Long layover in Hong Kong - close hotel? what to do?
#1
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Long layover in Hong Kong - close hotel? what to do?
We will be arriving in Hong Kong at 9 pm and will leave the next day at 4 pm. Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced hotel near the airport? Do you think we will have enough time to do or see anything?<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>Pam<BR><BR>
#2
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Pam, I would suggest you to stay in the city. It is only 30 minutes by a super nice train. From what I read on this board (and I agree), YMCA Salisbury in TST is the most popular hotel. It is in the center of everything. You will have enough time to try the real Chinese food, and do some shopping. A couple of museums are right cross the street. The hotel is right on the harbor, it is a very nice walk along the harbor at night. And you can even take the Star Ferry (5 minutes walk from YMCA) to see Hong Kong island.
#3
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The YMCA is a good choice. Check out www.asia-hotels.com for others. I like in HK and recommend the following. You can take the Airport Express subway to Kowloon for HK$90/person. Airport Express quits running around 11PM. If there are 2 or more it is just as cheap to take a taxi which would cost around HK$250. Arriving at night is a great time to see the lights of HK. You can walk around Nathan Road and have dinner at one of the many local restaurants that stay open late. You could also take the MTR to the Hong Kong side and then take a taxi to the Peak to look down on the lights of HK. Night is the best time to go. The next day you could ride the star ferry over to HK, visit some of the museums near the YMCA, have dim sum for lunch at a nice restaurant, do some souvenir shopping at the jade market at Yau Ma Tei.
#4
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The YMCA is a good choice. Check out www.asia-hotels.com for others. I like in HK and recommend the following. You can take the Airport Express subway to Kowloon for HK$90/person. It will take 23 minutes to get to Kowloon and you can then take a taxi or the free airport express bus to your hotel. Airport Express quits running around 11PM. If there are 2 or more it is just as cheap to take a taxi which would cost around HK$250. Arriving at night is a great time to see the lights of HK. You can walk around Nathan Road and have dinner at one of the many local restaurants that stay open late. You could also take the MTR to the Hong Kong side and then take a taxi to the Peak to look down on the lights of HK. Night is the best time to go. The next day you could ride the star ferry over to HK, visit some of the museums near the YMCA, have dim sum for lunch at a nice restaurant, do some souvenir shopping at the jade market at Yau Ma Tei.
#6
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I agree that you should stay in town instead of near the airport. There is literally nothing near the airport - it is JUST the airport. <BR><BR>As the other posters have said, nighttime is a wonderful time to explore Hong Kong.<BR><BR>Fiona is absolutely right about going to see people practicing Tai Chi - one of my favorite China/Hong Kong experiences.<BR><BR>When you check out of the hotel in the morning, you can go to the MTR station in Central and check in for your flight and check your bags. Then you have several hours to run around downtown before heading back to the airport, and you don't have to worry about hotel check-out timing and lugging your bags around (check with your hotel - there may be other stations at which you can do this - Central is the only one I've used . . . because it's so CENTRAL!)
#7
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Forgot to mention: many hotels including YMCA have free shuttles between the train station and the hotel. YMCA is only 5 minutes away from Kowloon station by bus. You can check in your luggage at Kowloon station (actually any Airport Express station).<BR>Kowloon Park is 10 minutes walk from YMCA. I've never seen Tai Chi though. Never thought about it. <BR>The pity is that you arrive in Hong Kong kind of late - considering your jet lag - it is never too late for the city though. Temple Street is one of the biggest night market in the world. It is 10 minutes by taxi from YMCA (taxi is cheap in HK, and you will go through Nathan Road which was mentioned by Mike). You will see all kinds of copy watches and clothes there. I personally refuse to buy copies. But the market is very famous. You might want to have a look. It is a night market only. There is also a jade market nearby, which you can go to during day time.<BR>Make it short: get enough sleep in the plane, run once you get into HK.