Hong Kong

Hong Kong has incredible options for luxury hotels on both Kowloon and the Island sides. We chose our hotels simply based on which properties were our favorites as you can’t go wrong on either side. We found traveling around to be so easy and therefore stayed on the Island side at the Island Shangri-La. Accommodation rates range dramatically based on season, day of the week and what events are happening around city, and 5-star hotels seem to be around $300-500 per night. In our experience, upgrading to the club level at the Shangri-La is worth the expense because you really feel like you’re taking part in a classic, luxurious experience – and it includes breakfast, snacks and evening snacks and champagne. Many hotels in Hong Kong offer this club level, including the Hyatt Centric, which was also 100% worth the upgrade.

Transportation is incredibly easy in Hong Kong. The public transportation is accessible, inexpensive and appears to exist absolutely everywhere. Several times, we experiences much quicker travel via public transportation than a taxi. The metro costs about $1 per person per way.

Taxis are available as well, as is Uber. Uber is the easiest for travelers and many uber cars are Teslas as they are subsidized by the government.

Hong Kong is known for its world-renowned food scene. There are quite literally over 200 restaurants in the Michelin guide in the small city of Hong Kong. Our favorite is Restaurant Petrus. Lobster Bar is another fabulous spot and their bar is the 44th best bar in Asia.

Whether you’re looking for a quick $1 bite at a local hole-in-the-wall or a $300 wine and food pairing, you can find it all in Hong Kong. If you’re looking for the best views of Hong Kong, be sure to head to Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton.

If you’re looking for luxury goods, Hong Kong has it all. From Chanel, to Gucci to boutique Asian brands, you can find them all and then some. Hong Kong is also known for its jam-packed markets, our favorite being the Ladies Market. The Ladies Market is your typical fake goods, jewelry, electronics and clothing shops.

Note that haggling is expected and completely acceptable. We found that if you negotiated with the shopkeepers, you’d land somewhere between 50-75% of the original quoted price.

Hong Kong is a wonderful mix of western and eastern culture. People in Hong Kong are kind, respectful and live very healthy lives. There’s an eclectic mix of colonial architecture and ultra-modern buildings all around, giving the city such an eclectic energy.

In the markets, negotiation is definitely acceptable, and encouraged. Shop keepers are kind and really want your business. As we were there in December 2019 (amidst the lack of tourism due to the political issues), people were so happy just to see Americans, frankly. Bartenders and wait staff were super service-minded and attentive.