10 Best Hostels for Travel to Hong Kong & Macau
Hong Kong, China is one of the must see destinations in Asia. I’ve visited the mega city twice over the last few years and it’s quite the place to behold. From Victoria Peak, to Hong Kong Disneyland to the scary dense housing of Kowloon and Quarry Bay. It’s a really cool city to explore. Unlike mainland China, it’s open to almost everyone from around the world without a visa. The downside of Hong Kong is that it’s one of the most expensive cities in the world, finding cheap accommodations can be tough.
South Asia is full of cheap designed for the young adventurer and avid backpacker. But Hong Kong is a little different. It’s a working city, with people coming and going from around the world on business and pleasure. Hostels double as long-term rentals or even student housing. The best hostels sacrifice adding more beds, for cool hangout common rooms which comes at a higher cost per bed. I’ve put together my favorite hostels for Hong Kong, something to fit everyone’s budget, and the most reasonable hotels for your nights in Macau.
Words on Hostels in Hong Kong
Hostels in Hong Kong have small spaces, small beds and are the most expensive in Asia outside of Japan. You get what you pay for in terms of common room, amenities and service. Cheap hostels at $5 per night, you’ll get an old bunk and that’s it. Jump up to $80 per night for a dorm bed and you’ll have everything you ever need, gyms, drinks, events and more. That’s just Hong Kong. If you can’t handle it, the Marriott and Shangri-la are down the street.
Towels can be hit and miss in Hong Kong, so be sure to bring your own Hostel Essentials. Breakfast is almost never included. Hong Kong is very different from the rest of Asia, so read the points below carefully. Also: Do not stay in the Chungking Mansion, It’s super sketchy and the locals avoid it.
Hong Kong Real-Estate
You need to understand this: The foundation of the hostel business is real-estate. Location, Location, Location. Hong Kong has some of the most expensive real-estate on the planet, like Manhatten, New York on MEGA-STEROIDS. Hong Kong real-estate makes London, San Francisco and Vancouver and look dirt cheap. So running a hostel in Hong Kong is a tough business and expensive. A 300 sq. ft (27 m²) apartment on Hong Kong island can sell for over $1.2 million USD. A bedroom only large enough for a twin bed and a desk with a private bathroom can be worth 300,000 USD. It’s fucking bananas, and I used to live in an expensive suburb of Vancouver, Canada with 60+ million USD mansions. I thought that was crazy. Hong Kong is the next level, with more houses over 150 million USD than anywhere else on earth. Before you complain about not having enough space, or a cool hangout room, understand that YOU CAN’T AFFORD SPACE IN HONG KONG.
Hostels Layouts in Hong Kong
Hostels in Hong Kong have weird layouts because they can only expand when space becomes available. So it’s pretty common to have a front desk on the 9th floor, a handful of rooms on the 5th and 11th floor, and a common area for hanging out on the 7th floor. What was clearly supposed to be enough space for 1 single apartment in a Hong Kong building is sub-divided into many smaller rooms. For hostels, this is pretty normal. 4 bunks in one room, 4 bunks in another room with a small common room or kitchen to share. Where things become strange is with private rooms. 1 normal size apartment may be divided into 6 to 8 tiny private guest rooms. There is a pin code to get into the section from the main hallway, then another door with a pin for your tiny guest room.
Social Atmosphere
Hostels in Hong Kong have to choose between offering cheaper beds with extra space or better facilities like hangout rooms with more expensive per bed prices. Space is that expensive, every inch matters. Making a large common room with a kitchen, sofa, TV or foosball table means that space can’t be used for dorm beds and doesn’t bring in any money. The cheaper hostels don’t have any common rooms at all. Nothing. The more expensive the dorm bed, the better the hostel for providing those extra amenities and hangout lounges. The social atmosphere obviously depends on having space to meet and greet other travellers. If you book the cheapest possible hostel, the social vibe will DEFINITELY SUCK. Step up to $20-$30 USD per night and you’ll have plenty of chances to socialize in a space to meet others, maybe even have a great time at beer pong night.
