Getting ready for the ultimate Hong Kong adventure? There’s nothing more deserving of your attention than choosing where to stay in Hong Kong. The accommodations scene in HK is hardly easy to navigate with some of the world’s absolute best luxury hotels mingling with bonafide dives that you probably shouldn’t tell your loved ones back home about.
Nowhere is this gap more visible than in Kowloon. Home to both some of the best luxury hotels in Hong Kong and its most notoriously rough edges (hello, Chungking Mansions!), Kowloon is a wild ride to say the least.
Not sure where to start looking for your Kowloon accommodations? Begin your journey with this complete guide to the best hotels in Kowloon…
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Why stay in Kowloon?
Most first-time visitors to Hong Kong will almost inevitably land themselves in Kowloon—whether intentionally or not. Kowloon hosts, by far, the most extensive selection of accommodations in Hong Kong ranging anywhere between budget guesthouses with glorified closets for rooms to swanky luxury digs fit for royalty.
Besides the broad inventory of hotels, Kowloon arguably offers up the city’s most interesting experiences. Compared to the tamer and more sober districts of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon is unapologetically edgy and brash. The streets of Kowloon are always filled with excitement—whether or not it’s your brand of fun will be up to you to decide.
Kowloon hosts some of the best things to do in Hong Kong—from the culinary delights of Temple Street Night Market to the beautiful harbour views of the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade—on top of being one of the city’s best destinations for eating and shopping.
Even with the incessant crowds and never-ending chaos getting under the skin of all but the most battle-hardened of urban travellers, spending a few nights at one of the best hotels in Kowloon is an experience that every visitor to Hong Kong should have at least once in their lifetime.
Where to stay in Kowloon, Hong Kong: A guide to the best hotels
Hotel ICON
Address: 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
An architectural masterpiece inside and out, Hotel ICON oozes with style and sophistication without an ounce of pretension. The rooms tow modern design lines, featuring contemporary furnishings blended with rich wood grain accents and floor-to-ceiling windows that shimmer unforgettable harbour and city views.
To pop your relaxation into overdrive while staying at the Hotel ICON, enjoy a dip in the heated rooftop pool as sweeping vistas of Hong Kong filter in or chill out with a soothing massage at Angsana Spa. There’s also a handful of on-site restaurants, none more appealing than Above and Beyond, serving up 28th-floor skyline views along with fine dining Chinese cuisine.
Looking to get out and about in Kowloon? Hotel ICON is within a 20-minute walk of most of Kowloon’s main attractions including Temple Street Night Market and within 10-minutes of Knutford Terrace, home to some of the best restaurants & bars in Hong Kong.
Cordis Hong Kong
Address: 555 Shanghai Street, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Soaring high above Mongkok, Cordis Hong Kong skates alongside some the best hotels in Kowloon with an elegance that privileges clean and minimalist modern stylings over pomp and excess. All the rooms and suites at this lovely 5-star hotel impress with wide panoramic windows offering HK skyline views and luxurious bathrooms replete with rainshowers and soaker tubs.
Besides the charming rooms, the Cordis Hong Kong also stacks up world-class amenities to propel their guests’ stays to legendary status. Whether you’re looking to limber up with a morning yoga class amid harbour & city views or let your cares melt away at Chuan Spa, the Cordis Hong Kong won’t disappoint.
Even with the street food delights of Temple Street Night Market just two MTR stops away, the Cordis Hong Kong drops down several dining options to keep you anchored down. From the modern Cantonese flavours of Michelin-starred Ming Court to the hip European dishes & cocktails of Alibi, the Cordis Hong Kong delivers one of the best in-hotel eating & drinking experiences in the city.
Kerry Hotel Hong Kong
Address: 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay, Hong Kong
Meticulously designed to take full advantage of its waterfront location, the upscale Kerry Hotel Hong Kong feels more like an urban resort than your run-of-the-mill luxury hotel. Delicate outdoor spaces fringed with greenery complement the hotel’s stunning guest rooms, both well-versed in showing off sweeping views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island.
Throughout the Kerry Hotel Hong Kong, the modern furnishings fuse with earthy decor that hints to its Asian roots. The appeal extends to the hotel’s amenities where luxuries like spa treatments, a sauna, stream bath, and yoga classes are abundant. Perhaps best of all though is the year-round outdoor infinity pool set to the dramatic harbourside cityscapes.
For foodies, the Kerry Hotel Hong Kong is also home to four restaurants including Hung Tong, a restaurant melding delightful modern Chinese cuisine with the hotel’s stunning vistas.
Hotel Stage
Address: 1 Chi Wo Street, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong
Occupying a prime location among the bustle of Yau Ma Tei, Hotel Stage is one of the best hotels in Kowloon for mid-range travellers who can’t get enough of the peninsula’s non-stop buzz. With Temple Street Night Market just 5 minutes away by foot and a host of restaurants & clubs nearby, rest would appear to be optional at Hotel Stage despite setting a high standard of comfort in its delightful guest rooms.
