sssteve

We are starting a 2 week trip to China in Hong Kong. We will be arriving on a Thursday afternoon and flying out the next evening, meaning we need a hotel for only one night. I am looking for the most convenient location in the city, cosidering that on the second day, we'll have to leave our bags at the hotel and go pick them up at the end of the day and then head to the airport.

Is there an optimal location where we will have activity and sightseeing in the immediate area and no traffic problems getting to the hotel at the end of the day and then getting to the airport for an 8:15 PM flight??

Thanks in advance for any advice.

rkkwan

Any place near the city in Tsimshatsui, Central, Mongkok or Causeway Bay are fine. You can take a shuttle or taxi or MTR to the Airport Express, so little worries about traffic. You can also check-in for your flights and deposit your bags early at the Kowloon or Hong Kong Airport Express station as long as you've pre-bought the train ticket to the airport.

sssteve

RK: thanks !

"as long as I've pre bought the train ticket to the airport"? What's the connection to the early checkin?

Is the train the best way to get to the airport?

And where are the airport express stations located? Would it help to be in a hotel nearby?

sssteve

And another little question....

What's happening on march 29 in Hong Kong that the prices in ALL the hotels I've checked are 50% higher than the day before or the day after the 29th?

rkkwan

There are city check-in counters for most airlines at the Kowloon and Hong Kong Airport Express stations. The Kowloon one is in West Kowloon, and the Hong Kong one is in Central, underneath the ifc mall.

It's a service provided by the Airport Express, so you must have a ticket to use it. Can't use to check-in without buying a ticket and then take a taxi/bus to airport. Also, not all airlines can use it, though all those going to China should be okay.

www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/ae_compli_e.htm#itci

What's happening at the end of March?

www.hksevens.com/index.html

sssteve

RK: A few more questions.

Where does one buy a ticket for the airport express train?

We'll be flying on China Southern to Guilin. Does that qualify for downtown checkin? I couldn't find it on the list of air companies listed on the MTR site.

How far is the airport from downtown Hong Kong?

rkkwan

You can buy the train ticket at the station. Buy the ticket, check in. Save the ticket to use in the evening. Simple as that.

Or you can buy a roundtrip ticket when you first arrive. Just show the ticket for the remaining fare when you check-in.

China Southern is not listed in that exception list, so you can check-in and drop off your bags there.

The train takes about 24 minutes from Hong Kong to airport. Or about 21 minutes from Kowloon to airport.

Or forget the train. Have your hotel keep your stuff during the day after you've checked-out. Then take whatever transport to airport.

rhkkmk

my vote is salisbury YMCA...

sssteve

rkkwan !!!

Out of all the hotels in Hong Kong, how did you pick the Salisbury YMCA??

Last night, I came to the same conclusion and already decided to
make a reservation.

Why is it called "YMCA"? Is there any connection to YMCA?

Cicerone

Yes, it's an actual YMCA. They have many hotels in Asia, and have 4 in HOng Kong, the YWCA has several hotels here too. Don't worry, the YMCA Salisbury is like a 3/4 star, not a hostel or dorm and has a good view.

sssteve

The salisbury is full. What's second choice in this area?

rkkwan

Because of historical reasons, there are two YMCA associations in Hong Kong. Plus a YWCA.

The YMCA Salisbury is run by the "YMCA of Hong Kong", locally referred to in Chinese as the "Western YMCA". They have a prime piece of land in Tsimshatsui next to the Peninsula, and in the late 80's, they decided to rebuild their site into a nice hotel to utilize that location, plus other facilities.

There is a separate "Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong", which has its own hotels - the YMCA International on Waterloo Road (Yau Ma Tei MTR), and the Harbour View International in Wan Chai on HK Island. Those are cheaper and lower cost alternatives.

