MUST GO--- please recommend places in Hong Kong**

[lingandyang]

Hey Lili05,

i'm going to HK in Nov and will be staying at shamrock too! Was thinking to ask how is it too. . thanks for asking though, felt more at ease now too . . .

when are you going?

Berszewai,

thanks for sharing too

 

[lili05]

Hi lingandyang,

Me thought of gg in Dec or Nov, not cfm yet. Wants to go disneyland too...so where did u bk ur pkg? How much isn't & gg to stay how many days? Sorry to ask so much hee...seems like not many agency got shamrock hotel ~

 

[cassis]

Lili

No need to stay at Shamrock. I'd like to highly recommend to you ASHLEY APARTMENTS which is at a damn good location. It's right at the entrance to the underpass to Harbour City. Very near Star Ferry Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui MTR, lots of Cha Chan Tings along that stretch, convenience stores...Best of all, being a serviced apartment, it's got a kitchette with microwave, kettle,minibar, sink, utensils. It has just been renovated when I stayed there for a short period in Jul 07. The bathroom is new, the bedsheets are new...

And I'm sure u know it's a SINGAPORE hotel. By our Capitaland Ascott (Citadines group). Very reliable!!! I'll stay there again when I go there next time.

5 STAR rating.

Btw, the staff are very helpful. When I needed to receive an urgent email, colour print and fax something private to somewhere, the receptionist helped me the whole day thru the next day by standing by for the documents whilst I shopped outside. I later tipped him HKD50 for all the help he rendered to me.

Safety-wise, Ashley Rd's not seedy like Yaumatei or Mongkok area. The lift is also password protected, so no trespassing allowed.

 

[rachkev]

couldnt agree less with cassis!!!!

totally agreed on everything she listed!!!

and e rates are cheaper than Shamrock, which is already an old hotel...and ashley is located at a prime area!!!

will stay there everytime i go hk if i've e chance. hv recommended to lots of frenz, colleagues etc. and received very good feedbacks from them!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Stay there once and u would nv regret!!! would wana go back again & again!!! really enjoyed all my stays!!!

http://asiatravel.com/hongkong/citadines/index.html

 

[lingandyang]

Hi lili05,

i booked my package at people's park, an agency called i think global vacation (something like that), which is under chan brothers. I'm staying for 4D3N, and is about $600 + person. . . i know is quite ex . . . cos many pple said that. . .

Seem ashley has so many good feedback . . . too bad i already settled mine . . otherwise can consider. .

 

[lili05]

Hi Cassis,

Thanks for your recommendation. I choose the area at shamrock is becoz we are vegetarian, there's a vegetarian restaurant nearby, so it's easy to get food & moreover there are 2 kids + 1 baby coming along, so we really need MTR just at the door step. Wondering is there any vegetarian restaurant nearby Ashley Rd?

 

[cassis]

Hi Lili

OK, I fully understand now. Dun worry, there are many Vegetarian restaurants in HK, including a handful around Ashley Rd, Hankow, Peking, Canton Rd vicinity. I suggest u google the resturants and make a list and take it along with u becos u can't be eating all 3 meals at this restaurant near Shamrock rite? Surely u will be moving all over HK.

From the list below, I think there are many on the opposite side of NATHAN ROAD, i.e. at Cameron and Carnarvon Rd.
http://www.ivu.org/hkvegan/gb/main.html

If I were you, I'd take a cab and forget abt the MTR becos u hv many people to optimise the cab fare. MTR is very crowded and has many turns and staircases. It could be very taxing for a pregnant mom with 2 kids in tow. Even a non-mom like me find it taxing to climb up and down the stairs and change trains. 你真係好厲害

 

[lili05]

Hi Cassis,

Ohho..误会误会...I'm not the mother of the kids & there's no pregnant mom too..
I also want to try other vegetarian restaurant but donno isn't I'm stupid or wat...last yr when I went to HK, didn't really see many although I had been looking at the list many many times but still can't find them!

 

[cassis]

LOL! "2 kids + 1 baby coming along"

yeah, when u need them, they dun appear...i did see some when i was there, and i also ate b4 when my vegan friends in HK. just cannot recall at all...

 

[lili05]

Hi Cassis,

Just to know more, for Ashley apartment have to book directly with them right? Any agency carries this apartment?

 

[cassis]

hi Lili

have u tried booking with asiarooms.com or asiatravel.com before? i always use these websites to book.

u mentioned u wanted kettle so i thot u got to boil milk for your kids and baby!! LOL. I dun boil water in HK one, I just buy 2 litres of Watson water from the convenience stores nearby

 

[cassis]

lili, i found this pic i took in my laptop. u see, got electric stove, microwave, sink, kettle, crockery, minibar (below pic). if u need to brown-bag your vegetarian food, u can heat up in your room. but that's really drastic lah...go out and enjoy the delicious HK cuisines lah!

