Hong Kong Help Please (Mainly Hotels)
Dec 27th, 2008, 08:20 PM
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Hong Kong Help Please (Mainly Hotels)
Hi, I'm planning to leave quite soon and I still need to book hotels. So I don't have much time and I've taken a look at what's available on booking.com.
On the Hong Kong side, it looks like I don't have to move if I choose among these three hotels:
Lan Kwai Fong hotel (on Kai U Fong, near Sheung Wan MTR)
Metropark Wanchai (near Wan Chai MTR)
Park Lane (near Causeway Bay MTR)
1. Which location is the most convenient? I'm thinking nightlife is either near Central or Causeway Bay, but the first is not exactly in Central.
I assume that cabs will be plentiful at night too, so if I need to go from, say Causeway Bay to Central, I shouldn't face any problems?
All three are rated about the same on TripAdvisor. All three cost about the same on booking.com. Around 1100-1200 HKD per night (not sure if it's with or without taxes).
2. Another option I'm considering is to spend one night on the HK side and two nights on the Kowloon side in the Salisbury YMCA, where I can book at Harbour View room. Is that worthwhile? It seems like a short stay to move hotels, but I don't mind. I'm not able to book the Harbour View room for all the 3 nights I need.
The harbor view is about 1450 HKD per night, taxes included.
3. How easy is it to get between the Kowloon and HK side late at night? I've read that there's a minibus that goes between Lan Kwai Fong and the tunnel entrance near TST East MTR station. And cabs may not be willing to go between the two sides. Any comments on this?
Thanks!
On the Hong Kong side, it looks like I don't have to move if I choose among these three hotels:
Lan Kwai Fong hotel (on Kai U Fong, near Sheung Wan MTR)
Metropark Wanchai (near Wan Chai MTR)
Park Lane (near Causeway Bay MTR)
1. Which location is the most convenient? I'm thinking nightlife is either near Central or Causeway Bay, but the first is not exactly in Central.
I assume that cabs will be plentiful at night too, so if I need to go from, say Causeway Bay to Central, I shouldn't face any problems?
All three are rated about the same on TripAdvisor. All three cost about the same on booking.com. Around 1100-1200 HKD per night (not sure if it's with or without taxes).
2. Another option I'm considering is to spend one night on the HK side and two nights on the Kowloon side in the Salisbury YMCA, where I can book at Harbour View room. Is that worthwhile? It seems like a short stay to move hotels, but I don't mind. I'm not able to book the Harbour View room for all the 3 nights I need.
The harbor view is about 1450 HKD per night, taxes included.
3. How easy is it to get between the Kowloon and HK side late at night? I've read that there's a minibus that goes between Lan Kwai Fong and the tunnel entrance near TST East MTR station. And cabs may not be willing to go between the two sides. Any comments on this?
Thanks!
Dec 27th, 2008, 09:44 PM
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2. I won't switch hotel for such a short stay.
1. Taxi access is not an issue for any of the hotels, and you can get to/from nightlife easily from all three. The Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong is the least convenient to get to the MTR.
3. There are the death machines (i.e. red minibuses) that goes across the harbor late night. But they aren't called death/suicidie traps/machines for no reason. In fact, there was one that just got into a serious accident with a bus last night in Kwai Chung with 31 hurt, 2 seriously.
Anyways, taxi drivers will have no problem taking you across the harbor, but you'll pay double toll. They can also take you to one of the designated "cross-harbour taxi stands" so you can switch to another taxi that will only charge you single toll.
1. Taxi access is not an issue for any of the hotels, and you can get to/from nightlife easily from all three. The Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong is the least convenient to get to the MTR.
3. There are the death machines (i.e. red minibuses) that goes across the harbor late night. But they aren't called death/suicidie traps/machines for no reason. In fact, there was one that just got into a serious accident with a bus last night in Kwai Chung with 31 hurt, 2 seriously.
Anyways, taxi drivers will have no problem taking you across the harbor, but you'll pay double toll. They can also take you to one of the designated "cross-harbour taxi stands" so you can switch to another taxi that will only charge you single toll.
Dec 28th, 2008, 04:34 AM
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Thanks for the reply.
It looks like I can book the YMCA Salisbury Harbour View on RatesToGo.
So which one would you choose? Park Lane HK or YMCA Salisbury?
I am thinking of going with Park Lane HK because I've stayed in TST twice. The price is about the same.
