While Australia’s popular masses are fleeing the country this winter in search of balmy European climes, it’s only a slight exaggeration to say that every other travel writer I’ve spoken to this past quarter appears to be headed for hotels in Asia — more specifically, Hong Kong.
Quite aside from the fact that the Asian financial centre has staged a massive comeback since late 2022 (the Hong Kong Tourism Board has allocated some $48 million to secure that momentum), there are also a number of contextual reasons as to why this year promises to be such a busy one in the +852.
For starters, the 500,000 free flights issued by the various local airlines have certainly expedited things; while the return of major regional events like Clockenflap or the ‘Asia’s 50 Best’ awards ceremonies gives international visitors a real occasion to visit.
RELATED: An Insider’s Travel Guide To 96 Hours In Hong Kong
This, invariably, brings us to a discussion about hotels: whether you plan on being right in the thick of things on Hong Kong Island, or holed up across the water in vibrant Tsim Sha Tsui.
Superficially, this shortlist shall look a lot like any other ‘best hotels’ round-up you’ve seen floating about the internet; but — assuming you haven’t scrolled straight past these introductory pleasantries in search of the Table of Contents — my hope is you’ll get something additional out of our guide to the best hotels in Hong Kong.
Much of that is down to my personal fondness for and lived experience in many of these hotels: a privilege that I don’t take for granted; and am excited to leverage for the benefit of our readers — whether you’re a Platinum card-carrying business traveller or simply hankering for a holiday, I invite you to peruse some of our favourite properties in Hong Kong.
BH Approved: The Best Hotel In Hong Kong That Is A Must-Book In 2024
Offering full-turbo excellence across any metric one cares to judge hotels by (e.g. location, dining, facilities — you name it) the ‘secret sauce’ of the OG Mandarin, a property which now lends its name to some of the most sumptuous luxury accommodations around the globe, is in its service.
Take a look around the gilded and exquisitely perfumed lobby — ‘cosy’ by the standards of Hong Kong’s newer mega-luxury hotels — and you’ll be reminded of such other iconic institutions as The Savoy or Imperial Hotel.
Translation: there are oodles of character to be enjoyed here.
From the smartly liveried waiters who will pour you a perfect silver tankard of lager at The Chinnery to the beaming therapists who have made The Mandarin Spa a health & wellness destination renowned across the region; there really aren’t enough superlatives in the world’s biggest thesaurus that capture Hongkongers’ love for this grand, elegantly aged dame of a hotel.
And if you ask me? In 2024, it just might be superior to its erstwhile rival across the harbour. No mean feat.
Interested in a more in-depth analysis of why this property cracked our list? Then check out the full Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong hotel review.
Table of Contents
The Best Hong Kong Hotels To Book In 2024
Hong Kong Island
Island Shangri-La (REVIEWED)
A game-changer of a hotel in Hong Kong when it first opened back in 1991, the Shangri-La group’s East Asia flagship has benefited from an extensive (and to our minds, long overdue) renovation over the past two years.
Admittedly, that’s not a simple task when one’s occupancy consists of 531 rooms and 34 suites: a sense of scale guests shall be immediately struck by upon crossing the hotel’s inner atrium (Pro Tip: look out for the 51-metre-high silk tapestry, bound to enliven the journey from your room down to the lobby).
With direct access to the adjoining Pacific Place retail complex; Michelin dining options; and a newly revamped spa and fitness centre, this property succeeds in a big way because of its versatility — particularly if your itinerary calls for a mixing of both business and pleasure.
Interested in a more in-depth analysis of why this property cracked our list? Then check out the full Island Shangri-La Hong Kong hotel review.
The St. Regis Hong Kong
Pitched at a slight remove from the relentless energy of Central, the St. Regis brand’s local outpost is located in the easterly Hong Kong Island district of Wanchai — an area well-known for its preponderance of excellent regional Chinese eateries and (somewhat less excitingly) the Hong Kong Convention Center.
When the property made its debut in 2019, luxury travellers clutched their pearls at the sight of its thoroughly contemporary look and emphasis on modernity. Despite that, it has gradually established itself as a favourite of elite business travellers — particularly those who don’t need instant access to the city’s major financial institutions — and monied creatives; wearing its association with the Marriott Group (St. Regis’ parent operator) very lightly.
