Holiday Guest House

The hostel felt like a quiet oasis inside Chungking Mansions, one of Hong Kong's most "Hong Kong" buildings. I had no problems during my stay, and the service and location were outstanding for the price, so I gave it five stars. My room was tiny, but fine for sleeping and the occasional work session or call from the bed. I grew up in Hong Kong and am a man, so I'm used to urban settings and feel comfortable being assertive in cosmopolitan cities. I never felt unsafe myself. Still, solo female travelers may want to be cautious in the building, rather than the hostel: there were lots of men hanging around on the ground floor, apparently just socializing with friends, and a couple of women I was walking with felt anxious there. I wanted to give that context so visitors know what to expect. Highly recommended.

The rooms at the Holiday Guest House are small, like pretty much everything in Hong Kong, but the layout makes every bit of space count. It feels larger than it is, with no wasted area. And the rooms were so clean you could eat off the floor. Everything was awesome.

My wife and I have never stayed anywhere smaller, and it wasn't a good experience. The location is convenient, but the place felt shady and noisy, with thin walls that made it hard to sleep. Shared areas weren't clean, and the bedsheets didn't seem very clean either. There was a lot of waiting for the elevators. The receptionist was friendly, at least. It had a bit of a midnight motel feel.

This was the most upsetting and difficult experience I had in Hong Kong. I couldn't find the guest house entrance, and while searching through the dirty, awful alleys, with no signs showing the way, I felt sick and left because I didn't feel safe. I canceled the reservation but got no refund, even though I hadn't booked far in advance or broken any other application rules. It's a shame the administration didn't take my situation into account.