Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but it’s still possible to find decent hotels in the heart of the action for less than $100 a night
I’m heading to Hong Kong next February to meet up with some old friends who are en route from the UK to New Zealand. I needed to get a hotel room just for one night and I was dreading what the prices would be – I’d assumed hotels in Hong Kong would be as expensive as London or Tokyo. Cheap flights to Hong Kong are easy – cheap hotels, not so much.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are quite a few reasonably priced hotels in the Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay districts of Hong Kong (they’re on Hong Kong Island, the historic centre of the city, as opposed to Kowloon, which is the mainland area).
All I need from a hotel is a clean, quiet room with a comfy bed and hot shower – I don’t really care about breakfast, gyms, pools and all the other add-ons.
I settled on the Harbourview Hotel in Wan Chai, near to the subway system, which was a mere $65 US a night – you’d be hard pressed to find a three star room for that price in Bangkok, let alone Hong Kong. Judging by the reviews of previous guests, it should suit me fine as a place to crash out.
I also considered the JJ Hotel, also in Wan Chai and a small boutique business hotel. The glass wall for the bathroom is pleasingly kinky, although no good if you’re not sharing with someone you get on with very, very well.
The MetroPark at $90 US a night was very reasonably priced for a 4 Star hotel, and also got good reviews. When you consider it’s the same price as the YWCA hotel The Garden View, which is much further away from the harbourside, it’s apparent that budget options aren’t necessarily the best value.
One interesting option I came across was the Silvermine Hotel, which is located on the beach out on Lantau Island (famous as the home of the Big Buddha statue). Many guests have been impressed by this small hotel and reckon the commute from Hong Kong’s city centre to the quiet environs of the Silvermine is worth it.
The first time I stayed in Hong Kong was at Chungking Mansions when I was backpacking back in 2003 – that was certainly an experience, but not one I’d want to repeat for accommodation. The place has a fascinating history as detailed on its Wikipedia page and it’s a rite of passage for backpackers to stay there.
I’ll update this with what I think of the Harbourview Hotel – that is, of course, if I actually manage to get to Hong Kong, which depends on Bangkok’s Airport being open by next February…
Stay In Touch With Travelhappy!
If you enjoyed this post, sign up by Email or RSS to be notified of future updates. You can also follow me on Twitter - I'm @travelhappy
{ 0 comments… add one now }