more at their website at www.minihotel.hk.
Combined with the strategic locale, the Mini Hotel Central is one sweet recommendation if you’re looking for a place that’s right in the middle of the action.

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Now, I’ll like to add about the pleasant surroundings of Mini Hotel Central if you are a morning person like I am.
Mini Hotel Central does not offer fitness facilities, but you start your morning with a stroll around the neighbourhood.
In the later part of this post, you will see me happily getting my workout done in the tranquil and natural Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

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It was wonderful to be able to walk and observe one of Hong Kong’s busiest district in the wee morning before the morning rush descended.
The streets are empty and the posh buildings and the shiny facade stood tall and proud.

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BELOW: Newspapers are still a big thing in Hong Kong. Every morning I see people giving out and selling them with many locals grabbing themselves a copy.

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BELOW: Within easy stroll from our hotel there are a lot of F & B options and with Lan Kwai Fong a stone’s throw away, a drinking hole is literally around the corner.
Besides Gordon Ramsey’s much lauded about food and Hard Rock Cafe’s famous live music, you can choose to be entertained by “naked bartenders that promises to flirt with you“.
Life is never boring at Central, Hong Kong.

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However, the street (Ice House Street) where Mini Hotel Central is a nice, quiet street away from the party scene so you are assured of a good night rest as well as well deserved serenity.
Buses and taxis plied the route in front regularly so there isn’t a need for worry of transportation either.
Mini Hotel Central is truly at an advantageous location!

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I promised to show you the Zoological and Botanical Gardens, incidentally an accidental find during my morning jog. I went uphill at the front of the hotel aiming for a challenging workout for my lower body.

What I discovered for my efforts was this picturesque and safe garden.
Admission is free to all parts of the Zoological and Botanical Gardens and there are gazebos, themed gardens, open areas for exercises and a good track for jogs/walks.
And yes, toilets too. Clean ones.

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All walks of people, young and old enjoyed their fitness and play session within this calm space.

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Needless to say, I love Mini Hotel Central.
The location, the close proximity to the gardens, the uphill roads, the Central MTR and all the delicious food (Lan Kwai Fong, Lan Fong Yuen, The Cupping Room, Yat Lok, Double D Burgers, Starbucks Duddell St) within 20 mins walking distance – this is where I would stay again if I need to be in Central when I’m in Hong Kong again. 

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Mini Hotel Causeway Bay.

We also had the opportunity to visit the underground lobby of the Mini Hotel located at Causeway Bay. After taking a short flight of stairs down, visitors can be greeted with an artfully designed lobby that is both spacious and artistic in nature.

BELOW: The entrance might be easy to miss. But once you are in Hong Kong for a few days, you learn to look out carefully at each door within a building.
Most entrances are not as obvious.

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A corner has an Andy Warhol-esque image of Mao Tse Tung taking pride of place on the wall along with racks of faux bamboo scrolls. Another part has rawhide chairs in pride of place along with sets of comfy couches all around.

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Just facing the lobby itself are a pair of Macs that guests can avail themselves to for free internet access.

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Like other Mini Hotels in the chain, sitting in pride of place highlighted by its very own spotlight was a capsule coffee machine and, interestingly enough, a giant glass bowl of chocolates that we liberally helped ourselves to.
Alas, we weren’t able to take a look at the rooms but they would be done up to the usual high standards of the chain we were told.

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Mini Hotel Stanley.

All the best writers in the world seek to perfect their craft in solitude. Hemingway did it. So did Woolf though you can do it in style and with less roughing it out with the creature comforts on hand at the Mini Hotel Stanley.

Even if you’re not a wordsmith, the rustic charm of the quieter part of Hong Kong – it’s almost an hour out from Central by bus – and the scenic views of the nearby beach make for a more languid relaxed experience.

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While it hasn’t quite finished construction, the second block of the hotel complex has been completed and ready to receive guests.
While embodying concepts similar to the other Mini Hotels throughout the chain such as the coffee machine, Apple Mac desktops and the tripartite arrangement of a wooden trestle table with accompanying benches, leather hewn chains and kitschy art, the Mini Hotel Stanley has a distinct beachside ambiance and charm with heavy transparent curtains swaying quietly in the wind separating the lobby from the outside world.

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Check-in was swift and while there’s no lift, getting up to our guest room on the second floor wasn’t much of a problem.

