In the world’s second-most expensive city, this hotel is a bargain

6 days ago 7

Justine Costigan

My first hotel room in Hong Kong is not quite like the images I’ve viewed online. My “view” gives me an insider’s glimpse into the running of the office only a few metres from my window, and the space between the bed and the bathroom door is shorter than my arm. In this crowded megacity – the fourth densest in the world – space is at a premium.

Sunrise from Victoria Peak in Hong Kong.

The trade-off? Staying in the heart of Wan Chai, one of the city’s most interesting areas, with easy access to all the other places I want to visit. If I have to make a call between a more luxurious space or more money to spend exploring, I’m happy to sacrifice a spacious hotel.

Hong Kong is not a cheap city. Despite its affordable street food and public transport, it’s second only to Singapore in terms of cost of living. It also ranks as the seventh-wealthiest city in the world, with 129,500 millionaires and 32 billionaires calling Hong Kong home.

In other words, the city has plenty of residents (and visitors) with cash to splash and the market accommodates them accordingly. There is no shortage of luxury hotels in the city, but an affordable, clean, secure and comfortable room in a good location can be a little harder to find, especially when you’re covering the cost as a solo traveller.

On my return to Hong Kong after a week in mainland China, I’m determined to find a little more room, for a little less cost, in my next hotel, the Garden View. I book a room online. It’s in a good location and appears to be spacious (although I suspect the photographer is using a wide angle lens). The cost is only $106.55 a night. There has to be a catch.

When I make it to my room on the 11th floor of the hotel late at night after a long train journey, I pull back the curtain to reveal the renowned night view of the city lights and the harbour as dazzling as those from Victoria Peak. I’ve hit the hotel jackpot.

Hong Kong’s city lights out the window at the YWCA’s Garden View Hotel.

I didn’t know it when I booked, but the hotel is one of four in Hong Kong run by Y Hospitality, the accommodation arm of the Hong Kong YWCA (Young Womens’ Christian Association). The YWCA was established in Hong Kong in 1920 and its first hostel for women opened in 1921.

Even though it seems the Garden View is operated no differently from any other hotel (possibly better), it’s refreshing to stay in a place run by an organisation with strong social underpinnings – the YWCA advocates for refugees, health, people living with HIV and AIDS, literacy, the human rights of women and girls, the advancement of women and the eradication of poverty.

In a city defined by materialism, consumerism and displays of wealth, its philosophy feels oddly out of place.

That the rooms at the Garden View are generous, clean, secure, comfortable and affordable now makes sense. I experienced a similar style of hospitality at a convent stay in Italy and I recognise the approach.

The reception and foyer at the Garden View Hotel.

Of course, the decor isn’t particularly fashionable, but the rooms and public spaces are meticulously maintained. In a city as sticky as Hong Kong, the outdoor pool (open seasonally) is a real luxury. There are also lounge and dining spaces for lunch and breakfast and some rooms come with a kitchenette. In the morning, there’s another bonus: I discover that view of the also includes the 19th-century Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

A walk through those gardens is a lovely way to start the day. The winding path down the hill takes me straight to the heart of Central, where the sound of Hong Kong’s incessant construction noise and the hurtling traffic inevitably returns. The rare moment of peace at the Garden View was lovely while it lasted.