For a hotel with  land area the size of two blocks of apartments, I must admit that I was impressed with all the facilities that Bishop Lei International House has placed in store for its guests, so as to enhance their experience at the hotel. What’s better than to start with the most common facilities – the swimming pool and the gym which were adjacent to each other.
The gym was really small and cramped and it was something very noticeable at first sight. Though the walls were actually covered with floor to ceiling mirrors, it only relieved the claustrophobic feeling to a small extent.
Towels and water were provided in the gym, bring added convenience to the guests. A tip would be to fill up your water bottles in the gym to bring back to the room, since complimentary bottled water is not provided. Fitness gurus and the health-conscious would also be pleased to use the weighing scale provided in the gym.
The range of cardio equipment was adequate, with the gym being equipped with the most common and popular equipment, such as treadmills, ellipticals cycle machines etc. All the equipment were also well maintained and the gym was clean, creating a nice environment for those who wish to burn off the extra calories in Hong Kong’s endless Cha Chan Tengs. What I loved was also the fact that the windows in front of the equipment opened up to a spectacular view of the Hong Kong skyline which is beautiful both in the day and at night. Surely, your workout will be partly fuelled by the amazing view.
However what left me most disappointed about the gym was the lack of any free weights and strength machines. This point shocked me, as it was the first gym that I have been to without at least a rack of dumbbells! Because of this, the gym felt incomplete to me and guests who workout and lift weights often will indubitably find the gym very lacking. Even with the tight space as a major constraint to the number of equipment that can be placed in the gym, I still feel that perhaps there could be just a small area set aside of a rack of free weights.
The swimming pool was a different story as compared to the gym. For starters, the pool area was rather spacious and the pool, albeit not large, was still of quite a reasonable size. In fact, it was larger than some other pools that I have been to before. Those who wish to have a proper swim or a workout in the pool will definitely be able to do so without hitting a wall after just a few strokes. What I also enjoyed was the tranquil ambience that the whole area seemed to have. It was not crowded at all times and was equipped with numerous sun beds so there was always space. However, those who wish to get a tan might only be able to do so around noon time, as the tall surrounding buildings would probably block off quite a bit of sunlight at other times.
Safety was also not a concern and parents especially should be able to leave their children in the pool without much worry as there was a lifeguard on duty when the pool was open. Also, life buoys were present and placed very noticeably, so I would say the chances of accidents occurring are very low.
Given the large number of business travellers lodging in the hotel, it was only sensible that Bishop Lei International House provided a business centre for its guests. The business centre was located on the ground floor in a small room beside the reception.
The business centre was equipped sufficiently with the basic amenities that a businessman would need to do some light work, such as computers, printers and a basic telephone.
There was also a rack generously filled with magazines and newspapers so users of the business centre can browse through whilst taking a breather or a rest from work.
I definitely have no complaints about the amenities provided, but I do feel that the hotel could have included more work stations. After all, the hotel has quite a large number of rooms and just 2 stations with computers might be a little sparse. Also, it was also unfortunate that printing services were chargeable and I had expected the hotel to provide more complimentary services such as printing for the convenience of guests. Nonetheless, wifi was free and accessible (a password must be requested from the reception) in all parts of the hotel including the rooms, so should there be no station in the business centre, guests can still work in their rooms with a phone or a laptop.
What really set Bishop Lei International House apart from other hotels were the reading room and the chapel, both of which are facilities rarely found in other hotels.
The reading room was located on the second floor of the hotel and was kept open till late – a fitting feature of the busy an hectic late-night lifestyle of Hong Kong citizens.
As the name suggests, the reading room was a well-lit room with various seating options ranging from chairs and table styled seating to comfortable sofas. Guests can choose any of these seats to their preference and also browse through the various reading materials in the reading room. The warm lights, comfortable seats and amazing city skyline view created an amazing environment perfect for reading. In fact, I felt that the reading room actually served many purposes as guests can just treat the quiet and peaceful room as a simple getaway from the busy city life, or use it for some light discussions.
The only inadequacy of the reading room was the fact that most of its materials were in Chinese and the newspapers were all from the South China Morning Post. The same goes for the magazines available and I thought that this was slightly disappointing, as Bishop Lei International House hosts numerous international guests, so I felt that there should be an international selection of newspapers available. However, I am sure that most guests will overlook this flaw as the ambience of the reading room can really help you to relax regardless of what you choose to browse.
The chapel had a very traditional look and design with the main theme of wood and green coloured carpet as seen throughout the hotel. It was also sufficiently endowed with enough chairs for a small service, kneeling pads and a bible for a pastor. Those who wish to pray can also do so in the seldom frequented chapel, away from external noises and prying eyes. Although I did not attend or witness any services when I visited the chapel, religious guests can still check with the reception for timings of any services.
Guests who do not have the time to attend services can also browse through a variety of religious books and teachings which are all available in the chapel. Many of these books are available in both English and Chinese so even international guests can feel at ease. With this, I can say that Bishop Lei International House has a unique point, as the hotel takes effort to also met the religious needs of its guests.
I had a pleasant and comfortable stay at Bishop Lei International House and should you stay during the non-peak season, it is definitely worth the price. Starting from as low as HKD600 for one night, it is in fact one of the more affordable hotels with an above average location in Hong Kong. This hotel would be a wonderful choice for those on a short trip to Hong Kong or for businessmen working within the area and are on a budget. Guests can generally expect a comfortable stay in clean rooms, with quality service from the front desk staff and also cleaning staff. In order to maximise the experience at Bishop Lei International House, my advice would be to spend about HKD500 more, or to try your luck asking for a free room upgrade to a  harbour view room in order to enjoy a significant increase in room space. Nonetheless, guests should still have a relatively comfortable stay regardless of the room type.
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