It looks like I can book the YMCA Salisbury Harbour View on RatesToGo.
So which one would you choose? Park Lane HK or YMCA Salisbury?
I am thinking of going with Park Lane HK because I've stayed in TST twice. The price is about the same.
Dec 28th, 2008, 09:47 PM
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Well, to start off the Metropark Wanchai would be <i>walkable</i> to and from many of the bars and restaurants in Wan Chai in the Star Street and the area around Johnson Road and Ship Street which have quite a few bars as well, not to mention all the bars of Lockhart Road in Wan Chai itself. It may have been a while since you have been to Hong Kong, but the Star Street area and the Johnston Road/Ship Street area in Wan Chai have been redeveloped with bars and restaurants (and in a more upscale way than the rather girlie bar atmosphere of many of those in the Lockhart Road area). Pubs like the Pawn, Slims, 1/5 Neuvo and other places are quite popular. In addition, the cab fares from Soho to the Metropark Wanchai would run you about HK$35 and take about 5 minutes or a bit longer at rush hours, so overall the Metropark Wanchia’s location would be quite good, IMO.
The Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, while not in Lan Kwai Fong itself, is also not really a bad walk to the bars of Lan Kwai Fong or Soho, especially the bars on Peel and Graham, or higher up areas via the escalator, or would be a very quick and very cheap cab ride (less than 5 minutes and about HK$20-25). One would not be taking the MTR to Soho from this hotel in any event no matter what time of day, as there is no MTR in those areas. You will be walking. You can take a bus or the tram from your hotel to or from Central (which as a few bars including SEVVA which offers a great terrace) from Des Voeux Road (this will be faster than going to the MTR stop nearest the hotel).
All in all, cab fares on Hong Kong Island for those short journeys are going to cost you about the same or not much more than the cost of a beer; even from Central to the Park Lane is only about HK$50. Otherwise, the subways and buses run until about 1 am so you do have some public transport options until a somewhat reasonable hour. You will have no problem getting cabs from these areas at night.
As you have already stayed in TST a few times, and as staying there is the most expensive taxi and longest transport options from Hong Kong Island, I don’t see a reason to stay there, although the harbour view room at the Salisbury is always nice. I don’t see a reason to move hotels for one night, but you may not mind moving rooms within the hotel for one night; also it may be that there will be a cancellation closer to your dates and you can in fact get the harbour view room for all three nights.
I have heard that rooms at the Lan Kwai Fong are small, but perhaps you know this from trip advisor, you may find the same to be true at the Metropark. Of them all, the Park Lane would probably be the most luxurious, but the Salisbury would offer the views which the others would not have (although the Park Lane’s may not be bad but not the typical harbour views from the postcards). IMO the Park Lane is too far out, I don’t find a lot that is appealing about that area as I am not really a shopper, and that is virtually all that that area is about, and mostly malls or mid-range branded goods at this point (the Sogo is very good but don’t think you really need to go to a department store and there is an Ikea in the basement of your hotel, again not of a lot of use to you). There are two interesting temples, but they are a bit of a walk from that hotel. The Metropark Wan Chai and the Lan Kwai Fong would offer some quite interesting local market areas during the day amd more nearby temples.
The Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, while not in Lan Kwai Fong itself, is also not really a bad walk to the bars of Lan Kwai Fong or Soho, especially the bars on Peel and Graham, or higher up areas via the escalator, or would be a very quick and very cheap cab ride (less than 5 minutes and about HK$20-25). One would not be taking the MTR to Soho from this hotel in any event no matter what time of day, as there is no MTR in those areas. You will be walking. You can take a bus or the tram from your hotel to or from Central (which as a few bars including SEVVA which offers a great terrace) from Des Voeux Road (this will be faster than going to the MTR stop nearest the hotel).
All in all, cab fares on Hong Kong Island for those short journeys are going to cost you about the same or not much more than the cost of a beer; even from Central to the Park Lane is only about HK$50. Otherwise, the subways and buses run until about 1 am so you do have some public transport options until a somewhat reasonable hour. You will have no problem getting cabs from these areas at night.
As you have already stayed in TST a few times, and as staying there is the most expensive taxi and longest transport options from Hong Kong Island, I don’t see a reason to stay there, although the harbour view room at the Salisbury is always nice. I don’t see a reason to move hotels for one night, but you may not mind moving rooms within the hotel for one night; also it may be that there will be a cancellation closer to your dates and you can in fact get the harbour view room for all three nights.
