Lonely Planet China

by Lonely Planet

  Lording it over the southern tip of Kowloon, Hong Kong’s finest hotel exudes colonial elegance. Your dilemma will be how to get here: landing on the rooftop helipad or arriving in one of the hotel’s 14-strong fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms. Some 300 classic European-style rooms sport wi-fi, CD and DVD players, as well as marble bathrooms.

  oHyatt Regency Tsim Sha TsuiHOTEL$$$

  (尖沙咀凱悅酒店 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2311 1234; http://hongkong.tsimshatsui.hyatt.com; 18 Hanoi Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; r/ste from HK$2150/3600; iWs; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit D2)

  Top marks to this classic that exudes understated elegance and composure. Rooms are plush and relatively spacious, with those on the upper floors commanding views over the city. Black-and-white photos of Tsim Sha Tsui add a thoughtful touch to the decor. The lobby gets crowded at times, but the helpful and resourceful staff will put you at ease.

  Ritz-Carlton Hong KongHOTEL$$$

  (麗思卡爾頓酒店 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2263 2263; www.ritzcarlton.com; 1 Austin Rd W, Tsim Sha Tsui; r HK$5000-9900, ste from HK$9000; Ws; mKowloon, exit C1 or D1)

  Sitting on Kowloon Station, this out-of-the-way luxury hotel is the tallest hotel on earth (the lobby's on the 103rd floor). To echo the theme of excess, the decor is over the top with imposing furniture and a superfluity of shiny surfaces, the service is stellar, Tin Lung Heen (天龍軒 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2263 2270; www.ritzcarlton.com/hongkong; 102nd fl, Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, 1 Austin Rd W, International Commerce Centre; meals HK$400-1700; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-10.30pm; mKowloon, exit U3) serves top-notch Chinese food, and the views on a clear day are mind-blowing.

  CHUNGKING MANSIONS

  Say ‘budget accommodation’ and ‘Hong Kong’ in one breath and everyone thinks of Chungking Mansions. Built in 1961, CKM is a labyrinth of homes, guesthouses, Indian restaurants, souvenir stalls and foreign-exchange shops spread over five 17-storey blocks in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. According to anthropologist Gordon Mathews, it has a resident population of about 4000 and an estimated 10,000 daily visitors. More than 120 different nationalities – predominantly South Asian and African – pass through its doors in a single year.

  Though standards vary significantly, most of the guesthouses at CKM are clean and quite comfortable. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that rooms are usually the size of cupboards and you have to shower right next to the toilet. The rooms typically come with air-con and TV and, sometimes, a phone. Many guesthouses can get you a Chinese visa quickly, most have internet access and some have wi-fi and laundry service.

  Bargaining for a bed or room is always possible, though you won’t get very far in the high season. You can often negotiate a cheaper price if you stay more than, say, a week, but never try that on the first night – stay one night and find out how you like it before handing over more rent. Once you pay, there are usually no refunds.

  Though there are dozens of ever-changing hostels in Chungking Mansions, some reliable ones include New China Guesthouse (新欣欣賓館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 9489 3891; http://newchinaguesthouse.com; Flat D7, 9th fl, D Block, Chungking Mansions; r from HK$230; W; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit D1), Park Guesthouse (百樂賓館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2368 1689; fax 2367 7889; Flat A1, 15th fl, A Block, Chungking Mansions; s from HK$250, d from HK$450, without bathroom HK$200; W; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit D1), Holiday Guesthouse ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 9121 8072, 852 2316 7152; fax 2316 7181; Flat E1, 6th fl, E Block, Chungking Mansions; s HK$250-600, d HK$350-700; iW; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit D1) and Dragon Inn (龍滙賓館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2368 2007; www.dragoninn.info; Flat B5, 3rd fl, B Block, Chungking Mansions, Tsim Sha Tsui; s HK$180-400, d HK$360-680, honeymoon rooms HK$660, tr HK$480, q HK$520; W; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit D1).

  Movie buffs note: it was at nearby Mirador Mansion – and not Chungking Mansions – where Wong Kar-wai filmed most of Chungking Express (1994).

  New Territories

  Tao Fong Shan Ascension HouseHOSTEL$

  (道風山昇天屋 GOOGLE MAP ; www.ascensionhousehk.com; 33 Tao Fong Shan Rd, Sha Tin; dm HK$180-300; mSha Tin, exit B)

  Located at the edge of the Tao Fong Shan (道風山基督教叢林 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2694 4038; 33 Tao Fong Shan Rd, Sha Tin) compound is Ascension House with four basic air-conditioned dorms accommodating two or three people. Bathrooms are shared and guests have use of a kitchen. It's managed by volunteers from Scandinavia, who also lead daily prayers, host cookouts and arrange weekend outings. Participation is optional.

