I have a flight scheduled from Hong Kong to Bangkok at 3:50 in the afternoon on a Monday in August. I'm flying Business Class on Cathay Pacific. I mention that in case it makes a difference in check in and/or getting through security. I have the opportunity to change it to the 8:55 AM flight. Assuming I'm staying in Hong Kong "proper" not Kowloon, how much time am I going to need from when I leave my hotel? How much time do I need at the airport.? I think originally I avoided that flight because I wasn't anxious to do super early morning departures, especially when I'll be "losing" an hour that day anyway. But it's occurring to me that I'm going to be losing most of the day anyway.

If you're planning to use the Airport Express train, you can check-in and drop off bags as late as 90 minutes before flight at the Hong Kong AE station:

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/airport_ex...m_checkin.html

Or you can even do it the day before, if you don't need the luggage.

So, before 7:25a at the AE station; and then hop on the train that gets you to the airport in 24 minutes.

For a 9 am flight, I would leave for the airport at 7 am whether you use a taxi or the train. You can check in on-line at least 24 hours before a CX flight, so please do that as you will save wait time in line, even for business class. All you then have to do is drop your bags off at the bag drop-off area for business class when you get to the airport (if you aren’t checking bags, then on-line check-in is even a better option, as sometimes there is a line to drop bags). If you don’t check in on-line, then you might want to leave for the airport around 6:30 am or just a bit after.

Whether you take the Airport Express Train or a taxi or a bus, I would give yourself an hour to get to the airport, just to have a cushion. The train takes half an hour, but that does not include the time you need to get to the train station from your hotel, buy a ticket, etc (esp as you are not familiar with the station). You also may have to wait a few minutes for a train. A taxi to the airport from most areas of Central takes about 30-40 minutes, and there is virtually never traffic on the roads, but you never know and there could be an accident, it could be pouring rain, etc

There are no separate security or immigration lines for business class passengers. Security comes first, and lines generally move pretty fast. I can’t speak for Immigration as I use the line for HK residents. But if you are already checked-in for your flight, then if you arrive an hour before your flight, this should be fine.

I guess I should point out that if you stick with the afternoon flight, with a 4 pm departure, you would not have to leave for the airport until 1:30- 2 pm, so you would have a whole morning through lunch in Hong Kong. Assuming you want to take the Airport Express train, you could even check-in early in the moring (or if you have already checked-in on line just drop your bags), store any hand luggage at the Left Luggage area at the train station, do your morning sightseeing, have lunch, and then hop on a train to the airport. If you took this option, IMO you could take a train at about 2:15 pm with no worries.

Conversely, as you a flying on a weekday, you might prefer the morning flight, as that you would put you into Bangkok just before Noon, and traffic is generally less than you would find it to be at 7 pm or so when you would be hitting Bangkok highways from the airport if you take the afternoon flight.

What a wealth of information (and so specific too) you have both given me. Now all I need is for someone to make up MY mind.

Part of the idea of the morning flight was that perhaps I'll connect at BKK and go first to Siem Reap or to Chiang Mai, although it seems to be safe I end up losing the bulk of the day there before a scheduled flight anyway. Or in any case, I'm usually anxious in the morning to get going to a "new" destination, and tend not to feel comfortable making plans for the morning knowing I have a flight coming up and worrying about missing it -- that's just me.

At least if I switch to this morning flight from HKG, I am not quite getting up at the crack of dawn. I have not been to the "new airport" in HKG, which gives you an idea how long it's been since I was there. I love all this early check-in thing and the Airport Express Train sounds like the way to go. In fact, I've not booked a hotel yet for HongKong (two nights only) and I think I should consider the proximity to the Airport Express Train when I do so.

The Airport Express Station did not exist when you were last here either; it is on reclaimed land just in front of the stock exchange building on Connaught Road in Central. (The main bus terminal is in the basement of the stock exchange if you recall that). The station is about 100 yards west of where the Star Ferry pier <i>used</i> to be, that has been moved further out into the harbour about 500 yards. (You won’t recognize the place, mostly because of the air pollution which is really horrible. The city still feels the same, but the skyline looks quite different, and the harbour is much narrower.)

I am not sure that proximity to the Airport Express station really matters, as you can hop a cab to the station in moments from most anywhere, but if you have any amount of luggage, you will not want to walk with it to the station, as this will involve lugging it up stairs/escalators and negotiating pedestrian walkways. (You don’t want to take the MTR to the station for the same reason unless you have very little luggage.) The Four Seasons hotel is connected to the station, and would be easily walkable, as it is all indoors and you would walk all on one level between the two (plus the porters at the hotel would bring your bags for you). It’s a great hotel with very large rooms, an excellent pool area and lovely views, of course different views form those you had at the Regent (now Intercontinental, but I still often call it the Regent myself.) The hotel is walkable to many good restaurants in the SOHO/NOHO areas near Hollywood Road (SOHO and NOHO also did not exist when you were here...) I think the Mandarin would actually be somewhat inconvenient for the station, as it is too close for a cab, but would be sort of a pain to walk with bags (although I am sure the porters there would gladly assist.) But without knowing your budget, I would just mostly say not to worry too much about proximity to the Airport Express station.

