Job Discussion Forums

[alauw]

Hello

Can anyone recommend a low end hotel or hostel? I will be moving to HK within the next 14 days and beginning work. I don't have a lot of money but ideally need a single bed room as I need to be fresh for work each day. Probably for a couple of weeks max before I find longer term accomodation.

many thanks in advance

Alex

[alauw]

*sorry

I forgot to mention where I am looking! Currently looking around Jordan and Mong Kok.

[sistercream]

Hmm, where are you moving from, and what is your concept of "low cost"? Places like Dragon or Ah Shan hostel around Mong Kok seem to have a good reputation.

Do you already have your 3 months rental deposit + 1/2 month agency fee + stamp duty + utility deposits + furniture money? If so, you'll probably find that with realistic expectations you can get your own flat within a week of arrival.

If not, then with juggling daily expenses and saving, you'll be lucky to be out of your short term accommodation within a couple of months. It's normal for a month's rental to take a full third of your income in this fair city.

[alauw]

Hi Moving from the UK. Low cost in HK I understand ranges from $250 to $400 a night, I have seen cheaper places but these are suitable for backpackers, not those starting work.

Is three months normal? I'm going to ask the University I will be working at about guest accomodation until I can find a flat of my own - which I understand starts at around $9000 a month (yeah roughly 33% of my salary).

Thanks for the recommendations and any other pieces of advice you think could be helpful, i'm all ears - its greatly appreciated.

alex

[alauw]

**sorry that should read 'is three months deposit normal'

[sistercream]

Usually 2 months deposit, 1 month rent in advance, 1/2 month agent's fee, and 50% of the stamp duty. This last is pretty much pocket change, just a couple of hundred or so.
As you're looking for a place around Mong Kok, I take it you'll be working for CityU, or possibly Baptist U? Other areas you could look at for temporary digs are Hung Hom or Kowloon City. The full list of government registered guesthouses (by district) is here: http://www.hadla.gov.hk/en/hotels/search_g.html

Just looking at the beginning of that list, I'm reminded that the strangely named Bridal Tea House chain gets reasonable reviews on places like Trip Advisor.

[RiverMystic]

I had the misfortune of having to stay in a hotel for three night in Hk recently. The prices were absurd. I refused to stay in those horrible Chungking Mansions (even those were pushing US$100 a night!). I went to a love hotel in Wan Chai (read, "brothel') - dirty, smelly, no window or shower, tiny, just awful - US$115 a night!

Eventually I got one for US$235 a night (the cheapest actual hotel available). I might add there was obviously a mainland China holiday at the time. I have no other way to explain why such awful accommodation cost so much. Just prior to that I stayed in a 5 star hotel in Thailand - huge 50 inch TV, two swimming pools, breakfast, massive soft bead, huge bathroom, right on the ocean - for US$37. The hotel in HK could not even be bothered puttting bottled water in the fridge, and no breakfast, and certainly no swimming pool! Eventully I just got totally fed up and went across the border to Shenzhen where I got a much better hotel for 30% of the price - and cheaper than the filthy Chungking mansions.

Coming back to Hk as a tourist I came to appreciate what the locals protest about - with real estate tycoons and government having totally sold the people out.

[youtalkingtome]

Expect a box, and I mean a box for $HKD250 - 400. If you have two suitcases they might not even fit into the room. For that price you are looking at Chungking Mansions.

[sistercream]

You can definitely do better than CK Mansions by the HKD250 mark, but you'd be sharing a bathroom, and shoe box is right ...40' sq is a very generous size in cheaper hostels; 25 - 30'sq more normal. Honest. Don't expect a window in the cheapest rooms, either.
Note also that the standard bed length here is 6' (180cm); if you need more than that you'll need to pony up for a room with a double bed so you can sleep diagonally.

[7969]

This place isn't too bad (I've stayed here before):

Cosmic Guest House

It's a bit more expensive than some of the neighbouring guesthouses in Mirador but it's very clean, well kept, and they have wireless internet.

Chungking Mansion also has some decent places, there are probably 50 or more guest houses in the building, some of them are fine and others aren't. If you show up during a mainland holiday expect to pay more, no holiday, expect to pay less.

[Tudor]

I stayed in this place in Kowloon...

http://www.starguesthouse.com.hk/

Certainly a shoebox, but a clean and comfortable one. (Just noticed it's now $500 per night, I'm sure I paid $350 less than two years ago).

What puts me off about Chungking Mansions is some of the people loitering about in and outside the place. I don't know if they have security there, but I wouldn't fancy wandering around that rabbit warren of a place and waiting for a lift in the early hours after returning from a few beers. Again, I don't know how hot (or not) they are on fire regulations in HK, but this place looks like an inferno waiting to happen.

[alauw]

thank you everyone for your messages

[alauw]

Are there any other tidbits of advice that you all can give me? For example the thing about the size of the beds is great - its not something I had considered really and I am quite a big bloke so definitely will be taking that on board...

Any pieces of advice or things you learnt the hard way would be greatly appreciated

thanks again