  Ascension House is only open to overseas backpackers. At exit B of Sha Tin MTR station, walk down the ramp, passing a series of old village houses on the left. To the left of these houses is a set of steps signposted ‘To Fung Shan’. Follow the path all the way to the top. The walk should take around 20 minutes. A taxi from the nearest MTR station in Sha Tin will cost about HK$38, under HK$30 from Tai Wai MTR station.

  oCampus Hong KongHOSTEL$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2945 1111; www.campushk.com; 123 Castle Peak Rd, Yau Kom Tau, Tsuen Wan; dm HK$190-260, r HK$700-1000; s; mTsuen Wan)

  Fabulous hostel for university students that also entertains backpackers whenever rooms are available, but especially during the summer months. The 48 rooms with four beds each feature nifty communal and study spaces, kitchenette and shower. It's part of a serviced apartment complex (Bay Bridge Hong Kong) and hostel guests also get to enjoy the sea views, the fitness room and the swimming pool.

  Weekly rates are HK$1200 to HK$1500 per room, and monthly HK$5000 (over six months) or HK$5500 (under six months). There's free shuttle bus service to Tsuen Wan MTR station. At exit B of Tsuen Wan MTR station, turn right and ascend some stairs to Tai Ho Rd North and you'll see the shuttle bus station for Bay Bridge Hong Kong.

  Outlying Islands

  With the exception of Lantau, there are no international-style hotels on any of the Outlying Islands. Instead, you'll find local guesthouses and beach inns, as well as some camping opportunities.

  PRICE RANGES

  EATING

  The prices below are based on a two-course meal with a drink.

  $ less than HK$200

  $$ HK$200–500

  $$$ more than HK$500

  SLEEPING

  Nightly rates for a double room:

  $ less than HK$900

  $$ HK$900–1900

  $$$ more than HK$1900

  Monthly rates for a one-bedroom apartment:

  $ less than HK$15,000

  $$ HK$15,000–25,000

  $$$ more than HK$25,000

  5Eating

  One of the world's top culinary capitals, the city that worships the God of Cookery has many a demon in the kitchen, whether the deliciousness in the pot is Cantonese, Sichuanese, Japanese or French. So deep is the city's love of food and so broad its culinary repertoire that whatever your gastronomic desires, Hong Kong will find a way to sate them. The answer could be a bowl of wonton noodles, freshly steamed dim sum, a warm pineapple bun wedged with butter, a pair of the sweetest prawns, your first-ever stinky tofu, or the creations of the latest celebrity chef.

  Central District

  Many of the city's poshest, most multi-starred restaurants are in Central, though there's also no shortage of affordable lunch spots popular with local workers.

  oTim Ho Wan, the Dim Sum SpecialistsDIM SUM$

  (添好運點心專門店 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2332 3078; www.timhowan.com; Shop 12a, Podium Level 1, 8 Finance St, IFC Mall, Central; dishes HK$50; h9am-8.30pm; mHong Kong, exit E1)

  Opened by a former Four Seasons chef, Tim Ho Wan was the first-ever budget dim sum place to receive a Michelin star. Many relocations and branches later, the star is still tucked snugly inside its tasty titbits, including the top-selling baked barbecue pork bun. Expect to wait 15 to 40 minutes for a table.

  City Hall Maxim’s PalaceDIM SUM$

  (美心皇宮 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2521 1303; 3rd fl, Lower Block, Hong Kong City Hall, 1 Edinburgh Pl, Central; meals from HK$150; h11am-3pm Mon-Sat, 9am-3pm Sun; Wc; mCentral, exit K)

&nb
sp; This 'palace' offers the quintessential Hong Kong dim sum experience. It's cheerful, it's noisy and it takes place in a huge kitschy hall with dragon decorations and hundreds of locals. A dizzying assortment of dim sum is paraded on trolleys the old-fashioned way. There’s breakfast on Sunday from 9am, but people start queuing for a table at 8.30am.