Still, in the bones, the diligent observer will be able to discern the famed ‘House of Astor’ DNA. Communal spaces are delicately scented; Champagne is sabered (and then divvied out amongst unsuspecting guests) during the week; and, despite its location, there’s a palpably private ambience built into the whole affair.
JW Marriott Hong Kong
The flagship ‘classic luxury’ brand in the Marriott International stable, JW Marriott’s Hong Kong property jostles for position (quite literally) among some of the best hotels on Hong Kong Island.
Located on the iconic mixed-use thoroughfare in Admiralty known as Queensway, the highest possible compliment that I can pay JW Marriott Hong Kong is that it is a well-oiled, quintessentially commercial ‘big brand’ hotel.
That, we assure you, is a good thing: with 600+ rooms to choose from; all of Hong Kong’s most popular international cuisines covered; and a palatial swimming pool that many locals rank as the ideal incentive for a staycation, this is a reliable choice regardless of when and why you visit Hong Kong.
Four Seasons Hong Kong (REVIEWED)
While Mike White’s excellent HBO dramedy The White Lotus would have you believe that the allure of the Four Seasons is in secluded, splashy (and possibly lethal) coastal resorts; it has, to the best of my own experience, always been a brand which thrives in the city.
The Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong is an exemplary case study of this phenomenon.
7 Michelin stars? Check. Bevvy of industry awards? Check. 25-minute train ride to Hong Kong International Airport? You betcha.
The point being (without wishing to get carried away), this is a hotel in which every possible inconvenience has been eliminated — minus your bill. Demonstrably able to offer something to every stripe of guest, whether they’re a high-flying executive; intrepid foodie; generous parent; or a wellness fiend, this Four Seasons property is an excellent launchpad for all of your activities in Hong Kong that is almost without equal.
Interested in a more in-depth analysis of why this property cracked our list? Then check out the full Four Seasons Hong Kong hotel review.
The Upper House (REVIEWED)
Another one of these ‘urban sanctuary’ type hotels that precipitated a sea-change in the way luxury hospitality is executed across Asia, you can make a very good case that The Upper House is the one truly iconic Hong Kong property to have emerged during the 2010s.
Discreet, residential and without so much as a single fine dining restaurant (a point of early controversy now rendered largely moot) the many years of success The Upper House has enjoyed can be traced, concomitantly, to an evolution in how the ultra-wealthy do luxury travel.
To be sure, there is the perfunctory contingent of hedge fund types and blood-sucking lawyers; but, by and large, the clientele which gives this hotel its suave, boutique-y renown is stacked heavily with creative professionals (many of whom are dyed-in-the-wool Hong Kong locals).
The absence of a pool or endless F&B destinations doesn’t sting either. Probably because The Upper House’s elegant rooms — masterminded by local interiors maven André Fu — are such a damnable pleasure to spend time in. Originally conceived as serviced apartments by Swire Group (who also double as the hotel’s owner-operators), even your garden variety stay here unfurls across a floorspace that’s famously 40% bigger than most of the city’s flats.
Oh, and each room’s minibar (minus some rather obvious spirited exceptions) is complimentary. Appropriate, given the whole property’s absolute snack of a view.
Interested in a more in-depth analysis of why this property cracked our list? Then check out the full Upper House Hong Kong hotel review.
The Landmark Mandarin Oriental (REVIEWED)
Situated an almost comically short distance from its classical sibling property (i.e. five minute’ walk on a slow day) The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, often referred to by shorthand as ‘Landmark MO’, is the other feather in the cap of the eponymous luxury hotel group’s presence in Hong Kong.
Hipper and [marginally] less flashy than its sister hotel on Connaught Road; the city’s seasoned gossip columnists love to pitch this spot as the place where the young, beautiful and generationally wealthy tend to congregate when in need of some R&R. And they’re certainly not wrong.
A cavalcade of restaurants — including Chef Richard Ekkebus’s inventive two-Michelin-starred Amber — consistently draws in patrons; while the property’s many themed suites, such as one outfitted with an 85-inch cinema wall, encourage you to utilise space for purposes that go beyond the mundane.
Interested in a more in-depth analysis of why this property cracked our list? Then check out the full Landmark Mandarin Oriental review.
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Graced with what many consider to be the palatial outdoor pool in Hong Kong — Four Seasons would like a word — the Grand Hyatt sprawls across a massive seaside development in Wanchai; in close proximity to The St. Regis and Hong Kong Convention Centre.
