rkkwan, if you think the neighborhood around the area of the Ramada is uninteresting compared to Causeway Bay, then that is where we disagree. I think it is one of the more interesting neighborhoods left. It is not full of mobile phone shops, Starbucks and Milan Station second hand bag shops like the Causeway Bay area is now. It has lots of the mom and pop type storefront shops that you have trouble finding in Hong Kong (and which are being torn down every day and some of which will even be gone by December). You will find the guy selling hand made brooms and the great general stores. There are also small boutiques here with clothes and homewares. It is a wonderful place to wander. You need to get Jason Wordie's book, who really put me on to these neighborhoods.

I also disagree about walkability to Hollywood Road. Lascar Road is basically behind the Ramada a few blocks uphill. The pedestrian escalator would be a tram ride away a few blocks and then an easy and very pleasant walk using the escalator up to Soho. In the wonderful December temperatures, these walks are extremely pleasant. They are not so fun now, but even then are very doable. I do them almost every weekend from the Four Seasons area, which is only a mile closer east from the Ramada. By taking the tram or a bus to the escalator, this is a no-brainer from the Ramada, IMO. I don't think you spend as much time in the Soho, Hollywood Road and Western area as I do these days.

Also, the Ramada has such low rates precisely beacuse of its secondary location. I don't think I have ever said it is a great location, and from my first post I have said Western would not be my first choice. I reccod that JoyC try to get the YMCA if she can get a good price on a room and good size. However, in that price range it is a good choice, and in Western versus Causeway Bay as a choice, I personally would pick Western. The fact that the Ramada hotel gets such good reviews on tripadvisor is also a plus to me; the only other hotel on the island which has as good a rating is the Metropark, but that hotel seems to be more expensive and for the same size room and IMO not as good a location, I would take the Ramada.

I agree. What interest you and the OP may be very different from what interest me. As a Chinese who grows up in Hong Kong, stores selling local domestic stuff is not interesting to me. :)

One thing though, Cicerone. The Ramada is at the junction of Des Voeux Road and Water St. That's deep into Sai Ying Pun, past Western St. Your posts make it sound like it's "just past" the Four Seasons. Upper Lascar Row is definitely NOT behind that Ramada.

From Water St walking East on Queen's Road West, one has to walk east past Western St, Center St, Eastern St, and then a pretty long block just to get to the start of Hollywood Road. Then past Possession St and Lok Ku Rd to get to Upper Lascar Row. That doesn't include the smaller alleyways one have to cross.

A mile is a relatively long walk in Hong Kong. Of course, it's all relative. I walk 0.9 miles each morning to get to my bus stop here in the US, and I can do it in under 15 minutes. Not so in HK.

To be pedantic, I never said anyting about the Ramada being "just past" the Four Seaons. I clearly indicated that is was a mile away. I also never said they should walk the mile, I said take the tram or a bus. I don't think I am misleading anyone about the location of the hotel. However, a mile walk in on flat ground in Hong Kong in December when it is sunny and 72 degrees is one of the most pleasant things you can do....

Of couse, as you pointed out, the easiest thing to do would be to take a taxi, which would get them to Hollywood Road or Soho in about 3 minutes and would cost about US$4.

Christmas decorations are over the top here and you will get your fill no matter where you are, the street stalls everywhere even decorate, nothing to do with whether anyone celebrates or where you are.