Where to Stay in Hong Kong: Our Favorite Areas and Hotels!
Latest update: April 11, 2023
Especially if it’s your first time visiting, the question “Where’s the best place to stay in Hong Kong?” isn’t quite so easy to answer. After all, it’s a huge city!
We’ve been to Hong Kong several times now and stayed in a different part of the city each time.
In this post, we’ll try to answer the question where you should go looking for a hotel in Hong Kong.
We’ll show you which parts of Hong Kong are the best places to stay and give you specific hotel tips for each area.
Of course, we’ll also tell you which hotels we’ve stayed at and give you our own personal recommendations.
Room rates in Hong Kong
Let’s start with the bad news: Hong Kong is expensive. Very expensive. Housing prices here are amongst the most expensive in the world.
Locals pay about 3,000 euros per month for a small apartment of about 50 square meters. And of course, that also affects hotel prices.
To give you a rough idea how much you can expect to pay for a hotel room in Hong Kong:
- Bed in a dorm – 30 to 40 euros
- Very simple and small room – 50 to 100 euros
- Decent mid-range hotel – 100 to 170 euros
- Upscale hotel – 170 to 250 euros
- Luxury hotel – 250 to 800 euros
Rates may vary depending on the season and may be much higher on certain dates.
The average room size is also significantly smaller than what you might be used to, e.g. in Europe. Rooms in very simple hotels are just about big enough for a full size bed that almost completely fills out the room with a bathroom so tiny you could easily take a shower while on the toilet.
But even the smallest rooms offer basic amenities: They almost always come equipped with air-con and a flat-screen TV.
If you’re prepared to spend a bit more, things start to look much better of course. The rooms are larger and more luxurious, and with a bit of luck, you might even get a free breakfast.
The best districts to stay in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is huge, and there’s a wide range of hotels in almost every part of town. The public transport system is extremely well developed, so getting from A to B shouldn’t be a problem.
If you’re coming to Hong Kong as a tourist, you’ll probably spend most of your time in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island. So staying in one of those two areas would make a lot of sense.
Both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island are really vast, so we recommend picking the right district to stay within these two areas very carefully.
We recommend staying in the following districts in Hong Kong:
- Central (Hong Kong Island)
- Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon)
- Hung Hom (Kowloon)
- Lantau Island
In this section, we’ll tell you which of these four districts is the best place for you to stay.
Map of the main areas of Hong Kong
This map shows the three main areas of Hong Kong to give you a better overview.
Where to stay on Hong Kong Island: Central
The Central district is located in the north of Hong Kong Island. There are plenty of sights here, as well as the trendy SoHo district with lots of bars, restaurants, and small shops.
We liked Central the most of all the districts in Hong Kong and it’s definitely a great choice if you’re looking for a place to stay.
Pros of staying in Central:
- Many of the main Hong Kong sights are within walking distance.
- Central has a great selection of bars and restaurants.
- The trendy SoHo district is in Central.
Cons of staying in Central:
- Central feels less authentic than other districts in Hong Kong.
- Hotels in Central are a bit more expensive than in the rest of town.
- Relatively small selection of hotels.
The best places to stay in Central
Here are our hotel recommendations for Hong Kong Central:
Our hotel in Central: Mojo Nomad
We spent one night at the former Ovolo Noho in Central which is now called Mojo Nomad. The building looks a bit like a matchstick and gave us a queasy feeling that it was about to topple over. But it didn’t. Lucky us.
The hotel is in the perfect location. The rooms at the Mojo Nomad are tiny, but they’re also very modern and sleek.
The breakfast is excellent, and more importantly: There’s a happy hour. Every night from 6 to 8 p.m., the hotel bar opens its drinks cabinets and you can treat yourself to free beer, wine, long drinks, and small snacks for a whole two hours.
In a nutshell: The Mojo Nomad is a young hotel with a fresh concept. We would stay there again in a heartbeat.