I have heard that rooms at the Lan Kwai Fong are small, but perhaps you know this from trip advisor, you may find the same to be true at the Metropark. Of them all, the Park Lane would probably be the most luxurious, but the Salisbury would offer the views which the others would not have (although the Park Lane’s may not be bad but not the typical harbour views from the postcards). IMO the Park Lane is too far out, I don’t find a lot that is appealing about that area as I am not really a shopper, and that is virtually all that that area is about, and mostly malls or mid-range branded goods at this point (the Sogo is very good but don’t think you really need to go to a department store and there is an Ikea in the basement of your hotel, again not of a lot of use to you). There are two interesting temples, but they are a bit of a walk from that hotel. The Metropark Wan Chai and the Lan Kwai Fong would offer some quite interesting local market areas during the day amd more nearby temples.
Dec 29th, 2008, 04:39 AM
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Thanks. Actually I am going with my mom, and I figured that she could use the shopping in Causeway Bay.
I've booked Park Lane but have until Dec 30 local time 3 pm to cancel, so I'm still open to changing hotels. So do let me know if there are any potential issues.
I have some other questions. We should be arriving early (around 8 pm) on Thursday, which is New Year's day. I'm thinking maybe we can leave our bags at the airport and go to Lantau island for a few hours as it seems close on the map, but I haven't looked at this carefully yet. I think there's a cable car ride that looks interesting.
Does this sound like something good to do?
We're planning to fly to Singapore on Sunday in the afternoon. I'm thinking of going to Macau on Saturday. Friday afternoon I plan to see some friends in the area.
Also, how's Lok Yu? We still haven't gone. Also maybe we'll try Kau Kee -- I think you had written about this here, rkkwan, and I just read about it in one of the travel guidebooks (I forget which), that they were offered millions for the beef brisket recipe, but they refused. It sounds like an interesting thing to try.
I've booked Park Lane but have until Dec 30 local time 3 pm to cancel, so I'm still open to changing hotels. So do let me know if there are any potential issues.
I have some other questions. We should be arriving early (around 8 pm) on Thursday, which is New Year's day. I'm thinking maybe we can leave our bags at the airport and go to Lantau island for a few hours as it seems close on the map, but I haven't looked at this carefully yet. I think there's a cable car ride that looks interesting.
Does this sound like something good to do?
We're planning to fly to Singapore on Sunday in the afternoon. I'm thinking of going to Macau on Saturday. Friday afternoon I plan to see some friends in the area.
Also, how's Lok Yu? We still haven't gone. Also maybe we'll try Kau Kee -- I think you had written about this here, rkkwan, and I just read about it in one of the travel guidebooks (I forget which), that they were offered millions for the beef brisket recipe, but they refused. It sounds like an interesting thing to try.
Dec 29th, 2008, 04:41 AM
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By the way, Park Lane is about 1400 HKD/night. It is more expensive than the other two, but about the same as the Salisbury YMCA Harbour View. With taxes about 200 USD per night. Thanks again!
Dec 29th, 2008, 08:21 AM
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It's a hassle if you have luggage and want to go to the Big Buddha/Po Lin Monastery from the airport. There are lockers and left luggage at airport, but you need to take a taxi or the S1 bus to Tung Chung MTR, then the cable car up to Ngong Ping. Afterwards, you need to do the same back to the airport before heading out to town.
Your mom will like the location of the Park Lane much more than the other 2 hotels on HK Island.
Yes, I've written about Kau Kee; so has yk. It's very close to the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong. Now, that's a minor reason to stay there. Hahaha...
Your mom will like the location of the Park Lane much more than the other 2 hotels on HK Island.
Yes, I've written about Kau Kee; so has yk. It's very close to the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong. Now, that's a minor reason to stay there. Hahaha...
Dec 29th, 2008, 05:09 PM
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There are fireworks at 9 pm in the harbour on the Tuesday you arrive, you are quite unlikely to be able to see them from the Park Lane as it faces east, but would have about the best view anywhere from the Salisbury. I did not know those were your dates, if you can get a harbour view room on the fireworks eve there, IMO I would take it for the fireworks view alone. You will have the best view in town. Even if you can’t get a room that night, you could get views from elsewhere inside the hotel as a guest, possibly the pool area or a roof area.