When we stayed at the Regent, I was employed and making lots of money and spending it. This time I want to stay on Hong Kong Island, not Kowloon. I am now retired, making no money, and having little to spend, but traveling a long time. Four Seasons and Mandarin are way out of my budget for this trip -- I'm looking for something around $100 US or less. And yes, I know that won't buy me luxury, but compared to the "budget" style of this trip, I suspect it can still be one of the nicer hotels of this 2.5 month Asia trip!
Le'Hotel is one possibility, but I'm not sure if I really want Causeway Bay. ($92 on Agoda) I've hardly started researching HK hotels.

One rolling duffel with laptop bag that sits on top.

OK, the budget is helpful, and you won’t find anything within walking distance of the Airport Express station for that budget, as the station is in the highest rent district in the city. I agree that Causeway Bay can be a pain for sightseeing, esp. for only 2 days, but might fit your budget better, and the L’Hotel is interesting to me (at least from the outside). The neighborhood the hotel is in is east of the main craziness of Causeway Bay and still has some bits of post WWII architecture if you walk back off King’s Road toward the hills. It is also near a very significant Tin Hau temple. It’s on the tram line and several major bus lines, and is near an MTR stop (never really an attraction IMO, as the MTR does not go to a lot of interesting places, at least not yet. When you come back in another 10 years it will circle the island.) If you go east towards North Point you will find quite traditional neighborhoods and ‘nary a tourist. I think rooms are small so read the website. I am surprised that you can get a room there for less than US$100 actually. US$100 does not get you a lot in Hong Kong these days. Don’t forget that many hotels will levy a 10% service charge.

Have you looked at the <b>Bishop Lei</b> in Mid-levels? Depending on your dates, their harbor view twin would be just over $100, their standard room would be under US$100 (but I think this literally is the size of a closet). This is a great location in a residential neighborhood up on the hill in Mid-levels above Central, is walkable to the escalator down to Central, and the restaurants of SOHO/NOHO. It’s near the zoo and the old governor’s residence. Rooms offer some very nice city/harbour views. See http://www.bishopleihtl.com.hk

A budget hotel which I think has an excellent location in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island is <b>The Wesley</b>. (It’s run by the Methodist church, like the Bishop Lei above is run by the Catholic Church.) I have not seen the rooms, so can’t comment on them but my guess is that they are basic and small. The hotel is about 300 yards from the Pacific Place complex of the JW Marriott/Conrad and Shangri-La which of course charge hundreds more for their rooms. This is in a great neighborhood of excellent restaurants, both cheap and dear, and near some of my favorite (and fast disappearing) market areas for strolling and people-watching. The Admiralty/Pacific Place subway stop would be quite close, and the hotel fronts the tram line and several major bus lines. See www.hanglung.com (I don't think this website works too well, you might try http://www.asiatraveltips.com/TheWesleyHotel.htm.)

Another place to consider is the <b>Garden View International House</b>, which is a YWCA in Mid-levels on Bowen Road, a nice residential area, but easily accessible to Central and Wan Chai by bus, taxi or a downhill walk. See http://www.ywca.org.hk/hotel/Eng/home2.htm. They have a rooftop pool which is also a plus.

You might also look in Sheung Wan or Western, which have fewer hotels and fewer tourists and still have a traditional Hong Kong feel, with lots of medicine shops, local markets and temples. Some hotels in the area which I do not know from anything but the outside, but which may be worth looking at, are the <b>Hotel Jen</b> (see http://www.hoteljen.com/) , the <b>Sohotel</b> (http://www.sohotel.com.hk/, which despite its name, is <i>not</i> in SOHO), the </b>Central Park Hotel</b> (see http://www.centralparkhotel.com.hk/index.asp) and the <b>Hotel Lan Kwai Fong</b> (see http://www.lankwaifonghotel.com.hk/ which despite its name is <i>not</i> in Lan Kwai Fong.) The Jen would most likely offer some very nice views. There is a <b>Courtyard by Marriott</b> that I do know and would recommend, but I think it is going to be out of your budget.

There is a chain of serviced apartments with various location on Hong Kong Island, some are small studios and some are 1800 square foot 2-bedrooms priced accordingly, take a look at http://www.thev.hk/. I don't know anything about this group or the quality of the apartments. They have places in Wan Chai and Mid-Levels which would be good locations, and their Causeway Bay locations are OK too. I don’t know if they let for short term.