Geared toward receiving business travellers and well-heeled family units (the property also has a lofty history of hosting visiting US presidents) the order of the day here is American hospitality invigorated with an East Asian inflection.
The sweeping lobby is a popular spot amongst Hongkongers for afternoon tea; while the signature steakhouse (hidden away behind a detached entrance just off of the porte-cochère) has long been a go-to for corporate raiders looking to mint new business.
Our advice? Retire to one of the harbour view rooms to experience some truly unforgettable panoramas; and, once you’re feeling peckish, dial down to room service for an order of what many netizens regard as Hong Kong’s best Hainanese chicken rice.
The Hari Hong Kong
An enviable perch from which to explore some of the most popular Hong Kong neighbourhoods (Causeway Bay, famous for its malls, is just 10 minutes away on foot) The Hari is equal parts boutique hotel and city bolthole.
The property is part of a burgeoning hotel group that also operates a sister property in the London neighbourhood of Belgravia, and it shows. Between the eclectic influences of its restaurants to the very tactile aesthetic that plays out across 200+ rooms (supplied by designer Tara Bernerd), there’s a strong element of British cool at work in this newest of Hong Kong hotels (which only opened in December of 2020).
Considering its location and facilities, nightly rates here also offer relatively robust value.
The Murray Hong Kong
Occupying a unique physical footprint in the pantheon of luxury hotels on Hong Kong Island, The Murray supplements its tranquil setting and impeccable design credentials with the usual assortment of dining, wellness and on-site facilities. (Pro tip: MIÁN, The Murray’s signature Chinese restaurant, focusing on a range of regional specialties with a slight lean to the food of Sichuan, is alone worth the price of admission.)
Previously a government office during the colonial era of the Hong Kong SAR, the whole façade has been up-done by British architectural firm Foster + Partners: now a distinctive matrix of recessed windows and soaring arches; gilt in metallic shades of black, white, and gold.
The property’s former use as offices means that even the smallest guestrooms here have multiple large windows and ample desk space; and this, combined with the extreme proximity to Hong Kong Park, renders an environment in which it’s surprisingly easy to be productive.
Kowloon
Rosewood Hong Kong (REVIEWED)
Despite having had the good fortune to stay at Rosewood Hong Kong some half-a-dozen times over the past few years (crucially, on my own dime and for work) I can honestly say I never tire of talking/thinking about my next visit — something I highly recommend even if you’re just passing through.
The Asian flagship at the heart of Rosewood Hotel Group’s burgeoning global ambitions, this is a hotel that it’s difficult not to be bowled over by (even if for no other reason than sheer bloody spectacle).
Yes: occasionally, the dining options can prove hit or miss; the pool area is improbably windy; and finding your way through the hotel’s labyrinthine guts takes a bit of getting used to. And yet, once that’s all accounted for, what you’re left with is that rarest of creatures in the world of luxury hotels: a true ‘destination’.
Needless to say, if you want hard intel on the hotel’s occupancy; dining options; spa offering; and all that jazz, I encourage you to take a look at our review (published earlier in the year) below.
Interested in a more in-depth analysis of why this property cracked our list? Then check out the full Rosewood Hong Kong hotel review.
K11 ARTUS
A decidedly luxe rethink on the traditional serviced apartment, K11 Artus knowingly wedges itself into the thick of the proverbial conversation — with a location that is equidistant from the newly-opened Regent and Rosewood Hong Kong.
Fortunately, the target audience is noticeably different. With an emphasis on long-term stays and as little intrusion as possible, a lot of Artus’ regulars tend to be those who prize convenience and privacy (which goes some way to explaining why young and well-heeled local families tend to be a reoccurring sight).
The property’s lofty communal spaces often serve as ad hoc showcases for the personal art collection of K11 over-boss Adrian Cheng: providing an interesting punctuation point for lovers of rare textiles and mid-century modernist design.
Regrettably, there’s only a single F&B outlet within the hotel; but it’s a forgivable flaw when one considers just how many dining options (many of which can be found in neighbouring hotels) persist on your doorstep.
Eaton HK
The cool, dialled-in neighbourhood bolthole that we were all disappointed Soho House Hong Kong didn’t turn out to be, the Eaton is a pretty unique inclusion on our list of the best Hong Kong hotels for a number of interconnected reasons.
