[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he last time I was in Hong Kong was when my younger brother Orman, gifted me with a 4-day long vacation to the place about a few years back.
We opted for the cheapest accommodations we could find and booked a room at one of the mini hotels at the Chungking Mansions in Kowloon. We presumed that we would just be needing a place just to leave our things while we spend most of our time touring and shopping.
The room we got was cramped for both big men like us and we could hardly move around our bath room. The hotel had no lobby, just a small check in counter and no cafeteria. But worst of all, for bloggers like us, it had no complimentary wifi. And much more, each time we went out, we had to wade through a crowd of hawkers, sellers and what have you’s. It was scary. Never again, we said to ourselves!
Fast forward to 2016.
An opportunity came to me to travel again to Hong Kong. This time however, I wanted to stay at Hong Kong Island having spent time at Kowloon already. So with a friend, we booked ourselves to a new budget hotel located at the fashionable Causeway Bay that is fast becoming a byword among travel bloggers.
This is mini hotel Causeway Bay, which actually is more than what its name suggests, as we found out later on.
mini hotel Causeway Bay
We got ourselves a miniQ Room that costs a little under P2,600 per night which was 30% discounted after booking online at http://minihotel.hk, a month in advanced of our stay. Sometimes, rates go as low as P1,500. You may also try booking it via Agoda.
Since space is a premium in Hong Kong, we understandably got a small room that, fortunately, made wisely good use of its limited space with a double-decked bed that was beautifully adorned with swaths of white transparent cloth from the ceiling. Topping it all, each deck that can comfortably accommodate two persons each, had very soft and fluffly pillows and linens that are de riguer for more expensive hotels!
Click on each photo below for larger views of the room.
The toilet which was separated from the shower by a curtain, was a welcome development since it was more spacious than what we were expecting. The hotel also didn’t skimp on our towels cause we were provided with thick, soft, large ones that could be wrapped around my 40 inch waist. And yes, we had a bidet, something that hotels all over the world should have! Woohoo!
CLICK on these photos for larger views.
Our room had basic amenities like a 32” LCD Television, a hair dryer, an electric kettle, coffee pods and plastic cups. What made us dance with joy however, is the speedy Wi-Fi that had us sharing our photos on social media in no time at all.
mini hotel Lobby
What stands out at mini hotel Causeway Bay though is its spacious and stylish lobby. Decorated with all sorts of conversation pieces like contemporary art and antiques, the place evokes a bohemian feel, and is welcoming and homey.
Each corner and spot is instagrammable and I must have taken more than enough selfies to last a lifetime while lounging there.
Hotel guests can drink their complimentary coffee pods here through their coffee machine at one corner. A vending machine dispensing drinks, snacks, toiletries stands at another corner. Magazines and local newspapers are available and just like the rooms, wifi here is fast and furious.
Dining and Shopping Haven
With regard to the choice of dining, shopping and entertainment, mini hotel Causeway Bay is definitely the best choice for budget travelers like us.
A few meters from the hotel, we had truly Chinese style breakfasts at Kam Kee Café (5 Sharp Street East, 4-minute walk) which serves the best congee ever and at the Fung Shing Restaurant (Leighton Road, 2-minute walk) that satisfied my cravings for dimsum. Each restaurant set us off at around P200 each.
CLICK on each photo for larger views.
Dinner was at the glamorous Times Square, one of Hong Kong Island’s must-visit malls and certainly the grandest. My companion was salivating for siao long bao and so, using Google Maps, we located the very famous Crystal Jade Lamian Xiao Long Bao Restaurant at the Times Square Mall.
Foodies as we are, we also had a great time at Food Republic, a food court at the upper floor of a building along Hennesy Road, East Point, about 7 minutes walk from mini hotel Causeway Bay. The place serves all sorts of Asian Cuisine – Malaysian, Hong Kongese, Chinese, Thai, Cantonese, etc.
Of course, there’s the numerous 7-11 stores if you want to scrimp. PLUS, the ubiquitous street hawkers and night food markets nearby. CLICK on these photos for larger views.
AND if Starbucks is your thing, there is one about 20 meters away from the hotel where you could buy your souvenir Starbucks Mug. CLICK on these photos for larger views.
As for shopping, consider these names whose flagship stores are located within walking distance from the hotel: Forever 21, Uniqlo, Gucci, Zara, Nautica, Ralph Lauren, Ikea, Sogo, Times Square plus many more.
Of course, if you are into budget shopping, there are also lots of local brands and mom-and-pop stores selling inexpensive apparel. It is definitely a shopping paradise for all economic classes.
How to get there
From the Hong Kong International Airport, you may reach mini hotel Causeway Bay by taking the:
1) A11 Bus to Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay (fare: HK$40); or
2) the Airport Express to Hong Kong and transit to Causeway Bay (fare: HK$100)
CLICK on these photos for larger views.
Mini hotel Causeway Bay is also within 6 minutes walk of metro and tram stations and an 11-minute walk from Victoria Park on the harbor. It can be found at a very safe location at 8 Sun Wui Road, East Point, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.
The last word
Was I satisfied at the service of the staff of mini hotel Causeway Bay?
Happy to say that I am. The front desk managers were polite and accommodating and our requests were easily attended to. All in all, it was one pleasurable easy-on-the-pocket vacay right at the midst of Hong Kong island’s famed shopping mecca.
However, I would have been doubly pleased if I was able to get a Free Pocket Wifi that I could take around my tour of Hong Kong. Too bad that they ran out of it when I was there.
Be the first to write a comment.