Hotel 1936

A lovely old building sits amid the busy downtown streets, renovated in a nostalgic style. It brings a little sense of the past into the modern city.

Inside, the lobby feels like a quiet little world away from the busy, chaotic street. There are golden mirrors, warm marble, lotus-patterned wall reliefs, and a black-and-white mosaic floor. The velvet green chairs, gold accents, phonograph, and revitalized original metal fireplace all work together beautifully. I liked sitting in the walnut birdcage chairs on the balcony, looking down at the street and imagining the people who might have been there before. It felt like a good spot for a private conversation. I believe the patio doors and tiles are original, too. The desk clerks were very helpful. The building itself is fascinating. An old structure from 1936 has been incorporated into a newer tower built above and around it. From outside, the upper part has striking geometric Art Deco lines, and I think it lights up at night. It somehow fits with the older building. I still wonder how they made a foundation deep enough to support a tower of at least 19 floors. At street level the hotel is easy to miss, with just small silver letters by the gated entrance, and a roast duck restaurant on the ground floor nearby. My room felt spacious for Hong Kong, partly because of the height and the vertical lines in the bathroom and glass enclosures. There was plenty of room in the dark wood cabinets, plus a small fridge. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light, and at night the cars and buildings below shimmered. The neighboring building faces away, so I didn’t worry about looking into anyone’s home. One floor is devoted to photos of the original building. The lighting gives it a glamorous, sepia-photo feel, though it was completely empty apart from tables and chairs. I liked that the owners seemed to revere the original architecture enough to dedicate a whole floor to its history. My one suggestion would be to make it a breakfast cafe with the photos. There are restaurants in the neighborhood, but I had to walk a bit to find a good one. I liked Le Reveur, whose name means “the Daydream” in French, because it had a mood that suited the hotel. The clerks also suggested some places, though they weren’t quite in the same vein as 1936. This little boutique building feels like a jewelry box brought back to life, and it was a peaceful break in the middle of Mongkok. I really admire how smoothly the architects and designers brought the old and new together.

The room was clean and a decent size, and there are plenty of good eateries within walking distance, as well as a great shopping street right by the hotel. There’s no proper lobby for car pickups or drop-offs, though, since the hotel is inside a building rather than being a standalone building. My bed smelled strongly of medicated oil. Housekeeping quickly changed the bedsheet when I asked, but the smell remained, and I couldn’t sleep that night. After I complained and requested the change, nobody checked back to see if things were okay. I put up with it, but I won’t come back.

I checked into Room 701 in the afternoon on June 27 2025 through Agoda.com, excited for my stay. Then I noticed dark brown patches on the wall to the right behind me, the color of dried blood. I brushed it off at first, thinking it probably wasn’t blood, just deep scratches covered with paint that didn’t match the rest of the wall. I left my belongings in the room with my slippers pointing toward the door. When I came back, they were angled toward the bed. I shrugged it off and put them on, but then I tripped while standing and one slipper came off. I searched everywhere, including under the bed, and couldn’t find it. I’ve had an experience sleeping in another hotel with a ghost, so this felt like a serious warning. Still in my pajamas, I tried to leave calmly without alarming the ghost, and packed everything. At guest services on the 3rd floor, I explained what happened. They said they couldn’t refund me because a ghost wasn’t scientific. But if you ask many Chinese people in HK whether they believe in ghosts, most will say yes. I checked out around 10:45pm and didn’t get back my HKD$1,171.45. They said it wasn’t scientific to claim there was a ghost in a very old, renovated building. For people who believe in ghosts, you know buildings that are almost 100 years old or older can have them, but I definitely won’t return. They offered no solution, and I had to find somewhere else to stay that night. Good luck if you check into one of these rooms occupied by something they call unscientific!