Hostel Staff Service & Check in Times
Check-in times in Hong Kong are pretty flexible from my experiences over the years. The hostels know they are providing a social space for travellers who may be on weird schedules or need to put bags in storage after check-out. The staff are usually very helpful but busy. Hong Kong is expensive, meaning there are few staffers on hand and many guests. At Urban Pack and Apple Inn (in the same building) I got a tour, because rooms are on different floors, before the normal 2pm check-in time and checked-out on my own before the 12 noon. The self-checkout is easy, I did have to flag someone down in the morning to get my $20 HK deposit back for the locker lock I rented at Apple inn. Otherwise, you can just leave whenever.
Cash & Credit Hostels
Hostels in Hong Kong do accept credit cards but charge a 5% extra fee on payments made with credit. If you know how credit cards work for merchants, you’d get why they do this. Essentially, those 3% cash back credit cards take the 3% of purchases directly from businesses as a transaction fee. For hostels, these fees can easily eat up the margins on beds, hence they prefer to accept cash. There are obvious other reasons why accepting cash is also preferred… In Macau, hotels won’t change any extra fees on credit cards and accept both Macau Dollars and Hong Kong Dollars. For Hong Kong hostels, only Hong Kong dollars are accepted unless otherwise stated by the hostel.
Dorm Costs
- Expect to pay $7 to $10 per night for the cheapest possible hostels filled with people from around the world, many staying in Hong Kong long term.
- Jump up to $20 $25 per night and the hostels look much nicer, with more privacy in the bunks and better social spaces.
- At $30 per night, the guests staying long term are gone, instead you’ll meet many more European and Western travellers staying in Hong Kong for a shorter period before heading off to other Asian destinations.
- At $50 per night, you’ll get a fancy capsule dorm with a semi-private restaurant with a patio, free breakfast, a gym and yoga studio, free drinks and other special events.
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is the heart and soul of the city. The financial district is one of the most important in the world and the backdrop is the famous Victoria Peak, locally known as “The Peak” that has some of the most expensive real-estate on earth. If you want to stay on Hong Kong Island, prepare to pay for it. Hostels are EXPENSIVE. The big advantage of staying on the island is for the fun nightlife of Lan Kwai Fong. Taxis back to Kowloon after hours costs 250+ HK ($32 USD) because of the tunnel tolls and taxi drivers always rip drunk people off at night. Ubers are way better in HK.
The Peak, looking over the city is essentially only for billionaires and mega-millionaires which I personally find fascinating since the peak was restricted for White Europeans only for most of Hong Kong’s History as a colony of Great Britain. Today, it’s only for the mega-rich. Fortunately for us, we can visit the Victoria Peak Tower and also enjoy the stunning view of once of the most densely populated cities in the world with 1,500 skyscrapers (100m+). Staying on HK Island is perfect for early morning or late night hikes up The Peak, or the Dragon’s Back trail.
- Location Score: 9/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: No
- Bunks to a Room: 8 Bed Dorm
- Female Only Room: 6 Bed Female Dorm
- Security Locker: Yes
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: No
- Towel: Yes, Plus Makeup remover, shower caps, cotton balls etc..
- Price: $28+ USD for a Bunk
- Hostelworld
L’Etoile de Mer, meaning starfish, is a capsule hostel intended for mainly female guests. They provide a lot of little amenities for women like hair dryers, cotton sticks, makeup remover, shower caps etc… The Capsules themselves have pretty thin mattresses and can be squeaky. If you’ve never stayed in a capsule before, it’s not comfortable for those that hate small spaces. If you are a larger person, avoid staying here.
Otherwise, it’s a clean hostel with a wonderful view of the city, located centrally on HK Island. Everything is automated for check-in and check-out to the point there are no staff on site, although you can call for assistance if you need to. It’s an interesting concept, but not for everyone.
- Location Score: 8/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Double Bed
- Bunks to a Room: 9, 21 Bed Dorm
- Female Only Room: 9 Bed Female Dorm
- Security Locker: Yes
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No, Coffee & Tea only
- Towel: No
- Price: $12+ USD for a Bunk, $65 USD for a Private Room
Yesinn is an older hostel that has been around for a long time. The bunks and linens are a little worn out. The hostel is in a great location on Hong Kong Island between the east-financial district and the west-quarry bay area. The old city trams are very close by as well as the MTR subway to get anywhere you need to go. There is a decent common area and a small kitchen (rare in HK) to use for light meal preparation, with free tea and coffee, drinks you can buy and a small patio.