All throughout its walls Hotel Stage boasts a simple modern design, undoubtedly heeding minimalist concepts while adding the odd colourful or quirky accent to break up its sober palette. Extras like a free-to-use fitness centre and staff who bend to your every need add a tremendous amount of value to this brilliant 4-star hotel.
InterContinental Hong Kong
Address: 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
One of the forerunners in setting the bar for the best luxury hotels in Kowloon, InterContinental Hong Kong delivers all the swank you’d expect from a 5-star hotel in one of the world’s priciest accommodations markets.
The InterContinental Hong Kong squeezes everything it can from its lofty location above the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade alongside Victoria Harbour. Whether through the mega-sized floor-to-ceiling windows in the stylish guest rooms or from one of the three glorious outdoor infinity pools, the views over Hong Kong from the InterContinental Hong Kong are among the city’s most swoon-worthy.
Take a step back from the busy streets of Kowloon into a world of relaxation at the InterContinental Hong Kong’s I-Spa where you can enjoy a luxurious soak in the hot tub or unleash your stress with a calming massage. Elsewhere in the hotel, drool to the offerings of one of the five on-site restaurants including Yan Toh Heen Restaurant, a Cantonese fine dining restaurant boasting a coveted Michelin star.
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
Address: International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon West, Hong Kong
Even without snagging a room here, you’d be hard-pressed to ignore The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong while staying in Kowloon. Perched high above the city between the 102nd and 118th floor of the International Commerce Centre, this soaring luxury hotel unleashes impossibly lofty views that feel as if you’re staring down onto Hong Kong from the heavens.
Besides delivering what might be the world’s best vistas from a hotel, rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong feature snuggly cloud-like beds fitted with luxurious linens. The bathrooms are serious about your comfort, too, coming fully-loaded with a soaker tub and a separate rainshower.
As if staying in Hong Kong’s finest rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong wasn’t enough of a treat, don’t miss a chance to soak to scenes of Victoria Peak & Victoria Harbour at the glamorous 116th-floor indoor infinity pool or indulge in a signature spa treatment for an extra special pampering.
Elsewhere in the hotel, a wide assortment of food & drink awaits. Choose between several on-site dining options including two Michelin-starred restaurants: Tosca Italian, a one-Michelin-star Italian restaurant; and Tin Lung Heen, purveyor of fine Cantonese cuisine with a prestigious two stars under its belt. For a dazzling nightcap, zip up to the ultra-trendy Ozone, the highest bar in the world soaring above the 118th floor.
The Langham Hong Kong
Address: 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Featuring unbelievably elegant and sophisticated rooms, The Langham Hong Kong unloads a classic Hong Kong hospitality experience to place it solidly among the top Kowloon hotels. The superb location, mere blocks from Victoria Harbour and the upscale boutiques of Canton Road, makes this 5-star gem the perfect choice for aimless wanderers and shopaholics alike.
Besides relaxing in rooms dashed with Euro-inspired grace, The Langham Hong Kong spoons out luxurious extras like a 24-hour fitness centre, spa treatments and a rooftop pool for your relaxation. Several on-site restaurants also beg for a taste including T’ang Court, a famous Cantonese restaurant that’s landed three Michelin stars for its excellence.
Summary: The best places to stay in Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Trying to find the trendiest hotel in Kowloon? Look no further than the Hotel ICON, set upon the beautiful Victoria Harbour waterfront in Hung Hom.
- Craving a world-class accommodations experience? Not only is The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong one of the highest hotels in the world, it’s one of the best. Let the massive views suck you in while you explore everything it has to offer from its spa treatments to its trendy nightclub Ozone, the highest bar in the world.
- Looking for top-value luxury? The stunning Kerry Hotel Hong Kong steps away from the bustle of Kowloon for a resort-like experience in the heart of the city.
Need alternatives to these Kowloon accommodations? Check out these other top Hong Kong districts…
- Tsim Sha Tsui: The somewhat upscale tip of Kowloon, this loaded-up district is home to most of the best luxury hotels in Kowloon. (And the kitschy Bruce Lee statue. Never forget the Bruce Lee statue.) Get started finding your accommodations with this guide of where to stay in Tsim Sha Tsui.
- Central: Business district by day, party central by night, this area at the centre of Hong Kong Island fills in the Hong Kong luxury accommodation market where Kowloon leaves off. Get started looking for the perfect hotel with this guide to the top-rated hotels in Central.
- Wan Chai: Take a step back into the city’s past by staying in one of Hong Kong Island’s more traditional corners.
- Causeway Bay: Shopaholics rejoice when Hong Kong Island’s most popular consumerist enclave enters into the discussion for where to stay.