 

[lili05]

Tks Cassis..it looks very nice to hv all these but we are gg to disneyland for 1 night too so can't afford to book separately for hotels & airticket. Maybe the next time round if gg to HK again can try this appartment!

 

[berszewai]

Hi Cassis,

can share wif me your pics of Ashley Apartments? thinking of staying there for my next trip.

Thanks

 

[cassis]

Hi Bernard

I would love to but I've watermarked them with my REAL name for my blog, so I am reluctant to post them here for the public!!!

You can however see them on this website:

http://www.asiarooms.com/hong_kong/kowloon/ashley_apartments-hotel-gallery.html

It's VERY new and at an excellent location. But some of my SG friends claim the beds are a bit hard. I didn't find it hard personally.

 

[ketoh83]

Hi I am going HK next wk and i heard the birkenstock n polo ralph is v cheap over there any1 can recommend wher to get them?

 

[rachkev]

Ashley has been newly renovated...these are how the new rms look like and info on the size of rms:

http://www.hotelhk.com/hotel_eng.php?id=12556#

rates are very reasonable compared to shamrock & stanford which are old hotels but popular among sporean

abt S$135 for standard and S$175 for superior during e off peak seasons. definitely wont hv any probs with hard beds if u book superior or deluxe rms. but then hard beds is not an issue for me...and ya there's 2 bedrms apt too!

fell in luv with it e first time i stayed there and thereafter wont stay at others hotel anymore everytime i go over...

hv been promoting ashley to so many ppl...haha

 

[cassis]

glamour:

i saw Birkenstock at Times Square @ causeway bay. And Polo RL (not the classic RL line) boutique at Harbour City. U can google the website for more info. I do not know if they are cheaper cos I dun wear either brands. You can try to buy them in Macau or Pedder Bldg at Central.

Rachel: i didn't find it hard either, but just surprised to find some guests making that remark on tripadvisor.com

Rachel, the ChaChanteng to the left of Ashley is quite nice hor?

YMCA Salisbury is around that same price, but u hv to consider the age and condition of the property. I stayed there once with a panoramic harbour view same as Peninsula Hotel for only USD96 a few months back.

Jordan and Yaumatei are not locations that appeal to me nor cater to my needs as a shopper. I hardly go to Mongkok these days unless my hb insists on going there for the electronic stuffs.

 

[rachkev]

hey cassis,

yup some of my frenz hv made noise abt it too and switched to superior instead...but some said they like hard beds! it's really very individual!! hard to please everyone hahaha

i find tat their rates are quite reasonable compared to hotels like stanford, shamrock, mayfair which personally i really dislike...

is it the one jus rite at e corner?? only for take-aways??

btw, u frequent hk ya? ^^

 

[cassis]

Yo Rachel

no, you can sit down and eat too. The takeaway is at the junction I recall...

yes, used to be working there briefly several yrs back. got some relatives there and i still fly to visit my ex-colleagues when i need a breather from SG

 

[rachkev]

hey hey,

oh yup! but i hv not tried it cos me don really fancy hk food le..don know why also. i only take luncheon egg maggie mee in cha chan teng so anywhere also seem quite alrite for me haha. tat takeaway is not bad too. sometimes would go down to tabao in e middle of e nite as it operates till 3 or 4am in e morning.

for me, no choice...becos my bf is over there so i need to go down once a mth or bi-monthly and personally i luv hk too so take it as a shopping trip haha ^^

check wif u...is it difficult to get a job in hk for a foreigner especially when i'm not a professional???

 

[rachkev]

a piece of info to share.....

for those who don really fancy hk food jus like me and miss our local food, u can dine at our very own food republic!!! hainanese chicken rice, roti prata, fish soup, laksa, chendol, ice kachang, red bean soup, tau suan, cheng tng, bubor cha cha, etc etc!!!

there are two branches in hk:
1) city plaza in taikoo shing
2) citygate shopping mall in tung chung, jus opened only!!! super packed!!! my fren jus told me tat he's packing chicken rice back for his family!!! so happy tat he finally can get our chicken rice in hk!!!

citygate is very popular with tourists nowadays as all the shops there are wholesales outlets. for those who are going to disneyland, maybe can also drop by citygate to shop shop first as both places are only a station apart!

http://www.citygateoutlets.com.hk/index.html

 

[cassis]

mee too me too!!! I really can't get enough of HK. It's as addictive as BKK. I cannot describe my exhilaration when i step foot on HK. liberation, nostalgia...almost like "homecoming". totally obsessed with HK culture, tabloids, hustle and bustle...it's more upbeat and fast-paced than SG!

you bf is posted there or is he employed there? it'll be good to be posted there from SG office. since ur bf is there and has accommodation already, u can spend a month or so to look for a job there via the SCMP Apptmt ads. Being about to utter some Canto will be a plus for some industries.

i love Canto food. must eat my dimsum, wanton mee, kongzai min, desserts, etc. I dun go there so often these days tho my hb still travels there frequently (and when he does I tompang him to purchase my loots). I only go say 2-3X a year now when I'm sick of SG.

