Hong Kong Hostel

Popular with young budget travelers for its prime location in Causeway Bay, the main part of the Hong Kong Hostel is located in a residential building with fashion boutiques on the ground floor. Unfortunately, some rooms are located in a building separate from the front desk and common area, so guests have to do a bit of walking to reach their rooms. The property is a typical budget hostel, with a compact layout and busy vibe. Guests gather in the common area, done in bright colors of orange and blue. Vibrant paintings are on the wall, cheering things up a bit, and there's also a world map, wood communal tables, two computers, a dart board, and a fish tank. The lobby and communal kitchen can sometimes get a bit messy because of the lack of space and number of guests.

Hong Kong Hostel is located in Causeway Bay, just south of the Victoria Harbour waterfront, right by SOGO Mall.  Across the street from the main building is a 24-hour supermarket, and there are lots of shops and restaurants in the neighborhood. Nightlife on Lockhart Road is about a little over a 10-minute walk from the hostel. A bus stop is a block away and Causeway Bay MTR station is a five-minute stroll for access to the rest of Hong Kong. For a bit of green amid all of the glimmering skyscrapers, the western edge of Victoria Park is two blocks away. Hysan Place and Lee Gardens are a five-minute walk away and Times Square mall is a 15-minute walk from the hostel. The Wan Chai Ferry Pier, adjacent to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, is a five-minute drive from the hostel. Ferries to Tsim Sha Tsui take about 10 minutes, and that neighborhood is home to the Avenue of Stars, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Kowloon Park, and the Hong Kong Science Museum. The airport is a 35-minute drive away, or over an hour by metro.

The 30 private and dorm-style rooms at the Hong Kong Hostel have a basic, budget look, with simple furnishings, flat-screen TVs, white bedding, and predominantly bare walls. Many rooms are done in bright colors of yellow, orange, pink, and blue. Some could use better maintenance and renovation to spruce up floors, furnishings, and walls, which show their share of wear. Shared dorm-style rooms have personal lockers for valuables, but some lack sufficient power plugs for all guests. There have been reports of problems with the heating and air-conditioning not functioning properly, and beds tend to be firm. 

Bathrooms are basic -- though some are more modern and done with vessel sinks and colorful tiling. They are small and the wet-room layout means that the whole bathroom will get wet during a shower. Additionally, not all bathrooms are separated from the main body of the room by a proper door -- we saw rooms with partial glass walls and curtains providing the only privacy when we visited. Towels and washcloths have to be borrowed against a deposit from the front desk, but shower gel and shampoo are provided. Hot water is available in the showers, but requires turning on a tank ahead of time and waiting. 

Amenities at the hostel are limited, though there is a common room featuring public computers with free Internet, a dart board, an iron and ironing board, and a selection of guidebooks. A kitchen with a microwave and cookware is also available for guests to use. There's no breakfast service, but free coffee and tea is available in the morning, and snacks, microwaveable meals, and soft drinks can be purchased at the front desk. The common areas are crowded, and we saw stacks of boxes lying about when we visited. The hostel also has a gift shop, printing service, safe deposit boxes, free luggage storage, video security, and a 24-hour front desk. While the hotel offers free Wi-Fi, it's not the most reliable connection.