Where to Stay in Hong Kong: Best Areas by Trip Type

The short answer. Stay in Tsim Sha Tsui for a first trip, Central or Wan Chai if your evenings are the point, Causeway Bay for shopping and families, and Mong Kok or Jordan if you want the lowest rates and a local street. The MTR and the Star Ferry cross the harbour in minutes, so the side you pick matters less than how close the hotel is to a station.

Roam Hong Kong read 20 guides on this question in English, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French and German. The areas below follow how many of them name each one, and they don’t all agree. Hong Kong has no price index on this site, so no room rates are printed here. Check current rates for your dates, and expect small rooms (3 of 20 guides say so). The ferry hours and airport fares come from the operators. Put your dates into the map to see what’s on, read from the organisers’ own pages.

The areas side by side

Tsim Sha Tsui

Recommended by 14 of 20 guides read.

Tsim Sha Tsui is where the guides send a first visit, and the reason is the view. The waterfront promenade faces the Hong Kong Island skyline, and the Symphony of Lights starts at 8pm every night, though it’s called off when Tropical Cyclone Signal 3 or higher, or a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning, is issued at or after 3pm (Avenue of Stars). The Star Ferry to Central runs from 06:30 to 23:30, with sailings every 6 to 12 minutes and an upper-deck adult fare of HK$5.0 on weekdays and HK$6.5 at weekends and on public holidays (Star Ferry).

The drawbacks are crowds and noise. Several guides call it touristy, and one says it’s not the place for peace. If you’re staying near Nathan Road, ask for a room off the main street.

Central and Wan Chai

Central: recommended by 16 of 20 guides read. Wan Chai: 13 of 20.

Central is the pick for nightlife and for top-end hotels. Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo are on the doorstep, so book a room away from the bars if you want to sleep. Two things come up again and again. It’s the dearest area, and it’s hilly, which matters with heavy luggage or small children. The Airport Express ends at Hong Kong Station in Central.

Wan Chai is the lower-priced neighbour. Guides describe it as a mix of temples, markets and bars, and several name it as the better-value way to stay on the island. One advises taking the southern, quieter end of the district rather than the bar streets.

Causeway Bay

Recommended by 15 of 20 guides read.

Causeway Bay is for shopping and for families, with Victoria Park close by. The cost is crowds, especially at weekends, and one guide says it lacks historic charm.

Mong Kok, Jordan and Yau Ma Tei

Recommended by 18 of 20 guides read.

This is the area guides name most, mainly for budget rooms and street food. Mong Kok has the Ladies’ Market, and Jordan and Yau Ma Tei have the Temple Street Night Market. Guides that name it for a budget also call it loud, crowded and compact. One guide advises against the cheapest guesthouses in the big Nathan Road buildings, where it says rooms can be tiny and windowless. One guide recommends it for a day visit rather than as a base.

Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Pun, Lantau and the rest

Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun: 9 of 20. Lantau and the airport: 9 of 20.

Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun suit a quieter stay with cafes and galleries a few stops from Central, though some of the streets climb steeply. Lantau and Tung Chung make sense for a night before an early flight or for Hong Kong Disneyland, and the guides that name them say they’re too far out to be a sightseeing base.

Less common picks include North Point, Hung Hom and Kowloon City as value bases (3 guides) and Sha Tin for families and hikers (4 guides). The airport matters for logistics. On an Octopus, the Airport Express costs HK$120 from Hong Kong Station, HK$105 from Kowloon and HK$73 from Tsing Yi, according to the MTR’s fare data, and trains run about every 10 minutes (MTR). The airport page lists the buses and taxis.

About the hotels

No hotel is named here. Roam Hong Kong names a hotel only when a search confirms it exists where the page says, and the guides read disagree on which hotels to pick, so this page sticks to areas. Look for these things when you book.

• A hotel within a few minutes’ walk of an MTR exit. One guide calls the station more important than the district.
• A room size you can live with. Standard rooms are small, so take a bigger room if you have a lot of luggage.
• A room on the side away from the street if you’re by Nathan Road, Lockhart Road or Lan Kwai Fong.
• Dates outside big events. The Lunar New Year and the large trade fairs fill hotels and raise rates.

Verdicts by trip type

First trip. Tsim Sha Tsui, for the view and the ferry. Central if you’d rather be on the island with the Peak Tram nearby.

Tight budget. Mong Kok, Jordan or Yau Ma Tei. Pick a room near a station.

Nightlife. Central, or Wan Chai for lower rates. Request a room away from the bars.

Shopping. Causeway Bay. For markets, Mong Kok.

Families. Causeway Bay, or Tsim Sha Tsui for its flat promenade. Lantau suits a Disneyland trip.

Couples. Central or Sheung Wan, or a harbour-view room in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Early flight. A night at the airport end of Lantau, or Kowloon and Hong Kong Stations, which have the Airport Express.

Light sleepers. Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Pun or a room off the main street anywhere.

Longer stay. Choose a base near an MTR line and use the day trips guide for the islands and Macau.

For help choosing between the two sides of the harbour, read Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. The things to do guide shows what each area puts you near, and the travel tips page covers the Octopus card and the airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the best place to stay in Hong Kong for a first visit?

Tsim Sha Tsui, in the guides that name a first-visit area. It faces the skyline, the Star Ferry leaves from it, and the MTR is close.

Is Tsim Sha Tsui a good place to stay?

Most guides say yes for a first trip. They warn about crowds and noise, so ask for a room off the street.

Is Mong Kok a good place to stay?

For a budget and a local street, yes. It’s loud and crowded, and rooms are small, so it works best if you plan to be out all day.

Is it better to stay on Hong Kong Island or in Kowloon?

Both work. See Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. The Star Ferry crosses the harbour from 06:30 to 23:30, and the MTR runs between the two sides.

How much do hotels cost in Hong Kong?

This site prints no hotel rates, because the rates change with the date and the event calendar. Compare your dates on a booking site.

Which area is best for the airport?

The Airport Express stops at Hong Kong Station in Central, at Kowloon Station and at Tsing Yi. For a very early flight, some guides suggest sleeping on Lantau.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Temple Street Night Market Yau Ma Tei and Jordan Photo: DavidSandoz Star Ferry Pier Tsim Sha Tsui and West Kowloon Photo: TravelingOtter Western Market Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun Photo: chinnian