Hong Kong Hotels

From the standard budget stays to the centrifugal views emanating from the luxurious upper-level suites of the Peninsula's flagship hotel over Victoria Harbour, you're sure to find a style and site to fit your fancy. Prices tend to reflect quality of service and amenities more than location, so it's worth choosing neighborhood over notoriety. Business-oriented hotels may tout more in-room tech gadgets and eco-friendly options, but better upgrade to executive club privileges if you appreciate free Wi-Fi and complimentary buffets in the VIP lounge.

The rock stars of Hong Kong's hotel industry are perfectly situated around Victoria Harbour, where unobstructed harbor views, sumptuous spas, and reputable service all compete for the patronage of business-suited jet-setters, status-sensitive mainland tourists, and any visitor willing to splurge on uncompromised, premium service and accommodations. Farther up the hills, on both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island sides, tony boutique hotels have opened over the past five years seducing travelers who simply want a safe and cozy place to crash in a trendy locale. And as hip new shopping malls and arcades of all shapes and sizes continue their conquest of Hong Kong's dense real estate, brand-name hotels are coming along. While most big hotels are already attached to a mall, watch for the resurrected Ritz-Carlton on the 102nd to 118th floors of West Kowloon's International Commerce Centre. And with innovations in hospitality on the horizon, look out for Hotel ICON in Tsim Sha Tsui East, unconventionally associated with Polytechnic University's School of Hotel and Tourism Management.