Back in the day, I called Discovery Bay home, hence my interest in the area, lots of good memories and a few friends who still call it home.

So, when I found there was a hotel to stay there, it was a no-brainer for me to stay with them.

My first impressions were good; when I arrived, there were actually staff to help with my bags, which is something I have not had at any hotel in HK until now. A good start 👍

For me, it was not really needed, but it was still nice to see. The flight from Sydney was long and very bumpy. And yes, I, as always, flew Cathay Pacific, who did warn us to expect turbulence, and even with the bumpy ride, the flight was still as good as always.

The check-in process was fast and efficient, just the usual password examination and register signature via the iPad on the counter.

Getting to my room on the 12th floor, the first thing I noticed was how light and bright it was.

The view from the window explains why it's so light and bright; check out this shot: nothing overlooking, not too close to the mountain, etc.

Back to the room, it is a good size and well laid out, with the attention to detail the place I stayed at for the last trip really needed.

Some examples are the built-in USB charging points by the desk area and a clock on the nightstand. Yes, really, this is something I have not seen in a while, but there it is.

Then comes the bathroom, much larger than I have seen in a while, well laid out with a full-size bath, sink, toilet, etc.

Again, the attention to detail shines through. For example, there are plenty of places to hang damp clothes, not just the usual hooks but a retractable line over the bath.

Given how humid HK can be, this will be invaluable for me.

And before I forget, as expected, there is free WIFI, which was just as simple as ever to set up on my phone, tablet and laptop. I found it to be quick; just remember it has no security (just like most other hotels) so use a VPN.

Before moving on, there are two main types of room again, mountain view or ocean view, with the main difference is the view, and as a surprise to no one the ocean view is more expensive.

I am in a mountain view room, which basically is on the other side of the hotel and looks inland. To me, if you want a ocean view room, go for it. As for me, if I want to look at the ocean, I will go outside and save some money.

Note the desk area, with my laptop, tablet, camera and lunch, tidy no, just the right size for all my tech.

Now comes the location; as you know, it is in Discovery Bay. There is something to understand about this place: there is Discovery Bay Plaza and North, with the hotel being in the latter.

Does this mean anything bad, red flags etc?

To be honest, and this is only my first day, I would say no.

Discovery Bay Plaza is where the ferry terminal to get into the city is located, and that is about 2km from Discovery Bay North.

Me being me, I decided to go for a walk and see how going between the two on foot is, well, there are some nasty hills to deal with, not that this is a problem for me, as I do not feel the heat or humidity and am used to walking everywhere.

Do not let this distance and the hills put you off, as there is a very cheap and frequent bus service between the two.

I recommend that you do the walk at least once, as you will see more of Discovery Bay than you would normally.

During my late afternoon walk, there were quite a few people out walking, plus the dog walkers who I remember from my time here back in the day.

Anyhow, as part of my return walk from north to the plaza, I spent some time just looking around at the shops, which are way better than they used to be.

Back in the day, there was a supermarket and very little else; now, there are multiple markets, a really big one just down the road from the hotel and another one in Discovery Bay Plaza.

Some people might think that a Discovery Bay North hotel is in the middle of nowhere with nothing there; this could not be further from the truth.

Other than the supermarkets, there are many places to eat, the usual pharmacy etc.

Although the location is not right in the middle of the city, I would not let that put you off. There is everything you could need, plus good transport links right into the central district on Hong Kong Island.

Take it from me, someone who did that trip daily for years, the ferry is fast and very comfortable. Plus, you get to see the other traffic on the harbour up close.

My thoughts are the Auberge is punching above its 4-star weight and, so far, has shown me zero red flags

After three weeks, have I found anything to complain about? and red flags?

Put simply, nope, I have experienced zero issues; even the unanswered questions have been answered.

The really important one is the costs. Sure, the Auberge is cheaper than the ones I usually stay at, and yes, there are extra costs involved in being this far out of the city, think the bus and ferry. Yes, they do cut into the cost savings, but do they negate them? Again nope.

Then comes the extra time it takes to get into the city, which involves, as mentioned earlier, a bus/walk followed by a ferry trip.

Is it worth it? Well, I am a little biased, having made that same trip daily for years when commuting into the office, but I find it to be a good way to wind down after a long day sightseeing; the ferry is fully air-conditioned and very comfortable.

The only downside is the bus from the ferry terminal to the hotel; while it does have a schedule, it seems to make it up as it goes, arriving when it feels like it, and at certain times, it can be very crowded. It's not a deal breaker, but it's worth noting.

My final thoughts are: would I stay at the Auberge again? Yes, and I am working on the schedule for the next trip.