I assume you mean you arrive at 8 am not 8 pm as posted in your message. There are actually luggage lockers at Tung Chung where the cable car to the Buddha starts, so you could easily take a taxi to Tung Chung and leave your luggage there, and then after you have seen the Buddha, take the subway into Hong Kong from the Tung Chung MTR station. (Or a taxi if you don’t mind paying for it.) The taxi to Tung Chung would cost very little (less than HK$20) and take about 5 minutes and IMO would be easier than trying to figure out the bus and lug luggage onto it, but there is a bus option if you want it. See hongkongairport.com for information on buses from the airport.
Going to the Buddha on that Tuesday might be an issue because it is the second day of the New Year and is likely to be crowded, if you want to take the cable car, I would seriously consider making a booking, see http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng for info on doing this. Otherwise, you can take the #23 bus from Tung Chung, a very interesting ride. IMO it is not necessary to take the cable car both ways so you could take the bus up and the cable car down or vice versa. The downsides for you are that you may not feel quite like being a tourist first thing in the morning and wearing what I assume are going to be the clothes that you slept in overnight, but that is up to you. Lantau offers many other things to see and do besides just going to the Buddha, so you might want to save it for another time when you might have more energy to include other things like a walk or going to the fishing village of Tai O.
The luggage lockers in Tung Chung are in the basement of the Citygate Shopping Centre shopping centre, they are quite easy to find, take the escalators down to B1 level and they are right there. See http://www.citygateoutlets.com.hk/index.html for info on the mall.
The cable car does not open until 10 am (may be slightly early on that Tuesday as it is a public holiday check the website), but by the time you get your luggage and get through Immigration and Customs, etc and get to Tung Chung it will probably be close to that time. There are several restaurants in the mall and a food court, on that Tuesday you probably will find most of them open, but you may want to have breakfast at the airport first before leaving for Tung Chung.
I personally would avoid Macau on weekends and go on the Friday, just to avoid crowds, but you are talking about New Years week, which a lot of people will be taking as a whole holiday week in any event, so you probably will run into large crowds no matter which day you go. I would make a booking for the ferry both ways as well no matter which day you go.
What is it that your mother would be shopping for? I assume she is not flying all the way to Hong Kong to go to a Body Shop or a Benetton, which is what she will find in Causeway Bay….
I assume you mean you arrive at 8 am not 8 pm as posted in your message. There are actually luggage lockers at Tung Chung where the cable car to the Buddha starts, so you could easily take a taxi to Tung Chung and leave your luggage there, and then after you have seen the Buddha, take the subway into Hong Kong from the Tung Chung MTR station. (Or a taxi if you don’t mind paying for it.) The taxi to Tung Chung would cost very little (less than HK$20) and take about 5 minutes and IMO would be easier than trying to figure out the bus and lug luggage onto it, but there is a bus option if you want it. See hongkongairport.com for information on buses from the airport.
Going to the Buddha on that Tuesday might be an issue because it is the second day of the New Year and is likely to be crowded, if you want to take the cable car, I would seriously consider making a booking, see http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng for info on doing this. Otherwise, you can take the #23 bus from Tung Chung, a very interesting ride. IMO it is not necessary to take the cable car both ways so you could take the bus up and the cable car down or vice versa. The downsides for you are that you may not feel quite like being a tourist first thing in the morning and wearing what I assume are going to be the clothes that you slept in overnight, but that is up to you. Lantau offers many other things to see and do besides just going to the Buddha, so you might want to save it for another time when you might have more energy to include other things like a walk or going to the fishing village of Tai O.
The luggage lockers in Tung Chung are in the basement of the Citygate Shopping Centre shopping centre, they are quite easy to find, take the escalators down to B1 level and they are right there. See http://www.citygateoutlets.com.hk/index.html for info on the mall.
The cable car does not open until 10 am (may be slightly early on that Tuesday as it is a public holiday check the website), but by the time you get your luggage and get through Immigration and Customs, etc and get to Tung Chung it will probably be close to that time. There are several restaurants in the mall and a food court, on that Tuesday you probably will find most of them open, but you may want to have breakfast at the airport first before leaving for Tung Chung.
I personally would avoid Macau on weekends and go on the Friday, just to avoid crowds, but you are talking about New Years week, which a lot of people will be taking as a whole holiday week in any event, so you probably will run into large crowds no matter which day you go. I would make a booking for the ferry both ways as well no matter which day you go.
What is it that your mother would be shopping for? I assume she is not flying all the way to Hong Kong to go to a Body Shop or a Benetton, which is what she will find in Causeway Bay….