 

[cassis]

typo: "Being ABLE to utter some Canto will be a plus for some industries."

 

[rachkev]

haha tink we two same same...obsessed with hk!!! my frenz always scold me 'siao'!!!

he's a hker! tats e whole prob!!! he's staying wif his family and is really exp to get a place in hk even it's a mini-hole! plus they don hv cpf..buying a house has to use hard cash!!! and we hv already spent a bomb on accomodation everytime i go over. so for e past 2 trips, i stayed at his place which is at tung chung. is really very uncomfortable as he's sharing a rm wif his bro!! and u know their accomodation are very tiny-mini & only 1 bathroom!! gosh!

imagine if i go over and cant get a job, wah need to eat grass liao! moreover, their living standards are quite high!! me only working as a secretary, don think any sg office would wan to post a support staff there! still need to apply working visa for me! they rather get a local for their hk's office. and i cant really speak cantonese...haiz!

as u know, working life in hk is very fast-paced and he cant afford to take leave sometimes when i pop over, especially if i'm there for a wk or 2. so when he goes to work, left me wif his dad & granny...real uneasy!!

i would then go out in e afternoon to shop alone!! sianz! haha maybe we can meet up the next time if we are there at e same period! ^^

 

[melodykitty]

Hi

i have jus booked a Shanghai pkg with 2N free at HongKong. according to the travel agent, 2N will be at 5* hotel but its located at New Territories!! i've been to HK twice but never stayed or visited NT! so i wish to find out if there are any good shopping spots or night markets at NT? there's a hotel shuttle that charges HKD18 per pax to bring us to TST (where the action is ) its half an hour ride but i'm contemplating if i should top up S$90 per night to change to a 3* stay in Kowloon? appreciate any advice! thanks

 

[bailey]

wah...NT? might as well ask the travel agent if wifout $$$top-up can switch to Shenzhen or not?
better still..cheaper. its like JB whereby hkgies are flocking there to shop instead in their homeland.

 

[cassis]

hi rachel...

hmm, it might be a bit tough since you can't speak Canto and that is a must for secretaries

nevermind...i'm sure he'll get a transfer to SG some day rite?

living stds are very high, rents are the highest in the region, and makan also not cheap. u shd know the transport is more ex than SG...can't really save in HK one.

does he fly to SG to visit u? it's really taxing and expensive for u to fly up and down like that leh!!!

but i really love shopping in HK. love the service, love the tax-free malls, love the people, love the latest telco and electronic products, love the canto food, love the media!!

 

[cassis]

melodykitty

is it royal park at shatin? it's connected to the shatin mall another big shopping hub for China mainlanders and heartlanders in HK. If u r flying from SH to HKIA, then why not book another Kowloon hotel. u can maximise your stay in HK that way...

i do not agree staying at SZ will solve ur problem. the whole idea is to maximise ur time in HK not SZ, am i rite? the Lowu transit will waste your time. Lowu to TST station is 45min + customs (weekends worst) from as short as 15min to 1h. That's assuming u r staying very near to the SZ railstation, such as Shangrila or the like. that is not to mention the per journey cost HKD36.50 per pax. And u need to lug your shopping bags across the border by midnight after having a great time in HK.

If u really must stay at that NT hotel, the KCR train ride to TST station is less than 30min. But of course, u can take that HKD18 shuttle like u mentioned.

 

[melodykitty]

thanks for sharing ur tots on this.
the hotel is Harbour Plaza Resort City. its not at Shatin but I understand that there is a huge shopping centre right next to the hotel too. i heard from frenz that nowadays travel agencies tend to put travellers at hotels in NT due to the cheaper accomodation. anyway, tot that by staying at NT, it gives me good reason to explore that area too, not jus combing the streets of Kowloon or HK Island!
but does anyone know how much is the taxi fare in HK? for example, how much will it costs for a 15min or 30min ride?

 

[breta]

But im more prefer taiwan . depends

 

[koonthai]

hi everyone,

This is my 1st time going to hongkong via macau on 1st Feb till 4th Feb,my flight is reaching macau at 9.40am in the morning,so is there anyone who can tell me how to go hongkong from there?Any idea which ferry terminal should i go & how much does it cost,i got a kid with me. And be staying at Evergreen hotel at kowloon. can anybody help with the itnerary? many thanks.

day 1 (1st feb)
Should be gng Fa Yuen street,rite??

day 2 (2nd feb)
Gng to Disneyland with my kid then after that,any near by that can shop?


day3 (3th feb)
whereas??

day 4(4th feb)
Going back to macau....
Any idea how to rch macau when im staying at kowloon,which ferry point shld i head to?
My flight is leaving macau at 4.55pm.
Anyone?

Thanks for any info that given....