Hong Kong Hotel - for 1 night prior to 830AM departure...
 

We will be spending 3 days in HK and then traveling on to China for a few days....but when we return, we will need a hotel in HK for one night. Our flight departs at 8:30 AM for Tokyo. So I am wondering where we should stay that night? Anything that is convenient, yet would allow us to enjoy our last night?

It is not hard to get out to the airport for an early morning departure, so you could easily stay in the city itself. You can take the Airport Express train from Central or Kowloon is less than 30 minutes, and many airlines let you check-in at the train station in town (check the airport website, noted below). You can also take an airport hotel shuttle bus. Easiest and fastest of all is to take a taxi, would take about 25 minutes and cost about US$60-70 from Central areas, about the same or a few dollars less from the Salisbury Road area on Kowloon. You can get all the info you need regarding transport options to and from the airport at http://www.hongkongairport.com or specifically http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/index.jsp.

There is a hotel IN the airport, which I have had friends and relatives stay at for early morning departures. The hotel is the Regal Airport Hotel, take a look at http://www.regalairport.com. Not especially cheap but then again what is in Hong Kong. I think standard rooms start at about US$175, but they sometimes offer specials. If you stay there, you can easily go into Hong Kong for your last night and take the train, bus or taxi back out the airport at the end of the evening.

Some airlines allow you to check in for a flight up to 24 hours before departure. You should look into this, as it may be possible to check-in for your Tokyo flight as soon as you have landed in Hong Kong from your China flight. The website for Hong Kong airport is hongkongairport.com, they have information on check-in. The following airlines provide this service (this is from the website and is current, but do check a few days before your trip, as if there is a security issue, or more of the airlines may suspend early check-in):

Aeroflot
Cathay Pacific Airways
China Airlines
Dragonair
Singapore Airlines (not for flights to the US)
South African Airlines
Swiss International Air Line
Thai Airways International PCL
Vietnam Airlines

You would have to pack carefully so that you have just a carry-on with your overnight stuff, but if you can get boarding passes and check your major luggage the day before, that will save you a lot of time and trouble the next day.

You need to arrive about two hours prior to departure, less if you are flying business or first class.

One correction to my own post: Singapore Airlines does allow early check-in AT the airport itself for US bound flights, but they don't offer early check-in at the train stations for US flights.

A taxi ride won't cost US$60-70. More like $35 from Tsimshatsui, and $40-45 from Central. If you want to save some money, you can negotiate with the taxi driver for a discount - it's common practice for rides <b>to</b> the airport.

[And here's what happend to my cousin just this year. They were waiting for the Cityflyer bus with luggage on Jordan Road in Kowloon. A taxi driver spotted their luggage and stopped without being flagged down. He offered to take them to the airport for HK$100 (~US$13), which is about 1/3 the meter price (but still about 50% more than the cost of two people taking the bus). That cabbie probably HAD to go to either the airport or Tung Chung to pick up someone or something.]

Anyways, you won't have problem finding a cab that early in the morning. Or simply have the hotel front desk call for one. A taxi will be there in minutes (if not seconds).

If you are flying on Cathay Pacific, minimum check-in time is 45 minutes before your flight. If it were me, I would want to be at the airport at least 1 hour before departure. (Fortunately, the flights with the biggest loads, to N Amwrica and Europe, leave later in the day, so you won't be waiting in line with those folks.)

While a taxi is fine, you lose only a very little time taking the Airport Express train. The trains run every 12 minutes, travel time from Central to the airport is 23 minutes, and it's a short walk (less than 5 minutes) from the train to the check-in counters. If you left your hotel (any hotel in Central, Admiralty, Causeway Bay, or TST) at 6:40 and took a taxi to the Airport Express station, you would certainly be at the airport check-in counter by 7.30.

Cost in this case would be about $3-4 for the cab, plus another $10 for the train.

8:30am to Tokyo? That sounds like one of the two Northwest or the UA flight. Neither of those airlines offer check-in at Airport Express stations, and those flights are usually pretty crowded. You really want to get to the airport early unless you have &quot;elite&quot; status with that airline, or flying Business or First Class. Or else, expect long lines at the check-in counter.

I still suggest getting a taxi straight to the airport, and arrive by 6am; if you're flying NW or UA.