Where to stay in Hong Kong: 5 areas and hotels for a first visit, by MTR station

💡 The Short Version: For a first visit, stay in Tsim Sha Tsui for the waterfront and the Star Ferry to Central, or in Central and Sheung Wan for the Airport Express at Hong Kong Station (HK$130 single, HK$120 with Octopus). Wan Chai and Causeway Bay sit on the tram line; Mong Kok and Jordan are on Nathan Road near the street markets; Admiralty and West Kowloon are the interchange and museum districts. Hotels link to Hotels.com. A 3% hotel accommodation tax has applied since 1 January 2025 (Inland Revenue Department). For a closer look at the two main bases, read hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central.

The areas, compared

Airport Express fares are from the MTR’s fare data and bus fares from Citybus; see airport to city for the rest.

A Kennedy Town tram on a Central street. Photo: Alexander Synaptic, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Tsim Sha Tsui

Tsim Sha Tsui faces Victoria Harbour on the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula. The Star Ferry crosses to Central and Wan Chai from here, and the MTR has Tsim Sha Tsui and East Tsim Sha Tsui stations. Central to Tsim Sha Tsui on the MTR is HK$10.60 with an Octopus card; the Star Ferry is HK$5 on the upper deck on weekdays (Star Ferry).

The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront promenade, with Hong Kong Island across the harbour. Photo: Ceeseven, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Peninsula Hong Kong on Salisbury Road. Photo: Exploringlife, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

• The Peninsula Hong Kongad: Salisbury Road, at the junction with Nathan Road; opened on 11 December 1928 (Wikipedia). The colonial-era building in the photo above.
• Regent Hong Kongad: 18 Salisbury Road, on the waterfront (hotel).
• Rosewood Hong Kong: Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road (hotel).
• Hotel ICONad: 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East (hotel).
• The Salisbury - YMCA of Hong Kongad: 41 Salisbury Road, next to The Peninsula; built in 1924 and rebuilt in 1989 as a 16-storey block with 303 rooms and 62 suites (Wikipedia).

Both Star Ferry piers run from 06:30 to 23:30 and the crossing to Central takes about nine minutes; a four-day Star Ferry tourist pass is HK$50 (Star Ferry). Cityflyer A21 from the airport takes 84 minutes end to end (Transport Department data). The Tsim Sha Tsui to West Kowloon walk starts on this waterfront.

2. Central and Sheung Wan

Central is the financial district and Hong Kong Station is the Airport Express terminus. Sheung Wan is the quieter neighbourhood beside it. The tram line runs through both, at a flat HK$3.30 (Hong Kong Tramways).

• Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kongad: 5 Connaught Road Central (hotel).
• The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kongad: 15 Queen’s Road Central (hotel).
• Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kongad: 8 Finance Street, in the IFC complex near Hong Kong Station (hotel).
• The Jervoisad: 89 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, a 35-storey tower with 49 suites (Wikipedia).
• The Mercerad: 29 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan (hotel).

Central to Sheung Wan is HK$4.90 by MTR with Octopus. The Central–Mid-Levels escalator is 800 m long and runs downhill 06:00 to 10:00 and uphill from 10:00 to midnight, and Tai Kwun is open 08:00 to 23:00; both are in the Central to Sheung Wan walk. The Airport Express is about 24 minutes from the airport to Hong Kong Island (Hong Kong Tourism Board).

3. Wan Chai and Causeway Bay

The trams run along this stretch of Hong Kong Island, and Wan Chai has a Star Ferry pier for the crossing to Tsim Sha Tsui. Central to Wan Chai is HK$4.90 on the MTR with an Octopus card, and Central to Causeway Bay HK$5.90.

• Grand Hyatt Hong Kongad: 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, next to the Convention and Exhibition Centre; opened on 21 November 1989 (Wikipedia).
• The Park Lane Hong Kong, Autograph Collectionad: 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, directly opposite Victoria Park and a five-minute walk from Causeway Bay MTR, according to the hotel.
• The Hari Hong Kongad: 330 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai; the hotel gives six minutes’ walk to Causeway Bay MTR, seven to Exhibition Centre MTR and three to the Tonnochy Road tram stop (hotel).
• The Flemingad: 41 Fleming Road, Wan Chai, with 66 rooms styled on the cross-harbour ferries (hotel).
• TUVEad: 16 Tsing Fung Street, Tin Hau, by Tin Hau station Exit A2, the next station east of Causeway Bay (hotel).

Wan Chai Star Ferry sailings to Tsim Sha Tsui run from 07:30 to 23:00, at HK$5 upper deck on weekdays (Star Ferry). Cityflyer A11 from the airport takes 94 minutes end to end, at HK$41.90.

4. Mong Kok and Jordan

Nathan Road runs through both, and the Cityflyer A21 stops along it. Tsim Sha Tsui to Mong Kok is HK$5.90 on the MTR with an Octopus card.

• Eaton HKad: 380 Nathan Road, between Jordan and Yau Ma Tei, near the Temple Street Night Market (Wikipedia).
• Hotel Stagead: 1 Chi Wo Street, Jordan (hotel).
• Cordis, Hong Kongad: 555 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok (hotel). It is part of Langham Place, which connects to Mong Kok station by an underground passage at Exit C3 (Wikipedia).
• Royal Plaza Hotel: Prince Edward Road West, Mong Kok, opened in 1997 (Wikipedia).

Tung Chung to Jordan is HK$18.70 by MTR with Octopus (MTR fare data). For the night market, see Temple Street.

5. Admiralty and West Kowloon

Admiralty on Hong Kong Island is an interchange where the Island, Tsuen Wan, South Island and East Rail lines meet, and the A11 bus also stops there. West Kowloon is home to the Airport Express’s Kowloon Station and the West Kowloon Cultural District; see M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

• The Murray, Hong Kongad: 22 Cotton Tree Drive, between Central and Admiralty; a 1969 government building converted to a hotel that opened in 2018 (Wikipedia).
• The Upper Housead: Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty; designed by André Fu and set above the Pacific Place mall, with Hong Kong Park at the door (hotel).
• JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kongad: Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty (Wikipedia).
• The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kongad: in the International Commerce Centre, West Kowloon, opened 29 March 2011 (Wikipedia).
• W Hong Kongad: the first 25 floors of Cullinan II at Kowloon station, West Kowloon (Wikipedia).

Admiralty to Ocean Park is HK$5.90 by MTR with Octopus (MTR fare data), so the area suits Ocean Park. Central to Kowloon Station is HK$10.60 (single HK$12.50), and the Airport Express runs to Kowloon at HK$115 (HK$105 with Octopus).

What to explore next

Hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central compares the two main bases. For arrivals see airport to city, for getting around public transport and the Octopus guide, and for planning 3 days in Hong Kong and best time to visit.