Hotels in Hong Kong - Hong Kong hotel reservations & reviews. Hong Kong travel guide and hotel list

Hotels in Hong Kong - a guide to Hong Kong hotels

Hong Kong hotels and resorts reservation guide - the definitive guide to Hong Kong accommodation. The Hong Kong hotels and resorts guide provides a brief summary, customer ratings and reviews for hotels or resorts. For a quick summary see the list of hotels and resorts in Hong Kong. For detailed hotel information or to reserve a hotel or resort in Hong Kong, please select a hotel or resort and let asiahotels.com be your Hong Kong travel agent.

Hong Kong travel info

General information for the traveller new to Hongkong.

Visas
All visitors to Hong Kong must satisfy Hong Kong Immigration that they have sufficient funds to support themselves while in Hong Kong, e.g. cash, travellers' cheques, international credit cards or details of a hotel reservation and an outbound ticket (unless they plan to exit overland via China or Macau).

Visitors from most countries can enter Hong Kong without a visa for periods varying from seven days to six months depending on nationality. For details check with Hong Kong Immigration or your nearest Chinese Embassy. If you are also visiting Mainland China you will need a separate China Visa.

Hong Kong law demands that everybody carry identification at all times.

Customs
Currency - there is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency which can be taken into and out of Hong Kong.

Visitors may take the following into Hong Kong duty free:

* Tobacco - either 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco
* Alcohol - 1 litre bottle of wine or spirits

Time
Hong Kong time: GMT + 8 hours

Currency
Hong Kong Dollar (HK$) - Check current exchange rates.
100 cents = HK$1
Notes issued - HK$1,000, HK$500, HK$100, HK$50, HK$20
Coins issued - HK$10, HK$5, HK$2, HK$1, 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents

Language
Cantonese and English are the official languages of Hong Kong. English is widely spoken and all signs are in both languages; however it is a great help to have a map with place names written in English and Chinese when travelling around Hong Kong.

A useful tip for non-Chinese speakers is to look for policemen/women wearing a red flash under the epaulettes on their uniform as these speak English.

Tipping
Most hotels and larger restaurants add 10% service charge. If you have appreciated the service add 5 -10% in restaurants and bars and tip porters/hotel staff HK$5-HK$10. In taxis, rounding the fare to up to the nearest dollar or so is acceptable.

Banking Hours
Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 4.30 pm
Saturday 9.00 am to 12.30 pm

Telephone
The international dialling code for Hong Kong is 852 (there are no other area codes within Hong Kong).
When making international telephone calls, first dial 001 + country code + area code + telephone number

Electricity
220V AC at 50 cycles
The majority of sockets are suitable for 3 pin square plugs, although some older buildings still have the old fashioned 3 pin round sockets. Adapters can be borrowed from larger hotels or bought cheaply if necessary.

Water
Tap water is safe to drink and satisfies UNHO health standards. Bottled water is also widely available.

Health
Make sure that you have adequate health insurance, as medical care can be expensive in Hong Kong. It is advisable to be inoculated against Hepatitis A and to be aware that some smaller eating establishments have less than scrupulous hygiene standards. Check the current situation and any vaccination requirements with your doctor when planning your trip.

International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport (opened in July 1998) at Chek Lap Kok.

International Airport Departure Tax
HK$50 for all persons aged 12 years and above departing Hong Kong. Departure tax is waived for all transit passengers.

Etiquette/Dress Code
In general, casual to smart clothes are worn in the city areas of Hong Kong; although some restaurants and bars do have a dress code. At weekends and in the country areas casual clothes are de riguer. On beaches, topless sunbathing is never acceptable.

Diplomatic Missions
Over 70 countries have consulates in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong guide

Something happens to people when they arrive in Hong Kong. All those previously lethargic sloths you shared the plane with become suddenly animated. As if activated by remote control, the easy-going crowd that lazily sauntered on to the plane decides to disembark in a desperate clamber. It is rush hour before you even clear customs. One of the first signs you will see is a huge banner proclaiming ‘ Relax. Train will arrive in three minutes.‘ Welcome to Hong Kong, city of life, and one of the most energetic places in the world.

Many Asian cities have developed along similar timescales, encountered the same waves of growth and bust, and tend to resemble one another. Hong Kong had a head start on the rest of the region, the former British colony booming as the only gateway to the vast, untapped resources of China. A motley crew of fishing junks and an assortment of paddy fields blossomed into one of the major cities of the Far East, in only a few generations. Today Hong Kong harbour bristles with sky-scraping success, and even with the economic wobbles since the 1997

Kowloon at night
handover the skyline changes noticeably every year. Hong Kong is tiny by international standards, a crowded jumbled city with layer upon layer of development and urban clutter, mostly squashed around that incredible harbour. In an effort to stop some of it falling in, land has been reclaimed. A core of land only a few square metres across may have office space, hotel rooms, a shopping plaza, a car park, and an underground railway line, all stacked on top of each other. Given its history as a trading outpost it is not surprising that the territory remains an international business centre, and you will see plenty of suits nipping back and fourth. But there is an optimistic spring in their steps, not the depressed plod you find elsewhere.

