Low nightly rates amid Hong Kong's energetic Mong Kok district
All rooms have air-conditioning and flat-screen TVs
Free towels and bed linens are provided
Three-minute walk to the Mong Kok MTR station
Luggage storage and free drinking water are available
Free Wi-Fi throughout
The apartment-block setting won't please everyone
Rooms are scattered on different floors throughout the building
Some units can feel a bit dark and drab
No common areas or social programming
Only shared bathrooms are available
If you're seeking relatively cheap digs in one of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods, the Ah Shan Hostel might work. But this is very much a budget property, and frills are few to nonexistent. It's tucked into a mixed use apartment-block-slash-office-building, which either provides a cool glimpse into true local life, or doesn't, depending on your point of view. Rooms are clean, for the most part, but utterly basic. They're air-conditioned, and have free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, plus free towels and bed linens. Luggage storage, refrigerators, lockers, and free drinking water are provided. If you'd like a hostel with more character and better facilities, opt for the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel instead, though it's farther from the central neighborhoods of Hong Kong.
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Scene
Basic crash pad for the budget-minded, set inside a well-worn mixed-use tower
If you're looking for nothing more than a bed and air-conditioning to recharge at night, then the Ah Shan Hostel might be a decent bet. However, if you're seeking any sort of atmosphere, this is not the hostel for you. There's no social scene here -- no common areas to mix and mingle with other travelers and zero features of which to speak. The hostel is scattered across a few floors of an old apartment-block-slash-office-building, though, which does make for a fascinating look into how the line between private and public blurs in this hyper-vertical, space-challenged city. Expect younger traveler with budgets in mind here.
Location
Right in the middle of Mong Kok, one of Hong Kong's busiest and most vibrant neighborhoods
Location is easily this hotel's best asset, as it sits right in the middle of Mong Kok. This district is one of Hong Kong's most retail-packed neighborhoods, with streets of open air markets as well as the famous Sneaker Street, where you'll find both real and counterfeit footwear. There are numerous posh malls nearby as well as outlets of all kinds. Hole-in-the-wall eateries are found on nearly every block and it's one of the few neighborhoods in the city center where street food plays a visible role in the culture. The Mong Kok MTR station is just a few minutes away on foot, and from there it's only three stops to buzzing Tsim Sha Tsui and five stops to Central, on Hong Kong Island. You can reach the airport in 30 to 45 minutes via taxi, or 40 minutes by using the MTR and Airport Express train.
Rooms
No-frills private rooms or dorms with flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning
The rooms here are about as basic as it gets, consisting of little more than beds and a night stand on occasion. Everything is generally kept clean, though a bit worn, and despite windows, some rooms are dark and drab. Lockers are found in the hallways that link individual units, with shared bathrooms between three or four dorms or private rooms (generally). All rooms have flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Towels and bed linens are provided for free. There are refrigerators and free drinking water as well.
Features
Luggage storage and help with tours, but little else
As little more than a place to sleep at night, this hostel doesn't offer any features of which to speak. You can store your luggage in the reception are, and there are computers there to use as well. Tours can be arranged through the front desk and Wi-Fi is free throughout.
