Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [178]
Park Guesthouse ( 2368 1689; fax 2367 7889; Flat A1, 15th fl, A Block; s with shared bathroom $108, r with private bathroom $100-150; ) A basic but welcoming 45-room guesthouse that comes recommended by readers.
Travellers Hostel ( 2368 7710; mrspau@yahoo.com.hk; Flat A1-A4, 16th fl, A Block; dm $60-80, s & d with shared shower $100-140, d with private shower $150; ) This 44-year-old joint may look a little scruffy, but it’s a good place to meet fellow travellers. Owner Mr Chan is very nice, and cooking facilities, cable TV, student discounts and internet access are all available.
Mirador Mansion
Mirador Mansion ( Map; 58-62 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; MTR Tsim Sha Tsui, exit D2), above an arcade of that name between Mody and Carnarvon Rds, is a 51-year-old residential building with a serene atmosphere. In fact it was Mirador Mansion – and not Chungking Mansions – where Wong Kar-wai filmed most of Chungking Express (1994). Strolling down the open corridors of Mirador Mansion on a breezy day will make you feel like you’ve retreated into a Tsim Sha Tsui that’s disappeared.
Mei Lam Guest House ( 2721 5278, 9095 1379; fax 2723 6168; Flat D1, 5th fl; s/d from $160/200; ) This excellent place has modern rooms packed with extras, including internet access.
Man Hing Lung Hotel ( 2722 0678, 2311 8807; http://home.hkstar.com/~mhlhotel; Flat F2, 14th fl; s $120-150, d $150-200, tr $210-240; ) This is a decent place with over 40 clean if rather spartan rooms, wi-fi and laundry facilities.
Garden Hostel ( 2311 1183; fax 2721 2085; Flat F4, 3rd fl; dm $60, d with shared shower $180, s & d with shower $200; ) It’s on the scruffy side and the air-con seems to be rationed, but there are laundry facilities and the lockers are like Fort Knox. The living room doubles as the martial arts studio of the owner Sam Lau, a kung fu instructor who claims to have been Bruce Lee’s classmate.
Cosmic Guest House ( 2369 6669; www.cosmicguesthouse.com; Flats A1-A2, F1-F4, 12th fl; dm $60, r $166-200, large d $220-240; ) This very clean and quiet place has big and bright rooms and a very helpful owner. There’s internet access in every room.
Besides CKM and Mirador Mansion, Golden Crown Court ( Map; 66-70 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; MTR Tsim Sha Tsui, exit D1), opposite the southeast corner of Kowloon Park, has undergone a transformation in recent years and now offers a host of clean, smart guesthouses.
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MIRA HONG KONG Map Luxury Hotel $$$$
2368 1111; www.themirahotel.com; 118-130 Nathan Rd; r $3000-3500, ste $5700-9700; MTR Tsim Sha Tsui (exit B1);
Dowdy Miramar has morphed into sexy Mira, with colour-themed rooms, designer chairs and an entrance so cool you’d expect to see a bouncer. Techies will drool over the gadgets, which include a mobile phone for local calls and a flat-screen TV you can use to surf the net. Even the staff are helpful in a (fashion-ably) informal kind of way. However, the walls are a wee bit thin for a luxury hotel.
LANGHAM HOTEL HONG KONG Map Luxury Hotel $$$$
2375 1133; www.langhamhotels.com/langham/hongkong; 8 Peking Rd; r/ste from $2800/4800; MTR Tsim Sha Tsui (exit E);
The renovated Langham continues to serve up five-star luxury in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. The rooms are classic and there’s a 24-hour gym and open-air pool, as well as the famous Chinese restaurant T’ang Court Click here.
MARCO POLO HONGKONG HOTEL Map Luxury Hotel $$$
2113 0088; www.marcopolohotels.com; Harbour City, 3-9 Canton Rd; s/d/ste from $2450/2550/4900; Star Ferry, MTR Tsim Sha Tsui (exit E);
This is the daddy of the Marco Polo Hotel group’s Canton Rd trio. Closest to the Star Ferry and the most highly priced, it has large and well-appointed rooms, and an outdoor pool that it shares with Gateway and Prince. The 433-room Marco Polo Gateway ( Map; 2113 0888; 13 Canton Rd; s $2050-2350, d $2150-2450, ste from $3650; ) and the smaller Marco Polo Prince ( Map; 2113 1888; 23 Canton Rd; s $2400-2700, d $2500-2800, 1-/2-person ste from $3200/3300; ) are both a step