While I generally am not a fan of Kowloon unless you have a view room like the Regent, you might look at the <b>Salisbury YMCA</b>, which has some rooms in the $100 range, and may even offer a view for that price, depending on your dates. It’s a great next to the Peninsula. It is often booked. See http://www.asiatravel.com/hongkong/y...ury/index.html. Also, a poster here recently booked the <b>Hop Inn</b>, rooms really appear to </i>be</i> former closets from what the pictures on the website seem to show, but at like US$60 it seems to be a good value. I don’t know it at all, but the location is good for Kowloon. See http://www.hostels.com/hostels/hong-kong/hop-inn/39944. The poster’s name is laartista, and her trip was either last month or earlier this month, you might post a question to see if she liked her stay. FYI, there is an Airport Express Station in Kowloon as well, its on the eastern edge of the harbour, about a 10 minute taxi ride from the Star Ferry area.

It's too early to book for August, which is a pretty low season for HK anyways. Check back around May, and then see which is the best hotel you can get for your budget at that time.

I've actually looked at many of those hotels. Thank you for the many details. I will say that when we stayed at the Regent, we found all we did was hop on the star ferry and head to HK Island (and elsewhere). Kowloon really did little for us, so I'd prefer not to stay there this time.

What about the Luk Kwok, by the WanChai station? They currently are offering for my dates 960 HK, about half the usual rate for long advance booking, but fully cancelable. That's about $123 US, but also I believe includes internet which most places seems to be $10 to $15. I seem to find only raves, and really looks great.
http://www.lukkwokhotel.com/index.php

Speaking of that anyone know anything about the small roomed but "cool" new boutique Wifi Hotel?
http://www2.wifihotel.com.hk/

Oh, one thing I wanted to ask. The Wifi is halfway between the WanChai and the Causeway Bay stations. They say 2 minutes walk to each. Are those two stations really only a 4 minute walk apart? I thought they were a lot further than that.

The hotel is 0.4 mile from the entrance to the Wan Chai station, and about the same for Causeway Bay. In the middle of the night (but the train won't be running either) with nobody on the sidewalk, and you ignore all the traffic lights, and walking 3MPH, you can walk there in 8 minutes.

And after you get into the station, it's another 5 minutes to get to the trains at either of those stations, as the tracks are very deep in that part of the HK Island.

So 2 minutes walk is more than just a little absurd unless I do some major physical training, you're saying? LOL

I was googling and there was a nice looking hotel that came up at a great price -- I forget which -- and the google map showed it right by the Four Seasons in HK Island. But then I saw the address -- and further description. Huh? It is in Kowloon -- how they showed it right on the harbor by the Four Seasons I have no idea. And I do love the terms "adjacent to" and finding out that it can be a 15 minute taxi ride to whatever it is supposedly adjacent to.

I'm really tempted to book the Luk Kwok -- and see if I can do better later, although I notice it's a lot more expensive for any dates in the next month or two, so it really does seem to be a good "advance" deal. I have yet to see any real negatives about that hotel as opposed to many about most other options.

Again, hotels in Hong Kong do not post good deals this far out. If you want good deals, wait.

rkkwan, I'm curious because I keep hearing that. I read the same thing over and over by one poster on China in particular. Yet I keep finding advance reservations for far less than the same hotels are offering less that a month out or what people have quoted paying the year before at the same time I'm going. And over and over I've heard people mention that they did super savings way in advance, then added a night and had to pay way more last minute.
I'm not trying to argue, it's just that when I find a hotel offering less than half their usual price months ahead and you can cancel the reservation up to time of arrival or a couple days in advance, then I see no harm in going for it -- at least temporarily.
Luk Kwok for example as I said is offering 960 for my dates. Yet if I go to Expedia, Orbitz, etc. the rates they show for those dates are something like double that. Sure, I wouldn't book with one of those places where you often can't cancel or have to pay to do so, but when the hotel is offering a lower price this far ahead than the "discounters" are doing for the same hotel in the near future, well. . .

Neo - Basically all hotels in Hong Kong have very high "rack rates". During certain periods of time (like around the Canton Fair in late April and late October; or during Golden Weeks around October 1), they will "try" to charge close to that rate. And that's the rate you're seeing on Expedia, Orbitz, right now.

Luk Kwok for 960 is a fair price for August, but nothing spectacular. I am almost sure you can get the same rate if you book through them (or others ) in July.

I have no opinion one way or another for Luk Kwok, but if you feel that's your hotel, then go for it.

Let me add that the only hotel I'll try to book in advance is the YMCA Salisbury. And they do have their summer rates posted already. Partial Harbour View is $900. It's a popular place for foreign visitors, so they do sold out.

BTW, YMCA Salisbury is bookable through July 16 only right now. So, even that you have to wait a bit to book.

Oh yes. I should mention that a number of the "discounter" sites also only show rates a couple months ahead. But again -- at least in Shanghai and in Beijing I've found my preferred hotels at rates direct way in advance than those discounters ever seen to show!