  A seat by the window will let you see the harbour or, a more common sight, land reclamation in progress.

  oLung King HeenCANTONESE, DIM SUM$$$

  (龍景軒 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 3196 8888; www.fourseasons.com/hongkong; Four Seasons Hotel, 8 Finance St, Central; lunch HK$200-500, dinner HK$500-2000; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-10.30pm; W; mHong Kong, exit E1)

  The world’s first Chinese restaurant to receive three Michelin stars still retains them. The Cantonese food, though by no means peerless in Hong Kong, is excellent in both taste and presentation, and when combined with the harbour views and the impeccable service, provides a truly stellar dining experience. The signature steamed lobster and scallop dumplings sell out early.

  The Peak & Northwest Hong Kong Island

  Restaurants in Soho have a pre-clubbing vibe; the majority are midrange or above. Sheung Wan has more local flavour, and is known for Chinese places that keep their quality high but profiles low. Further west, a hip new dining scene is taking shape. Quality choices on the Peak are sparse, though eateries make smart use of the gorgeous views.

  oDumpling YuanDUMPLINGS$

  (餃子園 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2541 9737; 98 Wellington St, Soho; meals from HK$40; h11am-10.30pm Mon-Sat; v; g40M)

  Locals and visitors from the north flock to this little shop for its nine varieties of juicy bundles of heaven, more commonly known as lamb and cumin, pork and chives, egg and tomato or vegetarian dumplings.

  oKau Kee RestaurantNOODLES$

  (九記牛腩 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2850 5967; 21 Gough St, Sheung Wan; meals from HK$40; h12.30-7.15pm & 8.30-11.30pm Mon-Sat; mSheung Wan, exit E2)

  You can argue till the noodles go soggy about whether Kau Kee has the best beef brisket in town. Whatever the verdict, the meat – served with toothsome noodles in a fragrant beefy broth – is hard to beat. During the 90 years of the shop's existence, film stars and politicians have joined the queue for a table.

  oLuk Yu Tea HouseCANTONESE$$

  (陸羽茶室 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2523 5464; 24-26 Stanley St, Lan Kwai Fong; meals HK$300; h7am-10pm, dim sum to 5.30pm; c; mCentral, exit D2)

  This gorgeous teahouse (c 1933), known for its masterful cooking and Eastern art deco decor, was the haunt of opera artists, writers and painters (including the creator of one exorbitant ink-and-brush gracing a wall) who came to give recitals and discuss the national fate. The food is old-school Cantonese fare such as sweet-and-sour pork, prawn toast and a variety of dim-sum dumplings and pastries.

  oThe BossCANTONESE$$$

  (波士廳 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2155 0552; www.theboss1.com; Basement, 58-62 Queen’s Rd Central, Central; lunch/dinner sets from HK$230/680; h11.30am-midnight Mon-Sat, from 11am Sun; W; mCentral, exit D2)

  Awarded one Michelin star, the Boss is a perfectionist. The flawless service, austere modern decor, and meticulous kitchen point to high expectations being imposed. The old-school Cantonese dishes are impressive, notably the deep-fried chicken pieces with home-fermented shrimp paste, and the baked-crab casserole. Dim sum, made with first-rate ingredients, is available at lunch.

  Aberdeen & South Hong Kong Island

  Choices in Shek O and Repulse Bay are sparse, but you’ll still manage to eat decently and enjoy the views on the coast. Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau are home to quite a few excellent seafood places that offer a unique cultural experience. These warehouse districts also have a growing number of restaurants that cater to more Westernised palates.

  oAberdeen Fish Market Yee Hope Seafood RestaurantCANTONESE, SEAFOOD$$

  (香港仔魚市場二合海鮮餐廳 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 5167 1819, 852 2177 7872; 102 Shek Pai Wan Rd, Aberdeen; meals from $350; h4am-4pm; g107)

  Hidden in Hong Kong's only wholesale fish market, this understated eatery run by fishers is truly an in-the-know place for ultrafresh seafood. There’s no menu, but tell them your budget and they’ll source the best sea creatures available, including ones you don't normally see in restaurants, and apply their Midas touch to them.

  The restaurant serves as a canteen for the fishers in the market and you'll see men in gumboots dropping in for beer, Hong Kong–style French toast and other cha chaan tang (teahouse) staples throughout the day. Walk-in customers can do the same. There’s no English sign; look for the nondescript one-storey yellow building with a green roof at the end of the fish market.

  You'll need a Cantonese-speaking friend to help you if you'd like to book a table; organise at least two days in advance (two weeks for weekends).

  Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island

  Admiralty has a few exceptional restaurants. Wan Chai, with its wealth of cuisines in all price ranges, is Hong Kong’s food capital, while Causeway Bay is an eclectic amalgam of eateries, many upscale, many Japanese. Down-at-heel North Point is home to a wonderful dai pai dong (大牌檔; food stall). Further afield, Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho offer good-value Canto staples and street eats.

  oAtum DesserantSWEETS$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2956 1411, 852 2377 2400; www.atumhk.com; 16th fl, The L Square, 459-461 Lockhart Rd, Causeway Bay; desserts from HK$138; h2.45pm-midnight Mon-Thu, from 1pm Fri-Sun; mCauseway Bay, exit C)

  Hop onto a stool, hook your bag under the counter and watch museum-worthy desserts materialise with some help from liquid nitrogen and the owner's years as a pastry chef at the Mandarin Oriental. Improvisation (HK$348 for two) is confectionery, fruits and ice cream arranged like a Jackson Pollock crossbred with a Monet. And it's not just for show – flavours are surprisingly well balanced.

  Booking advised.

  Kam's Roast GooseCANTONESE$

  (甘牌燒鵝 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2520 1110; www.krg.com.hk; 226 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai; meals HK$70-200; h11.30am-9pm; mWan Chai, exit A2)

  One of two spin-offs from Central's famed Yung Kee Restaurant (鏞記 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2522 1624; www.yungkee.com.hk; 32-40 Wellington St, Lan Kwai Fong; lunch HK$150-400, dinner from HK$450; h11am-10.30pm; c; mCentral, exit D2), Kam's clearly still upholds the same strict standards in the sourcing and roasting of the city's most glorified roast goose. Besides the juicy crisp-skinned fowl (of which the best cut is the leg), other barbecued meats such as roast suckling pig are well worth sinking your teeth into.

  oChoi's KitchenCANTONESE$$

  (私房蔡 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 3485 0501; Shop C, ground fl, Hoi Kok Mansion, 9 Whitfield Rd, Tin Hau; mains from HK$128; h11am-3pm & 6-10pm; mTin Hau, exit A)

  This charming shop refines common Cantonese dishes by using only fresh, high-quality ingredients and restraint in seasoning. The signature claypot rice is made to order and is only available at dinner. Decor is understated faux-retro to reflect the restaurant's origin as a dai pai dong (大牌檔; food stall). Prices are a far cry from those days, but the (well-heeled) customers keep coming.

  Booking advised or go early.

  oFortune KitchenCANTONESE$$

  (盈福小廚 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2697 7317; 5 Lan Fong Rd, Causeway Bay; mains HK$100-500; h11.30am-5pm & 6-10.30pm; mCauseway Bay, exit A)

  Despite the old-fashioned Chinatown name, Fortune Kitchen is decorated like an old teahouse and serves homey but sophisticated Cantonese at wallet-friendly prices. The owner was a sous-chef at a Michelin-star restaurant and his culinary skills are evident in dishes such as the signature steamed chicken with dried scallops and the eponymous fried rice. Booking advised.

  Kowloon

  Kowloon doesn’t have quite as many upmarket restaurants as Hong Kong Island but there’s a riveting assortment of Chinese and Asian eateries to fit all budgets in Tsim Sha Tsui. For hearty local fare, head for Yau Ma Tei or Mong Kok. Kowloon City is renowned for its many Thai eateries.


  oSun SinNOODLES$

  (新仙清湯腩 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2332 6872; 37 Portland St, Yau Ma Tei; meals HK$40-65; h11am-midnight; mYau Ma Tei, exit B2)

  A Michelin-praised brisket shop in a 'hood known for brothels, Sun Sin has kept quality up and prices down despite its laurels. The succulent cuts of meat are served in a broth with radish, in a chunky tomato soup, or as a curry. At peak times, makeshift tables are available upstairs for those who prize food over comfort.

  oChicken HOF & Soju KoreanKOREAN$

  (李家; Chicken MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2375 8080; ground fl, 84 Kam Kok Mansion, Kimberley Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; meals from HK$150; h5pm-4am; mJordan, exit D)

  This place with darkened windows may look dodgy from the outside, but in fact it’s a Korean gastropub with a friendly owner who’ll holler a greeting when customers enter. The excellent fried chicken, made with a light and crispy batter, comes in five versions. Traditional fare such as Korean barbecue is also available. If you need to ask directions, locals often refer to this place as 'Lee Family Chicken'. A long queue is the norm.

  oDin Tai FungTAIWANESE, NOODLES$$

  (鼎泰豐 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2730 6928; www.dintaifung.com.hk; Shop 130, 3rd fl, Silvercord, 30 Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; meals HK$120-300; h11.30am-10.30pm; c; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit C1)