Where to Stay in Hong Kong: The Best Areas -【Guide 2020】

Considered by many as the “gateway” to Asia, Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan world city. Located in South East China, Hong Kong used to be a former British colony which has huge effects on the 7 million people living in the city. Densely populated, this ultra-modern global city is a business centre as well as a major port city with an enviable skyline full of skyscrapers.

As Hong Kong’s population has steadily increased over the years, space or lack of it is a major concern, with tourists having to pay much more (a premium) to have access to larger and more luxurious space, while if budget is a concern, a choice of accommodation in Hong Kong becomes necessary, as the disparity in terms of cost is extremely wide.Communication is never an issue here as the locals speak English, although not fluently but efficiently.

Most tourists assume that Hong Kong is predominantly divided due to the port into two distinct areas: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

Stay at Central, Admiralty & SoHo

Distributed between Victoria Harbour and Victoria Peak, Central is the heart of Hong Kong.Its striking glass and steel skyscrapers represent some of the city’s most innovative architecture and form the nucleus of one of Asia’s most important financial and business centres.this is also where Hong Kong’s fishing port was originally established, and there are traces of Britain’s colonial legacy in the form of several remarkable 19th century buildings.the two-storey trams resonate along Des Voeux Rd Central; to the east, they pass through one of Hong Kong’s most attractive green spaces – Hong Kong Park.Adjacent to the park, the Peak Tram Terminal is the starting point for visitors wishing to be taken to the top of Hong Kong’s most famous mountain. Some of the city’s most exclusive hotels are located in Admiralty, next to the park; others sit near the central docks, the main ferry centre connecting Central to Kowloon and the outlying islands.The dining scene at Central is a mix of traditional Chinese restaurants and creative international offerings that cater largely to the professional white-collar crowd. The innovative ethnic restaurants and many of the city’s more modern bars are clustered along the narrow, steep streets of SoHo (“South Hollywood Road”), particularly along Elgin, Staunton and Shelley streets just above Central, and can be reached from the middle level.Central’s frenetic nightlife is concentrated along Lan Kwai Fong, D’Aguilar, Wyndham and other nearby streets.’, ‘

Best hotels in Central, Admiralty & SoHo

The Landmark Mandarin OrientalAward-winning spa, 5-star luxury, excellent restaurants, close to shopping.

Four SeasonsLuxurious contemporary rooms, stunning views, Michelin-starred restaurants, 5-star amenities.

Island Shangri-LaAward winning design, stellar harbor and mountain views, Old World luxury, close to shops and restaurants.

The Upper HouseImpressive design hotel, extraordinary views, high-tech room features, near restaurants and shopping centers.

Conrad Hong KongElegant and contemporary high-rise hotel, spa and restaurants on site, nearby shops and MTR.

Stay in Tsim Sha Tsui

The most visited part of Hong Kong after Central, Tsim Sha Tsui is the tight grid of skyscraper-filled streets at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula.It is densely populated with restaurants, shopping malls and hotels; ranging from the exclusive 5-star hotels along the promenade to the small cheap hotels inside the grand warren of Chungking Mansions, where you can get a haircut, eat a curry, get a suit and buy a replica of a designer watch, all without leaving the building.

The two main shopping streets are Canton Road, which runs along the west side of Tsim Sha Tsui, and Nathan Road, which runs through the centre.Canton Road is bordered by Prada, Fendi, Armani and other high-end fashion boutiques, and is also home to Harbor City, Hong Kong’s largest shopping centre.Nathan Road, “the golden mile of shopping”, is where you’ll find electronics, jewelry and Asian street fashion, as well as Shanghai tailors.

The promenade offers a respite from the ruthlessness of the busy streets with its attractive waterfront, a favorite vantage point for watching the nightly laser show over the bay, and cultural attractions such as the Hong Kong Space Museum, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the stellar Hong Kong Museum of Art (reopened in 2023).Several blocks north of the coast along Chatham Rd S is the excellent Hong Kong History Museum, while Kowloon Park on Nathan Road is a welcome green space on the sea of metal and concrete.The iconic Star Ferry connects Tsim Sha Tsui to Central and Wan Chai.

Best hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui

Hotel ICOND Eye-catching interior design, luxurious rooms, excellent restaurants on site, close to museums

The Peninsula Hong KongIconic beachfront hotel, Michelin-starred restaurants, elegant rooms and suites, near the ferry.

The MiraElegant contemporary design, ultra-modern rooms, award-winning spa, excellent cuisine.

The LanghamThe grandeur of the old world, opulent rooms with modern amenities, excellent restaurants, extensive shopping nearby.