For tourists, Hong Kong is a major travel hub and it is a traditional jumping off spot for shopaholics. There can be few places with more ships per square metre than Hong Kong – they are absolutely everywhere. And everyone is at it. Where do Hong Kongers find room to stash it all in their compressed flats? For visitors, Tsim Sha Tsui is often the first port of call, but try diving into vibrant Causeway Bay for brand-named goods and shopping plazas. The malls of Central and Pacific Place in Admiralty are lined with fancy upmarket apparel. At the other end of the scale are the grungy street markets and bargains of counterfeit capital Mongkok. For arty types, the shops of Cat Street in Sheung Wan offer a treasure trove of quality Chinese antiques.

When it comes to restaurants little needs to be said – the dining is predictably excellent. Yet it can also be very cheap and whatever your budget the food is good. The Cantonese may be a tolerant bunch, but not when it comes to poor cuisine. Hotel restaurants are right up there, their menus bulging with world-class culinary indulgences. The hotels themselves are a reflection of Hong Kong – modern, compact, energetic and efficient – with service just a bit too rushed. Expect staff to be hurried and doing several things at once. Be warned that rooms in the territory tend to be half the size of those in other cities. Some can be comically small with not enough room to swing a spring roll, let alone a cat.

Hong Kong is a place that loses nothing with the seasons, but it can get uncomfortably humid in the summer months, and the monsoons between July and September can put a damper on things. September through April is the time to come although it can get a tad chilly in January and February.

The touristy circuit is fairly limited but it is best to submerge yourself in many enjoyable low-key diversions, all of which are close at hand. Museums are generally educational and presentable. Incense wafts through the temples that provide interesting pockets of culture among the modern progress. And then there is the pungent whiff of various unidentifiable shriveled roots and creatures in the traditional medicine shops and wet markets. Hong Kong is an intriguing place to absorb. There is just so much going on.

Hong Kong City Guide

A tiny bubble on the underbelly of China, Hong Kong has undergone explosive development since being pinched by the British and turned into a trading outpost. Hong Kongs role hasnt changed much, even after the handover, and it remains one of the great trade centres of the world.

Much of the quaint historical past of Hong Kong has been sadly demolished in the race for modernization, but it certainly cant be said that Hong Kong lacks character its streets are unmistakable. With the constant bustle, neon and activity, its easy to forget that theres a quieter dimension at the green outlying islands and The New Territories.

Hong Kong is one of the most energetic cities anywhere and a place to soak up rather than do any specific sightseeing. Dining choices are almost unlimited and shopping remains a pastime. There are few places on Earth that can match this optimistic city.

Topping the bill is a trip up Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. Views from the top are excellent on a clear day. The century old Peak Tram hauls visitors up its steep inclines and guarantees some superb views on the way up if the top is shrouded in mists, or the city cloaked in smog, which is increasingly the case. You can take a 45-minute stroll around the summit and its worth going up night and day to appreciate both the busy harbour by day and the city lights. There are one or two touristy diversions plus some excellent restaurants up there.

At the tip of the peninsula in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) is Kowloon promenade, the best viewpoint of the world famous harbour and a partial escape the frantic streets nearby. The view of Hong Kong Island from here is better than the view from the other side as the island sprouts a dramatic cluster of modern architecture with a graceful mountain backdrop. Theres as much activity on the waters as there is around it hop on the old faithful Star Ferry chugging back and forth between TST and Central and enjoy.

The fabulous modern architecture can be appreciated closer up getting off the ferry at Central youll be struck with some award winning and inventive structures. The Hong Kong Shanghai Bank with its suspension bridge technology and innovative frame, and the distinctive sharp and angular Bank of China both tower above the cool colonial stonework of the Legislative Council.

Back on the opposite waterfront of TST, the Arts Museum focuses on Chinese art through the centuries, with some beautiful examples of porcelain, calligraphy and more bits and bobs. Next door the Cultural Centre has many more contemporary Chinese themes.

Nearby, the dome of the Space Museum is difficult to miss. The free museum section isnt really aimed at tourists although many stop and consider popping in. Its informative with hands-on educational tools - you can try floating around on moon gravity simulators and toppling around in gyroscopic chairs. The top part of the dome has a small Omnimax cinema showing astro or eco-documentaries, and star charts projected on the curved ceiling. Not bad.

rguably the best of Hong Kongs impressive museums is the History Museum on Chatham Road TST. This spacious museum offers a full historical account of local history dating right back to Neolithic times. The photo exhibits offer an enchanting window on the past and theres lots of buttons and levers for kids. Well worth it.

Quiet and little visited is the commendable Museum Of Coastal Defence near Shau Kei Wan back on Hong Kong Island. Remnants of the strategic British hilltop fort have been converted into a well-presented museum decked with cannons, military vehicles and shells. The Ming period, Opium Wars and WWII battles are thoroughly and dramatically explained. The windswept gun emplacements have commanding views of the harbour. On a similar theme, you can watch the Noon Day Gun go off every day in Causeway Bays yacht filled typhoon shelter.

