“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.” – Anais Nin
There are plenty of different options when it comes to finding accommodation in Hong Kong. Some are more costly than others, but you should be able to find something that’s right for you.
Similarly, a lot of hotels in Hong Kong has been largely unused during the pandemic. While hotels are the most obvious choice for tourists in Hong Kong, they’re not the only one. There are also hostels, Bnbs, and holiday flats.
So which should you choose? Which are the best neighbourhoods to stay in? Which are the best places to stay if you’re looking to go out or enjoy shopping?
If you've decided to visit Hong Kong or have to travel there for work, there are a few things you should know before you go.
Choosing Accommodation by Neighbourhood
With 7 million inhabitants, Hong Kong is a pretty big place. Similarly, many people visit every year, making tourism an important earner for the destination.
To find the right accommodation, you’ll have to think about which of Hong Kong’s 18 districts you’d like to stay in. You might feel a little lost with so much to choose from.
There are options for those who want to be right in the heart of the city as well as places for those looking for some quiet. You can search for accommodation by neighbourhood. Here are some of the areas of Hong Kong where you can look for accommodation:
- Central Business District: As the name indicates, this is essentially Hong Kong’s city centre. The good thing about staying here is that you’ll be near to a lot of good bars and restaurants. As it’s so central, it’s very easy to visit other parts of the city, too.
- Tsim Sha Tsui: This area is rather touristy and is part of Hong Kong where you can expect to see prices shoot up. There are boutique hotels, skyscrapers, and Victoria Harbour, where you can enjoy a beautiful light show every evening. It’s also an excellent place to go shopping.
- Wan Chai: This part of Hong Kong feels more authentic. You can find markets and part of Hong Kong that feels more Asian.
- Mong Kok: This part of Hong Kong feels like the real deal. There’s everything from shopping centres to typical little shops and restaurants. It’s a great place to get an authentic experience of Hong Kong.
- You can also look for accommodation in neighbourhoods such as Jordan and Yau Ma Tei if you want to experience local Hong Kong life. You can also enjoy the Temple Street Night Market if you’re looking for local specialities and produce.
- Soho: This is home to a lot of Hong Kong’s best nightlife. That said, it’s also quite lively during the day.
Once you’ve worked out which part of Hong Kong you’d like to stay in, you can start comparing accommodation. Keep in mind that you might want good access to public transport.
Find out more about visiting Hong Kong
Choosing Accommodation by Price
With all the different types of accommodation available, there’s something for everyone and every budget. Generally, the cost of living in Hong Kong is cheaper than in London.
Nearly half of all accommodation in Hong Kong is available for less than £50 a night. Of course, you might want to check that your accommodation carries the QTS label, guaranteeing that everything is above board and reputable.
Not every type of accommodation charges the same amount so think carefully about what will work with your budget. If you travel to see new things like street food and prefer to spend your time getting to know the culture of where you are, you probably want to look for cheaper accommodation as you'll never be there.
Of course, if you enjoy your home comforts, then it'll probably be worthwhile allocating more of your budget to your accommodation.
Find out more about the cost of visiting Hong Kong
Hotels in Hong Kong
Whether you’re looking for a chain hotel, guesthouses, boutique hotels, or luxury hotels, there are hotels for all budgets. More often than not, these hotels will display their nightly rates in the lobby, but you can also look to haggle in certain places.
In the low season, prices are far more negotiable. Of course, during popular times, such as Chinese New Year, you may just have to take what you can get.
A twin room is known as a shuangrenjian. You can also get single rooms (danrenjian) or double rooms (dachuang).
On average, a hotel room will cost around £40 to £50 a night. It isn’t always cheaper than in the UK, but, in many cases, it’ll be worth it.
Guest Houses
If you’re trying to save money on accommodation, guest houses are a good choice. These are almost as common as hotels and you can find accredited ones on Hong Kong’s government website.
This type of accommodation is often safe and clean and available for around £30 a night. Again, the prices can vary wildly across the seasons, but they are a good option for those on a budget.
Youth Hostels
Don’t forget about youth hostels. When it comes to travelling on a budget, these are the go-to places for backpackers. Hong Kong has many of them where you can get a bed for around £10 a night.
Holiday Apartments
Seasonal and short-term rents are available in Hong Kong. Whether it’s flats or entire homes, you can find all sorts of holiday rents across Hong Kong from the centre to Kowloon. From our research, the average rates seem to be around £80 a night, but there are so many different types of places that this amount isn’t that representative.
That said, this type of accommodation will allow you to see Hong Kong differently.
If you’re looking for somewhere to drop your shopping off before a night out in the centre, holiday rents are a good idea. Similarly, if you’re looking for quiet, you can find places to get away from it all.
If you have any dietary requirements, you might prefer to make food rather than getting something in the street or from your hotel. With your kitchen, holiday flats are a great idea.
Find out why you should visit Hong Kong
Activities
Much like when choosing accommodation according to the neighbourhood, you can also choose your accommodation according to what you want to do in Hong Kong. Think carefully about what you want to do when you’re there and whether it’ll be possible with the accommodation you choose.
If you want to shop non-stop, then you’ll want accommodation near the centre of the city. If you’re backpacking around Asia, then you might want something cheaper or a hostel closer to nature.
Hong Kong has so much to do and so many different places to stay. Any tourist will be able to find a place that’s right for them.
Think about what you want to do, where you want to go, and the kind of place you’d like to return to once you’ve finished for the day.
Discover Hong Kong's best attractions
Bon voyage!
If you'd like to learn more about Chinese languages and Cantonese, in particular, consider getting help from one of the many experienced and talented tutors available on Superprof. When learning languages, no two students are the same and there are different types of private tutorials for every type of learner, budget, and level.
One-on-one tutorials are an excellent way to learn a foreign language as you're the only student in the class and will enjoy plenty of opportunities to practise, ask questions, and converse with your private tutor. Similarly, the tutor will tailor the sessions to you, what you want to learn, and how you like to learn. Generally, these types of tutorials are the most costly, but they're also the most cost-effective since every minute of the lesson is spent helping you to get better at your new language.
If you can't find any local private tutors, you can always look for online tutoring. With an online tutor, you can be taught by people all over the world, including those from places like Hong Kong and other areas where Cantonese is spoken. Much like with face-to-face tutorials, you can get one-on-one online tutorials and spend a lot of time practising your language skills with your private tutor. However, since the tutor doesn't need to travel to their students, they can charge less than their face-to-face counterparts.
Group tutorials are probably the best option for those on a tight budget as you can share the cost of the tutor's time with the other students in the lesson. While you won't get as much time to practise your Cantonese with the tutor, you will have other students to practise with and this can be better for students who'd be nervous practising their Cantonese with somebody who's already mastered the language.
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