InterContinental Hong KongLuxury hotel on the seafront, iconic harbour views, close to the promenade and art gallery.

Stay in Wan Chai

Stretching from east to west from Canal Road to Admiralty Arsenal Street, and nestled between the port and the hills, Wan Chai’s busy shopping area has undergone a huge transformation in recent decades.’, ‘In the past, it was notorious for the shoddy bars and tattoo parlors of its red light district, frequented by sailors ashore during World War II and U.S. military personnel who went ashore for a little R&R during the Vietnam War.Today it is known as the city’s centre of art and culture, with the Hong Kong Arts Centre and the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, which showcase musicals, theatre, concerts and dance, sitting on the busy Gloucester Road. The glass façade of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre dominates the waterfront, near the Star Ferry Pier linking Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui.Nightlife is still strong at the western end of Lockhart Road and part of the parallel Jaffe Rd, although the more daring bars and low-profile Cantonese bars are now interspersed with trendy tapas bars, craft beer shops and international restaurants.The variety of toy shops on Tai Yuen Street cater to “kids”, while locals know the Spring Garden Lane clothing stalls for some bargains.

Best Hotels in Wan Chai

Grand HyattSleek design, 5-star amenities, luxurious rooms and suites, close to shops, ferry.

Mira Moon HotelGalarded boutique hotel, colorful rooms, on-site tapas bar, close to shops.

Gloucester Luk Kwok HotelRooms and suites with classic decoration, good restaurants, near the ferry and MTR.

Novotel Century Hong KongElegant, contemporary and business-style rooms, busy location in the financial district, near the ferry and MTR.

Stay at Causeway Bay

Causeway Bay is one of the busiest shopping districts on Hong Kong Island, located just east of Wan Chai, nestled between the hills and the bay, and bordered on the east and west by Victoria Park and Highway 5.

The neighborhood was once a fishing village on a heavily sedimented bay, and most of today’s Causeway Bay is built on reclaimed land.its compact grid of streets, popular with locals, is filled with shopping malls, upscale boutiques and department stores.Hysan Place, Times Square and Fashion Walk are the upscale fashion malls, while the maze of shops at the Island Beverley Center cater to the young and trendy.Jardine’s Crescent houses a chaotic street market with great bargains on clothing and accessories.in addition to local and international fashions, the busy streets of Causeway Bay are also a popular place to shop for electronics and household items.

The Cross Harbor Tunnel connects the coast of Causeway Bay to East Tsim Sha Tsui through Victoria Harbour, and on the promenade is the Noon Cannon, a cannon that has been fired every day at noon since the 1860s, serving as a daily time signal for many generations of Hong Kong residents.’, ‘Causeway Bay’s dining scene ranges from simple noodle and meatball restaurants to upscale international restaurants, many of which are located in the food courts of the Times Square and Hysan Place shopping malls.

Causeway Bay hotels

TUVEIstriking design hotel, excellent local cuisine, nearby MRT station.

Lanson Place HotelSmall luxury hotel, contemporary rooms in neutral tones, close to shops, restaurants, MTR

Butterfly on MorrisonIntimate boutique hotel, elegant and contemporary rooms, great views, close to shops.

The Park Lane Hong KongElegant and artistic hotel, views of Victoria Harbour, close to the park, shops, MTR.

Stay at Sheung Wan

The old neighborhood of Sheung Wan is bordered by Central to the east, the port to the north and Sai Ying Pun to the west, with the streets of the mid-level district running through Victoria Peak to the south.

Perfectly blending history and tradition with contemporary activities, Sheung Wan has an eclectic shopping scene: where Des Voeux Rd Central meets Des Voeux Rd West is the Edwardian Western Market, the city’s oldest market building. further west, Wing Lok St and Bonham Strand West are filled with acreage shops where locals buy dried abalone and other ingredients for tonics and soups. nearby, Koh Shing St is filled with traditional Chinese medicine shops.The tradition also lives on in the small Man Wah Lane, near the MTR station, where the “chopper” stalls specialize in creating unique rubber stamps and seals. this district was one of the first areas of Hong Kong to be colonized by the British, with the small Possession St, opposite Queen’s Rd West, marking the place where British forces took possession of Hong Kong Island in 1842.

Possession St leads to Hollywood Road, lined with antique shops and galleries, with a particular concentration of Chinese antiques and Mao memorabilia along the parallel Upper Lascar Row (Cat St).Tai Ping Shan St, north of Hollywood St, is home to creative products and contemporary art. While not as frenetic as SoHo, Sheung Wan has its share of trendy international restaurants, bars and independent cafes; scattered along Queen’s St Central, Bridges St, Gough St and Hollywood Rd.