Hong Kong Update

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fountainhall

Hong Kong Update

Post by fountainhall »

There is a very good article on Hong Kong on today's BBC website -

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/201702 ... pover-city

About 5 years ago I wrote a long post here about Hong Kong (Post #9) -

http://www.gaybuttonthai.com/viewtopic. ... ong#p42406

For those interested, not much has changed other than the number of tourists from mainland China has increased. Now, though, is a good time to visit as the volume of mainland tourists has recently been cut back, a result of Beijing reducing visa approvals in the wake of Hong Kong's democracy protests. The result is that rates in many hotels have dropped.

Hotels

Unless you are flush with cash, avoid the main central areas. You can still find affordable hotels there, but the rooms will be tiny. For location and price you will find nothing better than the Mini Hotel on Ice House Street next to the famous Foreign Corresponents' Club. This is within 2 minutes walk of the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district, about 8 minutes from SoHo's bars, restaurants and clubs, and about 10 from the Star Ferry over to Kowloon. Book a couple of months ahead and the rate should be less than US$60 per night - but the rooms really are tiny!

Over the last 5 years, the Hong Kong subway has been extended making cheaper hotels away from the central district more accessible. This is particularly true to the west of the island in areas like Sai Ying Pun where there are now two subway stations - Sai Yang Pun and HKU (for Hong Kong University). Hotels worth considering are the Ibis Sheung Wan, 2 in the Holiday Inn Express chain, the Sohotel, the Eco Tree and 2 Best Westerns. If you are more flush, the Courtyard by Marriott and the Traders Hotel (the second hotel in the Shangri La chain) are both here and both are excellent. The Club rooms in the Traders provide access to the top floor lounge with great harbout views in addition to free breakfasts and evening open bar drinks and snacks.

Restaurants and bars

As with hotels, the extremely high rentals in the central district are driving many further west. The original bar district of Lan Kwai Fong is now out of most tourists' price range. 15 years ago entrepreneurs moved west into the Soho district. Now they are having to move even further west. There is a small cluster of gay bars around Bonham Strand East at the junction with Queens Road West. These include ZOO bar and across the road FLM. Further up the hill in a small alley off Hollywood Road is the pleasant little T:ME bar.

On two recent trips including earlier this week, friends took me to Hong Kong's first gintoneria, Ping Pong 129. Set in the courtyard of an old Chinese home, this specializes in all forms of gin cocktails. I've been a vodka drinker for decades (a variety of other drinks are offered), but tried a gin cocktail with fresh raspberries and a very different tonic from the usual Schweppes variety. I loved it! In addition, the restaurant has a small menu with mostly Spanish dishes, all excellent. Ping Pong is located at the Sai Ying Pun end of Second Street. Be careful, though. It's easy to miss, being down a staircase from just a single bright red door with the name in very small letters.

http://www.pingpong129.com

Dim Sum remains a must-eat experience in Hong Kong. Most of the dim sum restaurants get very packed very quickly at lunchtime, especially at weekends, and so you have either to book or get there very early. The main ones are listed in all the Hong Kong guides. Expect them to be bustling and noisy! For a more intimate Dim Sum experience, go east to Happy Valley. On Sing Woo Road leading uphill from the racetrack you'll find a very small restaurant literally called DIM SUM. Vaguely old style Chinese with banquettes around the side, the dim sum here is exceptional and not at all expensive. The chef also experiments with different types of easy eats, like thinly sliced marinated pork wrapped around asparagus spears. I have visited this restaurant with friends and business colleagues dozens of times. I have never failed to be disappointed.

Other Attractions

The only new attractions since my earlier post seem to be a small and ghastly London Eye-type wheel which totally ruins the view from Kowloon over to Hong Kong at night. Why on earth anyone thought this would be a good place for such a tacky addition to the skyline totally beats me! There is also a light show on the island at 8:00pm every day. It is best to view this from the Kowloon waterfront, but sad to say it is very much a damp squib. A few lasers and flashing lights do not a good light show make, the more so when it is on one of the world's great harbour views.

Hong Kong Island night view (without light show)
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Disneyland remains a great disappointment. Perhaps as a treat for your boyfriend, it might be fun. But it is tiny compared to those in Shanghai and Tokyo. Both offer a much more fantastic experience - but then it's more expensive to fly to each!

Flights

Apart from the daily full service carriers TG and CX, there are many to choose from. Other full service carriers like Sri Lankan, Kenya and Royal Jordanian fly several days per week. The semi full service Hong Kong Airlines has 5 daily flights and great fares if you are merely stopping over in HKG en route to another Asian destination. Thai Air Asia has several cheap flights. However, if you want full service at an exceptionally cheap price, book a return on the Emirates daily A380 flights. Book a few weeks in advance and the return fare including all taxes is Bt. 6,585. Or treat yourself to Emirates exceptional business class with the best lounge offerings of any airline in the region, full service meals, flat bed seats, the most extensive in flight entertainment of any airline and the upper deck stand-up bar with premium liqueurs and canapés galore for Bt. 14,415. My boyfriend adored it!

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Alex
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Re: Hong Kong Update

Post by Alex »

So which one of these three is your boyfriend? ;)
fountainhall

Re: Hong Kong Update

Post by fountainhall »

Haha! I have not posted any of the photos that include him. I take the flight 4 or 5 times a year. He has only been with me once. But he loved the bar, and as he works in a top hotel he persuaded the barman to let him serve drinks for a few minutes!
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Re: Hong Kong Update

Post by aussie »

fountainhall wrote: Hotels
For location and price you will find nothing better than the Mini Hotel on Ice House Street next to the famous Foreign Corresponents' Club.
Excellent report as always fountainhall but I cannot recommend the Mini hotel. I stayed there once and needed to change rooms three times over four days. Besides being shoe box sized rooms the walls are paper thin and you can hear every sound from your neighbours. I sleep late but on one night there was a party going on in the room next door at 2.30 am with a negative response from the guests in that room when i asked them to keep quiet and a "we will move you to another room" response from reception. Also, after my initial booking I recieved a very official email from the hotel asking for my credit card number so they could verify my booking. Turned out to be a hack to their website.
fountainhall

Re: Hong Kong Update

Post by fountainhall »

Thanks for that comment on the Mini Hotel. Mine was based on information from a Thai friend who has twice stayed there and just wanted a room close to the centre at the cheapest price. I was aware the rooms are tiny but not about the noise! I certainly haven't stayed there nor would I wish to! I almost always stay further west in the excellent Courtyard - but it's a darn sight more expensive!
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Re: Hong Kong Update

Post by aussie »

fountainhall wrote: I certainly haven't stayed there nor would I wish to! I almost always stay further west in the excellent Courtyard - but it's a darn sight more expensive!
I learnt my lesson from the Mini Hotel experience although the shower cubicle with full length windows i shared with a University student from Shenzen was nice at night looking out at the bright lights of Hong Kong.

Now i look for better quality hotels. I stayed in four star hotels in mainland China recently with a peaceful night's sleep every night, when i was alone at least :)
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