This is one of the cheapest options for staying on Hong Kong Island, the hostel could use some love and care, maybe some fresh paint and linens, but it’s the closest thing to the kind of hostel for young social travellers like you’d find in Thailand, Vietnam or Bali.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Double Bed
- Bunks to a Room: 6 Bed Mix Dorm
- Female Only Room: None
- Security Locker: Yes
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: Yes, Mexican Taco Bar
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: No
- Towel: No
- Price: $45 USD+ for a Bunk, $150+ USD for a Private Room
- Hostelworld,
- Other Features: Co-Working space, Super High Speed Internet and 24 hour gym with yoga mats
Mojo Nomad is the most expensive hostel in Hong Kong. It’s not really a hostel so much as it is a place for working travelers to meet and socialize. Rather than being on vacation, or backpacking, guests at Mojo can use the co-working space for daily work or even video conferences with colleagues. This makes sense as the hostel is located by central station in the middle of Hong Kong’s financial district. If I was visiting Hong Kong for a conference, for a short time related to work or as a successful digital nomad, I would consider staying at Mojo Nomad. As a cheap backpacker looking to travel for as long as possible, I can’t afford such luxury.
Kowloon – Hong Kong
Kowlonn is where I usually stay in Hong Kong. It’s cheaper than over on Hong Kong Island near the financial district. Nathan Road runs North to South through Kowloon. Every 10 minute walk along the street there is a subway station that can take you anywhere in Hong Kong quickly. The hostels I’ve picked range in price but are perfectly located. 3 are actually in the same building.
Kowloon is the best spot for getting a real taste of Hong Kong. It has great little shops, local eats, night markets and none of the shiny glamour of Hong Kong Island. Tsim Sha Tsui is the area of Kowloon closest to the Star Ferry terminal and Avenue of Stars boardwalk which is awesome for at night for looking out at Hong Kong’s famous light show and skyline. Further North is Mong Kok, a little grittier but perfectly located a quick train or bus ride to Big Buddha, Lantau Island and Hong Kong International Airport.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Twin Bed, 1 Double Bed
- Bunks to a Room: 4, 8 Bed Dorm
- Female Only Room: 6, 8 Bed Female Dorm
- Security Locker: Yes
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No
- Towel: No
- Price: $21 USD+ for a Bunk, $58+ USD for a Private Room
- Hostelworld
I visited Urban Pack in April 2019 with a friend from Japan. It’s a really cool hostel with a great social vibe. There are a few common rooms, one on the 15th floor and two smaller ones on the 5th and 7th floors where I met travellers from India, Spain, Korea and the USA. There is free coffee, tea, Neflix and other games.
They have a midnight quiet time policy, but otherwise let us stay up late to drink and talk until 3 am. We picked up beer at the local 7-eleven and had a fun night in, a nice change of pace from the night before at the clubs.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: No
- Bunks to a Room: 10 Bed Dorm
- Female Only Room: None
- Security Locker: Yes
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: No, Tea & Coffee Only
- Towel: No
- Price: $20 USD+ for a Bunk
- Hostelworld,
Rainbow Lodge is in the exact same building as Urban Pack in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Walking distance from the avenue of stars, star ferry, temple street night market, and the MTR subway terminal, the location is really perfect!
The only complaint of note is that the beds are very small, narrow with little head room. But each bunk is equipped with the right plugs, curtain and a small light which is great.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: Yes 1 Twin Bed
- Bunks to a Room: 4, 6, 8 Bed Dorms
- Female Only Room: 4 Bed Female Dorms
- Security Locker: Yes, 20 HK ($4 USD)
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: No, Instant Coffee & Tea
- Towel: No
- Price: $5 USD+ for a Bunk, $20 USD for a Private Room
- Hostelworld,
Apple Inn Mong Kok and the second location at Tsim Sha Tsui are some of the cheapest hostels in Hong Kong. I’ve stayed here on two separate occasions in 2017 and 2019. It’s cheap ($5-7 USD per night) but not run down or messy at all. Just don’t expect many perks or amenities. There is instant coffee, free laundry service, air-con and lockers for rent, but that’s about it.