There’s about a dozen rooms per floor and each room has a rather unique configuration though they all have in common a rather cozy ambiance, a standing shower and toilet as well as full amenities including a kettle, a hair dryer, constant Wi-Fi on tap and, for Mini Hotel Stanley, a welcoming assortment of coffee and tea sachets as well as a pair of mineral water bottles to slake your thirst.

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There’s a charging port located just above the head of the bed and two more next to a compact little shelf. Some of the other guest rooms have a longer corridor separating the bathroom from the bed while others are literally a pace away.
Our room at was sized just right for a couple or one company averse adult and the clean white décor made the room look rather spacious despite its compact dimensions.

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There’s no room service yet though the nearby Wellcome supermarket five minutes walk away has everything you need ranging from frozen meat to instant noodle cups too. While the latter can be cooked in your room, the former can be cooked thanks to the inclusion of a microwave in the lobby.

The nearby area also hosts a school, which makes it somewhat busy during weekdays but the area is otherwise quiet throughout the day and at night. Perfect if you want a more relaxed holiday.

The bed itself was firm and the linen was washed and clean. Alas, the lack of seating space in the rooms means that if you deign to eat-in, you’ll have to be either very careful while sitting on your bedside or fairly creative.

Mini Hotel Stanley isn’t officially open as yet and we were the honoured media hosted here in early November for 3D2N.
I admit I was taken back at first by the room space but I fell in love with the tranquil surroundings and the beach after the first morning and promptly forgot all discomfort.

While it’s not the most convenient of the establishments in the Mini Hotel chain, it offers its own unique charms and, if you’re one to spend all day out shopping, it won’t make much of a difference staying at Mini Hotel Stanley.

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Now that we are done with the room and the hotel, I’ll like to bring to your attention the beautiful surrounding of Stanley.
Many may think that Stanley is a boring place, with nothing for recreation.

Depending on what you deem to be “recreation worthy“, for each of us partake in different pursuits, Stanley has a lot to offer the beach lovers, the weary traveler and the explorer seeking some tranquility yet not too remote removed from civilization.
Stanley boast of some nice cafes, one of which is the famous Stan Cafe which I unfortunately didn’t manage to locate. Read up on the raving reviews online and you will get the idea.

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Meanwhile Stanley Plaza and Stanley Waterfront offers delightful crisp sea breeze and pleasant sea view as you dine, shop or enjoy that mug of beer.
F & B establishments are aplenty from McD to Burger and Liberty and independent restaurants and pubs.

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And yes, they have a beautiful, 2 storey H & M here!

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I spent many mornings just running and people watching.
Locals and maids walk their dogs in the morning. Every morning without fail there are men and women who swam in the cold waters so it is perfectly safe to do so.
On certain mornings locals train for boat racing.

I sat and contemplate and just let me mind wonder, happy with the carefree environment of Stanley and the refreshing air.

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BELOW: Boat racing training.

BELOW: The locals here love their dogs.

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It was play time for me. Give me the beach and I’m happy!

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To find out more swing by www.minihotel.hk.

In a nutshell:
Mini Hotel: (1) Mini Central and (2) Causeway Bay and (3) Mini Studio.

Basic Info of Mini Hotel:
1. Mini Hotel Causeway Bay
8 Sun Wui Road, Causeway HK
(15 minutes walk from Causeway Bay Station)
The newly renovated Mini Causeway Bay is categorized into Solo, Classic Twins, Mini Double and Smart Queen, ranging from 80 to 120 square feet. Offering you a stylish and trendy lodging experience in the heart of Hong Kong!

2. Mini Hotel Central:
38 Ice House Street, Central
(15 minutes walk from Central Station)
Offering 196 stylish and comfy non-smoking rooms at an affordable rate right in the heart of Hong Kong, MINI Central is categorized into Solo, Mini. Smart and Smart Plus, ranging from 80 to 120 square feet.

Website: http://minihotel.hk/core/

* All rooms have the free handy phones
* Free local calls
* Free IDD cards to 6 countries including USA, UK, Taiwan etc
* Free online service

3. Mini Stanley
2 Tung Tau Wan Road
Stanley Hong Kong
(Officially welcoming guests only in early 2016 but currently offering monthly rental service from HK$8000+)

Website: http://minihotel.hk/core/st-rooms/

Price includes:
Daily House-keeping services
Satellite/cable color LCD TV
Free direct dial telephone tablets
Free Wifi access
Vending machines (at Mini Hotel Central only)