Hong Kong’s latest bargain: a room at...

Hong Kong’s latest bargain: a room at the new Kowloon Panda for $73 a night (single or double occupancy). Not a bad deal when you consider luxury hotels in Hong Kong are charging upwards of $200/$300. One drawback: The Panda is away from the action in the heart of Tsuen Wan (in the direction of the New Territories). Figure on about a 20-minute trip by Hovercraft to the central city. (You can also catch the Kowloon-Canton railway to mainland China from the vicinity of the Panda.) With 1,026 rooms, the Panda is the largest hotel in Hong Kong. Features a couple of Chinese restaurants. Pizza/pasta served in another. Coffee shops for guests in a rush. And there’s a deli for others with an appetite for an old-fashioned, New York-style corned beef on rye. The Panda is popular with conventioneers. A free shuttle bus operates from Kai Tak Airport. A health club/sauna. If you’re looking for a hotel room at bargain prices, the Panda could be the answer.

Details by calling (800) 44-UTELL.

A plethora of new hotels is changing the skyline of Hong Kong: the Island Shangri-La, the New World Harbour View, the Marriott, the Grand Hyatt and--opening soon--the new Ritz-Carlton. Old hands still favor the Mandarin, the Regent and the legendary Peninsula, with its spotless rooms and matching service. Parading through the lobby of The Pen are visitors from dozens of countries. During the heyday of the British Empire, the Peninsula entertained heads of state from India, Burma, China, Japan, Malaysia, Australia. Guests arrived by ship with steamer trunks, frequently stayed on for weeks at a clip. There were rajahs and princes, empresses and sheiks. Ernest Gann’s novel “Soldier of Fortune” opened in the lobby of the Peninsula. In earlier times, spies from dozens of countries gathered in the lobby with its potted palms. They sipped pink gins and exchanged furtive glances. White-jacketed waiters with mandarin collars continue to serve afternoon tea/exotic drinks. The hotel has provided shelter for the likes of Britain’s Princess Margaret, the Rockefellers, John F. Kennedy. The Pen (with rates starting at about $300 a day) remains a legend. On the rise is a 32-story addition. When completed, it will provide a stunning view of the world’s loveliest harbor.

For reservations, contact your travel agent.

For the traveler in search of bargains, Robert Uhrich of Gulliver’s Travel in Hollywood tells of a package (seven nights) that includes the round-trip flight to Hong Kong from LAX, a hotel room, daily breakfasts and a half-day sightseeing tour for $995. Contact your travel agent or call Uhrich at (213) 466-7771. Other details from the Hong Kong Tourist Assn., 10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1220, Los Angeles 90024, (310) 208-4582.

Recreational Vehicles: I’ve had several inquiries recently from readers requesting information about RV rentals in Europe. Auto Europe is a good source. They have one two-week summer rental in Germany featuring a recreational vehicle for $1,544. Breaks down to $111 a day for four persons. The RV comes complete with kitchenette. For about $140 a day, you can rent a Mercedes Karmann that sleeps five persons. And in France, an RV (a Westphalia model that sleeps four) figures out to approximately $213 a day. Renting an RV is one way to avoid the high cost of travel in Europe this year. No pricey hotel rooms. You save on restaurant tabs by preparing your own meals. No tipping, no daily packing/unpacking. Freedom to wander at will.

Call Auto Europe at (800) 223-5555.

Pedaling in Italy: After conducting a 10-year romance with Italy, a British husband-and-wife team, Rachel and Richard Boulton, decided to make it a permanent love affair. In 1989 they launched Fresco Cycling Holidays for rides through Etruscan, medieval and Renaissance towns/villages between Florence and Rome. A choice of two tours. One is centered in Pienza (south of Siena) for trips into southern Tuscany. Another does trips from a village 85 miles north of Rome into the countryside of northern Lazio and southern Tuscany. Rides are relatively short (about 30 miles a day). Bicyclists spend two nights in each of the small, family-run hotels on the circuit. These are do-it-yourself tours. No set schedules. Carry a picnic lunch or dine at restaurants along the way. The Boultons plan your itinerary, book your accommodations. Breakfast daily. Some dinners. Luggage remains at your first hotel for pickup later. Bicyclists carry light clothing/toilet articles in a wicker basket provided by the Boultons. The season: May through September. Rates start at $739 per week, $1,129 for two weeks.

Details from Robert Driscoll, U.S. marketing manager of Fresco Cycling Holidays, 2801 Turk Blvd., No. 306, San Francisco 94118, (415) 386-8266.

Along the Danube: This item is for boat/train lovers. Involves turn-of-the-century railroad cars/vessels along the Danube. Trips begin in Passau on the German-Austrian border, where passengers board a paddle-steamer to Linz, transfer to a hotel (overnight) and later board a passenger train for Grein. The train continues through the Wachau Valley to Vienna--a two-day excursion priced at $369 per person (double occupancy) or $469 single, including meals on the paddle-boat/train. An optional two-night stay in Vienna figures out to $274 per person (double occupancy) or $70 extra for the single supplement. The same company is booking trips on the Kaiser’s Express Train (Salzburg to Vienna). En route, passengers stop at Bad Ischl for a reception, buffet lunch and a visit to the Kaiser’s old summer villa. Later, the express train off-boards passengers for a boat ride on the Traunsee and an overnight hotel stop at Linz. This is followed up with visits to Grein for an operetta, sightseeing in Krems, a meal on the diner en route to Vienna. The two-day tour is being booked at $432 per person (double occupancy) or $532 single.

Call Baruch Epstein c/o B.Z.B. Travel Corp. at (800) 243-9111. Other details from the Austrian National Tourist Office, 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2480, Los Angeles 90025-1760, (213) 447-3332.

Airline Pass: An item in the April 5 Travel Tips told of a British Airways UK Airpass. Good for flights in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Here are the full details:

--Passes (which involve vouchers) must be purchased before travelers leave the United States.

--Prices range from about $68-$86, with each voucher good for one flight.

--Travelers must purchase a minimum of three vouchers for travel within the United Kingdom.

--Flights originating or ending in London cost about $86. Other flights originating in Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow to destinations other than London cost about $68.

For other details, call British Airways at (800) 247-9297.

Potpourri: Dozens of accommodations in the resort areas of Mexico are described in a free brochure from Creative Leisure, 951 Transport Way, Petaluma, Calif. 94954, (800) 426-6367 . . . . Free trips will be offered this summer by Southwest Airlines to youngsters accompanying full-fare adult passengers. Your travel agency or Southwest Airlines at (800) 531-5601 . . . . For a copy of a newly released New York hotel guide, write to the New York Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2 Columbus Circle, New York 10019 . . . . In Honolulu, the Waikiki Joy Hotel--(800) 733-5569--is offering a special $99 rate, good throughout 1992 (an extra $16 gets you a car).

Reader Recommendations

Utah--Rita Dickey, Huntington Beach: “Slick Rock Inn, 286 S. 400 East, Moab. A restored adobe that combines artistic Victorian/Southwestern decor. Rates: $45/$50 double occupancy.”

France--Gail Burns, Costa Mesa: “For apartments in Paris, contact Paris Connection, 301 N. Pine Island Road, Suite 106, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 33324. Total cost for my studio apartment for a week was $750, including a bus/subway pass, other extras.”

Africa--Robert David, Bellflower: “Took a luxury camel safari in northern Kenya. About $750 for the week. Contact Born Free Safaris, 4734 Greenbush Ave., Sherman Oaks 91423, (818) 981-7185.”

We regret that only a select few recommendations can be used. They must be brief (typewritten or printed). Only one recommendation per reader, please. Include prices and addresses.