The Pearl of the Orient

The vibrant and colorful city of Hong Kong has some of the world’s best hotels, though also some of the highest rates in Asia. At the top end of the scale, you have a clutch of leading 5-star global luxury brands, but we’d recommend going for one of the brands originating in Hong Kong, namely the Peninsula and the Mandarin Oriental (we actually recommend the Landmark Mandarin, the brand’s smaller and more discreet property adjacent to the main hotel).

Hong Kong’s most talked about hotel, however, is the 116-room Upper House from the Swire Group (they also own Cathay Pacific!). The hotel is a modernist masterpiece, with massive rooms and stunning city views. Expect sky high prices though.

At the more affordable end of things, you have several great options in Hong Kong. In Central, there’s the Indigo, Intercontinental Hotel Group’s designer boutique brand (Indigo hotels in Asia are very different from those found in the US—thankfully). Over in Causeway Bay, you have the cozy and luxurious Lanson Place, a popular choice for extended stay travelers. Our “go-to” hotel in Central, though, is the funky and incredibly well-located Ovolo Central.

Over in Kowloon, our money is on Hotel Icon, a property owned and managed by a hotel training college, so you know the service will be good (or at least energetic). Rooms at Icon are large and well appointed, and the hotel is (or was) one of the best bargains in the city.

Coming soon to Hong Kong is a property by our favorite luxury hotel brand, Rosewood, and Ovolo just opened another branch in the city's South Side. We look forward to checking out both.

The List's Honorable Mentions

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