Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong

Description:

• I don't know why this hotel uses Lan Kwai Fong in its name, since it's actually in the Western District. But this boutique hotel is probably my top pick in its price range, for many reasons. I love its colorful location, surrounded by narrow streets with ma-and-pa shops and only minutes from the Graham Street wet market, Hollywood Road with its antique shops, and SoHo with its many ethnic eateries and hole-in-the-wall bars. The hotel's interior is fun, too, with a hip twist on traditional Chinese decor. Rooms, some with distant harbor views, are decorated in red and gold, with Asian artwork, quirky touches such as Internet cables tucked inside decorative stone turtles, and Chinese-style doors leading to, unfortunately, very tiny bathrooms. Standard rooms, too, are small (starting at 19 sq. m/200 sq. ft.), but deluxe rooms are larger corner rooms with more windows. Finally, because it's a boutique hotel, groups seldom stay here. I guess my only real gripe about this 33-story hotel is that it's a player in the gentrification of the Western District, which is slowly losing its once-distinct Chinese atmosphere. If you can overlook that, this is a great place to stay.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010