Staying in Kowloon: Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui is located in the southern part of Kowloon. There are a lots of hotels, malls, markets, and a few sights here. It’s very conveniently connected to other parts of town via the MRT, so getting around is easy when you’re based in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Nathan Road is packed with people scurrying from one glamorous shopping mall to the next. If you stray into the side roads, you’ll stumble upon interesting markets and local restaurants. The district is a great blend of old and new Hong Kong.
Pros of staying in Tsim Sha Tsui:
- The markets of Kowloon are all nearby.
- Tsim Sha Tsui is the perfect mix of traditional and modern Hong Kong.
- Public transport connections from here are very good.
- There are lots of sights and attractions nearby.
- Largest selection of hotels in Hong Kong.
Cons of staying in Tsim Sha Tsui:
- The area is especially loud and hectic.
- The choice of restaurants and bars is better in Central.
The best places to stay in Tsim Sha Tsui
Here are our hotel recommendations for Tsim Sha Tsui:
Our hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui: Holiday Inn Golden Mile
We spent three nights at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile and felt right at home there. The hotel has a perfect location directly on Nathan Street.
Buses from the airport stop almost right outside the entrance, and the Tsim Sha Tsui MRT station is just opposite from the hotel.
The rooms are relatively spacious and furnished according to the typical Holiday Inn standard.
We didn’t try the 30-euro-per-person breakfast because there are better and cheaper options nearby.
In a nutshell: A decent hotel with the standard the chain is known for.
To the Holiday Inn Golden Mile
Staying in Kowloon: Hung Hom
Hung Hom is also located in Kowloon, to the east of Tsim Sha Tsui. The area is much less touristy than other districts in Hong Kong, which is one of its main appeals.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of restaurants and the MRT connection from there is also really good. We especially liked the Hung Hom Promenade, where you can take a walk along the waterfront with a great view of the skyline of Hong Kong Island.
There are only very few hotels in Hung Hom. Even so, we wanted to add this area to our list because our absolute favorite hotel is located here, and we just had to share it with you.
Pros of staying in Hung Hom:
- The area is much less touristy than the other districts.
- You get a higher standard and more space for your money.
- The promenade is a wonderful place for a stroll.
Cons of staying in Hung Hom:
- Bars and restaurants don’t quite as readily cater to western tastes.
- There are hardly any sights in the immediate vicinity.
Our hotel in Hung Hom: Kerry Hotel
We stayed at the Kerry Hotel in Hung Hom. Our verdict: Wow!
No exaggeration, the Kerry Hotel is one the best hotels we’ve ever been to. The rooms are very spacious by Hong Kong standards.
Breakfast is exceptionally good and about two thirds of the rooms have a direct view of Hong Kong Bay.
Of course, this hotel doesn’t come cheap, but it’s definitely worth it. And there are good offers on certain dates.
In a nutshell: An outstanding hotel with a view to die for.
Where to stay on Lantau Island
Lantau Island is located in the southwest of Hong Kong and is the best choice if you’re looking for a hotel near the airport or near Disneyland.
The quaint fishing village Tai O is also located on Lantau Island. It offers traditional accommodations far removed from the hectic hustle and bustle of the big city.
If you’re staying in Hong Kong for longer, we’d recommend one of the other districts because it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get from Lantau to the main sights on Hong Kong Island or in Kowloon.
Pros of staying on Lantau Island:
- It’s near the airport.
- It’s really close to Disneyland.
Cons of staying on Lantau Island:
- Most of Hong Kong’s sights are quite a way away.
- The range of restaurants and bars is relatively limited.
The best places to stay on Lantau Island
Here are our hotel recommendations for Lantau Island:
Hong Kong off the beaten track
If you have seen the main tourist attractions in Hong Kong and are looking for some less touristy sights and activities. Read our article on Hong Kong insider tips:
Do you have a favorite hotel in Hong Kong?
Have you ever been to Hong Kong and found a great place to stay? Or did you shack up in one of the 20-bed dorms? Then leave a comment! – We’re excited to hear about your experiences.
We’d like to thank the Kerry Hotel for the invitation and the Holiday Inn for a discounted press rate.