Firstly, it’s technically a heritage property. Part of a revitalization project orchestrated by Eaton Workshop founder Katherine Lo (whose family owns/operates the property) the Eaton is located farther into the Kowloon Peninsula — in the historic and beautifully ramshackle district of Jordan.
Ideal for cosmopolitan road warriors who are keen to get amongst the ‘real’ vistas of Hong Kong (with everything good and heartbreaking that that entails) this hotel takes a number of tropes popularised by buzzy boutique operators (think The Hoxton or Trunk) and puts them to work locally.
A ‘cheap hotel’ by the admittedly grandiose standards of our list, all of the rooms at the Eaton are on the compact side (the largest ‘Artist Studio’ is around 56 sqm), yet make up for this with quality Aussie amenities, an irreverent aesthetic that is more Hackney than HK and unhurried, friendly hospitality.
The surrounding district is, inexplicably, home to some of Hong Kong’s best indie cafes (Pro Tip: try Kubrick down the road). Even if you’re staying in, between Michelin-starred Cantonese fine diner Yat Tung Heen, and the vibey rooftop bar that is Terrible Baby, you’ll be hard-pressed to have a bad meal.
The Peninsula Hong Kong
‘The Pen’, Hong Kong’s ‘Grand Old Dame’, the “finest hotel east of Suez”: The Peninsula Hong Kong has raked in a slew of honorifics over the past century, and for good reason.
Less a hotel and more of a cultural institution, that The Peninsula is so widely beloved — in a city where everybody is famously picky — speaks volumes about its centrality to the shared cultural memory of Hong Kong.
Here, you’re just as likely to rub shoulders with tycoons who’ve freshly helicoptered in from a day ‘at the office’ in Mainland China as you are awe-struck tourists, queuing diligently in the lobby for the hotel’s legendary afternoon tea spread of Devonshire scones and Deutz Champagne.
As you might expect then, old-school glamour is in plentiful supply: from classic French cuisine (that looks like it has been teleported from some grand dining room on the Place Vendôme) to the array of rooms that co-mingle a chinoiserie aesthetic with superyacht tech; it’s truly impressive, and indeed a little terrifying, how every element of hospitality at the Peninsula is so carefully considered.
Plain and simple: a must-visit for anybody curious about the difference between a great and merely good luxury hotel.
Regent Hong Kong
The newest Hong Kong hotel to grace our list (by a wide margin) The Regent is currently in soft open mode; with the balance of its 497 rooms and suites set to come fully online by the end of 2023.
Known to most Hongkongers of a millennial persuasion as the InterContinental, the property has drawn extensively on its glam 1980s heritage for this highly anticipated re-opening.
Both a remake and reimagining — to borrow from the lexicon of pop culture — the new Regent hotel incorporates artistic and experiential references to its spiritual ancestor: that’s evident in the decadent steakhouse offering and heritage details a la the lobby’s iconic marble staircase; but once you’re checked in, it’s evident this is a thoroughly modern offering.
For The Regent’s accommodative spaces, globally renowned architect Chi Wing Lo worked tirelessly to create what he calls the ‘haven’ concept: with connecting spaces and entryways all intended to give guests a feeling of their “own, castle-like domain”.
To that end, there are precious few bits of unwieldy detached furniture about the space; many of the spaces cleave to a circular motif (e.g. the moon door in most of the larger suite bathrooms); and, pointedly, there’s no artwork anywhere to be seen. Paint on canvas? Sorry: we’re afraid you’ll have to settle for glittering views of Victoria Harbour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, which hotels in Hong Kong are considered to be the best?
Accounting for awards and commercial popularity, most lists of the best Hong Kong accommodation tend to include: Mandarin Oriental, The Peninsula, Upper House and Rosewood.
When staying in Hong Kong, what are some popular tourist attractions?
How one answers this will of course be subjective, but (in no special order of importance) a couple of the most well-known tourist destinations include Ocean Park; Hong Kong Disneyland; Tai Kwun; the West Kowloon Cultural District; and Victoria Peak.
What is the best way to see Victoria Harbour?
Arguably, the only way to experience Victoria Harbour that is superior to viewing it from a suite (in one of the aforementioned Hong Kong hotels) is via a trip on the Star Ferry. These cost less than $1 to ride, with services every 10-12 minutes.