Whereas the Coastal Defence Museum is relatively inaccessible for historic reasons, the Heritage Museum is just poorly located on the fringes of Sha Tin in the New Territories. Once youve finally found it, you are rewarded with bright and engaging cultural exhibits. While in Sha Tin, you may as well clamber up the hill to Temple Of Ten Thousand Buddhas and sample the thousands of Buddha images and grinning golden deities.

Deeper into the New Territories along the railway line from Sha Tin is Tai Po, and a quick taxi takes you to the village of Lam Tsuen. The village is famed for the Wishing Trees. The idea is to hurl tapered oranges at it until they get trapped in the branches and make a wish. The mighty bows of the older trees have been weighed down by tonnes of fruits and have been pelted by endless citrus strikes over the generations.

For a whiff of joss sticks, try Hong Kongs liveliest Taoist temple at Wong Tai Sin. You might want to try a spot of fortune telling shake a jar of sticks until one falls out and have a translator explain your destiny.

Hong Kong can get a bit much sometimes, so when the senses overload try escaping to the greener areas. More than half of Hong Kong is devoted to National Parks, as most of the population is squeezed into a few miles around the harbour. One the of great things about Hong Kong is that you only need to travel quite literally less than half an hour from any thriving district to enjoy the rural pace and green surroundings.

Many picturesque hiking trails exist, they just need tracking down. The MacLehose trail extends 100km across the New Territories with casual hilltop strolls or tougher, more challenging sections for hikers. Another good hiking trail is the Dragons Back on Hong Kong Island.

The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island is a quiet retreat attracting a steady trickle of visitors. Plod up the steps to appreciate Asias largest seated outdoor Buddha statue. Its not all that spectacular but still makes a relaxing afternoon with its scenic location overlooking mountains jutting from the sea. When on Lantau you may as well take an extra 20-minute bus trip to the small, charming and traditional fishing village of Tai O to observe whats left of the quiet traditional village.

Just minutes away from Central is Bowen Road, a leafy and quiet lane mainly cut off to traffic. Being halfway up the mountains it gazes down over the famous strip of skyscrapers lining the harbour. Its an amazing contrast to the city below. Many sections of the road enjoy a thick green canopy, fluttering butterflies and the damp smell of moss. There are surprisingly few people absorbing this lovely respite, only a few joggers, dog walkers and the odd elderly tai chi practitioner.

Whilst it would hardly qualify as a beach destination, Hong Kong does have some reasonable stretches of sands. It can all get a bit crowded on sunnier days, and with mobiles going off you never really escape, but the beaches can still be very pleasant. Clear Water Bay and Sai Kung in the New Territories are by far the cleanest and most picturesque, and theres not a skyscraper in sight. Minibuses run down to Clear Water Bay Beaches 1 and 2 every 15 minutes from Choi Hung MTR Station.

Note: from roughly June to August sharks trawl the waters and theyve munched on more than one bather. If sharks are not your thing then stick to public, life guarded beaches with shark nets. Hong Kong is one of the worlds hotspots for shark attacks.

Shopping plazas are everywhere in shopping mad Hong Kong. Nathan Road in TST is often the first port of call for foreign shoppers with its blend of bargain goods, souvenirs and luxuries. Heaving Causeway Bay is more up-market with the focus on brand names and foreign imports. Business district Central again targets the top end. Bigger malls include Ocean Terminus in TST, Pacific Place in Admiralty, Times Square in Causeway Bay and cavernous Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong.

Vibrant and active Temple Street night market kicks into life in the late evenings. It is packed with cheap clothes, pirated discs, food stalls and little trinkets. Towards the centre are traditional fortunetellers, and some speak English. The whir of a tacky toy, waft of snacks and babble of vendors make it a lively place to shuffle along with the crowds.

The Jade Market, open till late, is a similar scene and located at the junction of Kansu and Reclamation Streets in Yau Ma Tei. In a series of small alleys, is the chirping Bird Market in bustling Mong Kok, and nearby Lady Street is stuffed with cheap clothing and copied goods. Incredibly cheap brand name trainers are almost certainly fakes.

Set on the southern side of Hong Kong Island is Stanley Market. Little souvenir shops huddle together in tightly winding alleyways with lots of little bargains and also one or two good-looking antiques. Stanley itself is a nice place to hang out, with a small temple or two and some good restaurants and old pubs.

One of the best places for Chinese antiques anywhere in the world is along Cat Street near Central. Strings of antique shops deal in pieces from over the border. Most shops are reputable and its better to shop for curios here rather than in China where fakes abound and exporting genuine antiques illegal. There are no problems exporting antiques from Hong Kong and Cat Street draws dealers from all over. Some fantastic stuff.

Cyber Hong Kong
Many larger malls and busier streets have coffee shops wired to the web. Pacific Coffee and Starbucks offer free access for customers.

Shiny Internet gaming centres are very popular with Hong Kong teens, but are easy to miss and have a high turnover. As well as surfing, they offer the latest games and often a caf or noodle scene. Plenty of them all over, especially in hang out Mong Kok.

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