Dec 29th, 2008, 05:30 PM
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I think the OP is arriving this coming Thursday 1/1, and departing Sunday 1/4, no?
Won't the regular 8pm lightshow be on for 1/1, 1/2, 1/3...?
And Friday 1/2 and Sat 1/3 are not public holidays. NP360 may be a little more crowded because school is out, but shouldn't be too bad.
Won't the regular 8pm lightshow be on for 1/1, 1/2, 1/3...?
And Friday 1/2 and Sat 1/3 are not public holidays. NP360 may be a little more crowded because school is out, but shouldn't be too bad.
Dec 29th, 2008, 05:50 PM
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Sorry I thought he meant Chinese New Year!!!
OK I think the Buddha will be mobbed on Jan 1 and think Macau will be more mobbed on Saturday as many people are off this whole week here, including schools here in Hong Kong.
OK I think the Buddha will be mobbed on Jan 1 and think Macau will be more mobbed on Saturday as many people are off this whole week here, including schools here in Hong Kong.
Dec 30th, 2008, 05:04 AM
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Sorry, yes, my dates are arrival on Jan. 1-Jan. 4. There's no jet lag issue (I'm already in Asia). And yes, arrival is around 8 am -- actually, more like 9 am on Jan. 1.
I've already arranged to meet friends in Central for afternoon tea on Friday so Macau (if we go) will have to be Saturday.
It sounds like I should confirm the presence of lockers in Tung Chung? I'll look up your link later, Cicerone. If so, then maybe visiting Lantau Island on 1/1 is a good idea?
Internet access isn't the most convenient, so I'll read the posts more carefully later. Sorry if I missed something pertinent.
Thanks again!
I've already arranged to meet friends in Central for afternoon tea on Friday so Macau (if we go) will have to be Saturday.
It sounds like I should confirm the presence of lockers in Tung Chung? I'll look up your link later, Cicerone. If so, then maybe visiting Lantau Island on 1/1 is a good idea?
Internet access isn't the most convenient, so I'll read the posts more carefully later. Sorry if I missed something pertinent.
Thanks again!
Jan 5th, 2009, 03:26 AM
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I am in Singapore right now. I just want to thank you for the suggestion of storing luggage in the Tung Chung outlet mall. Indeed lockers are available on the B2 level.
Some more details:
The airport info desk suggests taking bus S1 (3.50 HKD per person).
We took a cab instead. The meter ran to about 35 HKD and the driver took 40 HKD (we were told that there should be 5 HKD per bag and we had two bigs).
There are lockers with three sizes in the mall. Small and medium are the same price. I believe it's 10 HKD every two hours. For the large locker I think it's 20 HKD per two hours, but I'm not sure. I actually took some photos so I'll check my camera later.
In any case, you pay a deposit for the first two hours (coin-operated) and the machine generates a code that you use to pick up your bags. When you pick them up, you enter the code and pay the balance.
Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride is near the MTR station and the mall is essentially connected to the station. So you can't miss this. And the cable car ride is actually listed as one of the things to do in a tourist info brochure for transit passengers you can pick up from the airport.
But note -- when we picked up our bags in the afternoon nearly all the lockers were taken.
I highly recommend this to people who want to find something to do near the airport. We visited the Big Buddha and had a vegetarian meal at the Po Lin temple. It's a very nice way to spend a couple of hours!
Some more details:
The airport info desk suggests taking bus S1 (3.50 HKD per person).
We took a cab instead. The meter ran to about 35 HKD and the driver took 40 HKD (we were told that there should be 5 HKD per bag and we had two bigs).
There are lockers with three sizes in the mall. Small and medium are the same price. I believe it's 10 HKD every two hours. For the large locker I think it's 20 HKD per two hours, but I'm not sure. I actually took some photos so I'll check my camera later.
In any case, you pay a deposit for the first two hours (coin-operated) and the machine generates a code that you use to pick up your bags. When you pick them up, you enter the code and pay the balance.
Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride is near the MTR station and the mall is essentially connected to the station. So you can't miss this. And the cable car ride is actually listed as one of the things to do in a tourist info brochure for transit passengers you can pick up from the airport.
But note -- when we picked up our bags in the afternoon nearly all the lockers were taken.
I highly recommend this to people who want to find something to do near the airport. We visited the Big Buddha and had a vegetarian meal at the Po Lin temple. It's a very nice way to spend a couple of hours!