Cicerone

Do you have a budget? You can spend a lot or a medium amount for a hotel in Hong Kong (dirt cheap does exist but mainly hostels from what I know, I think for a younger crowd). If you want the same view as the YMCA, you will have to pay more, as the other hotels with that same view are all more 4 star or 5 star. (Not “second choice” in any way, though...) Try the Peninsula, the Intercontinental or the Sheraton Golden Mile. The Renaissance Kowloon Hotel is next to the Intercon but does not have any harbour view rooms as far as I know. The Kowloon Shangri-La also has views, I am not as crazy about the neighbourhood, safe but a bit out of the way. I personally am not really crazy about the Kowloon side unless you have a room with a view, esp for one night as you will be doing most of your sightseeing on the Hong Kong Island side (i.e. Peak Tram, the Peak and the areas around Central, Wan Chai (e.g. “Suzy Wong”), Aberdeen harbour, the great ride over to Stanley). Kowloon side has as the view, but IMO Hong Kong side has most everything else

If you can organize yourself, when you arrive into Hong Kong airport on the Thursday, you could leave your larger bags AT the airport and just bring an overnight bag into Hong Kong, this would save a lot of schlepping of luggage. You can check your luggage for HK$35 (US$4) a day, go to http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/a...gage.html#left for info. The "Meeters and Greeters Hall" is the main arrivals area, the Left Luggage area is on the far right of the hall as you exit the baggage claim/Customs areas.

If you want to take the train to the Airport on Friday but can’t check in early, to the best of my knowledge, there is baggage storage at the Hong Kong Island station (Not sure about the Kowloon station). Go to
http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/a...airportex.html. There should be info there about bag storage at the Hong Kong Island station. Given security issues, I would call the Hong Kong Island station to confirm that they still have the Left Baggage service. Call 852-2523-3627.

Too bad you really don't have time to see and enjoy Hong Kong...

sssteve

Cicerone:

Thanks for that great advice. There's never enough time to see everything you want to see.

Actually the main problem right now is this - on March 30, starts a 3 day international rugby tournament and all the moderately priced hotels in Hong Kong are either full or have jacked up their prices by 50-100%! I didn't know this when I booked my flight and I can't change it now.

I don't mind spending money to stay in a nice hotel with a nice view, but for just one night, it's a shame to spend more that $200.

So now, now I'm just looking for a decent clean hotel that's centrally located so we won't spend all of our time in taxis. You're probably right about staying on the Hong Kong Island side.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Cicerone

Ah yes, the Hong Kong Sevens, ALL the boys come for that one...traditionally it rains for a good bit of the time as well so the drunks are slipping all over the place. I would have recco’d the Hotel Lan Kwai Fong, but you do NOT want to be in that bar neighborhood that night I would think. I would try the Bishop Lei, up the hill in mid-levels, which should be off the beaten path enough to hopefully escape some of the rate inflation. You can take the escalator up/down to restaurants in Soho or Hollywood Road area at night (will have to take a taxi or the bus up from the Airport Express, but both are cheap and easy, and can take a bus down in the morning to start sightseeing, if you are really in the mood and fit, you can walk UP to the Peak not to far). Take a look at http://www.bishopleihtl.com.hk. They have some very good views.

Another place just further down hill toward town is the YWCA Garden View International House on Macdonnell Road, take a look at http://www.ywca.org.hk/hotel/Eng/home2.htm. From there you can walk down hill a very short way to the base of the Peak Tram and could also walk to Central. Across from this there are also serviced apartments that I believe rent for one night, take a look at http://www.twomr.com.hk. Rooms in all of these can be quite small, so take the largest you can afford.

The venue for the rugby is in Happy Valley, so hotels in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay are going to be just as pricey if not more so, as attendees can walk to events from some of those hotels.

rkkwan

For 3/29, I checked rates on asishotels.com. Of the ones that offer instant confirmation, I think the best value (if you can call it that) would be the Empire in Tsimshatsui. $142 all in.

rkkwan

Sorry, the site is asiahotels.com. I have never used them, but heard it's reputable.

tozzman2007

I have also found this one from HotelsGuru.com, it think it is same price.

http://www.hotelsguru.com/showhotel-4193.html

The empire hotel in Kowloon.

sssteve

Thanks for all the assistance.

I've decided that my best bet will be to check out a few big hotels on Hong Kong island. One of them should have a room. It's only one night.

Sop far, I've sent enquiries to the Wesley, the Guangdong, and the Harbour View.

rkkwan

I fail to see a strong reason to limit yourself to the Hong Kong side.