Many guests at Apple Inn stay for longer-term in dorms or small private rooms. I met a young professor on this last trip who had been there for 5 months while waiting for his work Visa at Hong Kong University. This isn’t a social hostel of worldly backpackers, it’s a cheap place to stay for a night in an otherwise very expensive city.
- Location Score: 8/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Twin Bed, 2 Twin Beds
- Bunks to a Room: No Dorms
- Female Only Room: No Dorms
- Security Locker: No
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: No
- Towel: Yes, may need to ask
- Price: $40+ USD for a Private Room
- Hotels.com,
The Prince Hotel is a small guesthouse in Mong Kok, Kowloon. I stayed here recently for a few nights because it was 40% off on Hotel.com. I paid $40 USD per night which was actually cheaper for two people than hostel bunks. The rooms are very tiny but have private bathrooms with showers awkwardly positioned over the toilet.
The initial check-in was confusing because I didn’t know what to do. There is a telephone number on the doors I had to call using the phone on the wall. Someone picked up and gave me the pin for the door to Unit F and my room number in the section. This system is really common in Hong Kong, it’s like a self check-in, except 12 midnight is the latest you can check-in since someone still has to answer the phone. If you do have to check-in after midnight, you could probably call to get your door pin and room number in advance. This is actually a great option for those arriving late at Hong Kong International Airport.
Macau – Old Town
There are no hostels in Macau. There may be some small guesthouses but no hostels. For travellers on a super tight budget (like myself), I recommend staying in Kowloon, Hong Kong and taking the bus to Macau for the day via the HZMB (Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge). Buses run 24/7 over the bridge from $65 HK ($8.30 USD). On the Hong Kong side, the bus ends at the HK Airport, from there you have to take the express train ($15 USD) or Bus No. A21 ($4.20 USD) to Kowloon. I’ll include more of the transportation details in our upcoming Macau article.
Staying the night in Macau is expensive, but not unreasonable. The hotels I listed below range from $50 to $100 USD per night for a private room. Deals are always available in Macau (Unless it’s around Chinese New Year). Trip.com and Hotels.com offer excellent last minute discounts up to 50% which is why I included the Royal Macau on the list. A 2 star hotel can cost $70 per night, but you can find a great deal for a 5 star luxury hotel for $100 USD which may convince you to spend the extra few dollars for an indoor pool, gym or stunning view of the city. Macau is very small, so choosing a hotel in a great location will put all the best attractions in walking distance. All the ones on this list are clustered close to St. Paul’s Cathedral in the old district.
The border with mainland China presents a problem when making a hotel booking. If the hotel is across the small river, it may actually be in Zhuhai, China which is a different administrative zone and requires a Mainland Chinese Visa. You’ll notice prices for hotels drop in half immediately across the river. You have to go through customs to mainland China to visit those hotels, customs may close late at night leaving stuck in Macau in the late evening. I know Japanese citizens have a 15 day entry to China without a Visa, possibly other passports too. But for the vast majority, this isn’t the case so don’t accidentally plan to stay in Zhuhai by booking the wrong hotel.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Double Bed, 2 Double Bed, 1 King Bed, Connecting Rooms etc…
- Bunks to a Room: No Dorms
- Female Only Room: No Dorms
- Security Locker: No
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: Two Restaurants
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: Optional
- Towel: Yes
- Price: $100 USD+ for a Private Room (with discounts)
- Hotels.com,
The Royal Macau is a fancy hotel. It’s a 4.5 star hotel with two beautiful dinning rooms, lavish guest rooms, a swimming pool, an outdoor garden, gym, limo service… All that you’d expect. I included it in this list because Hotels.com has big discounts down to $100 USD a night. Macau is going to be expensive, but there are great deals on very luxurious hotels if you take a look around!
Note: There is a $100 deposit required per stay on bookings.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Double Bed, 2 Twin Beds
- Bunks to a Room: No Dorms
- Female Only Room: No Dorms
- Security Locker: No
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: Yes
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: Yes
- Towel: Yes
- Price: $50+ USD for a Private Room
- Trip.com
The Ole London Hotel is a great choice for an affordable night stay in Macau. The reviews are excellent. The location is perfect, walking distance from the old cobblestone streets of the old district and famous churches and historic monuments.
The hotel itself is clean, modern and way more spacious than other newer hotels like the I Fu Hotel listed below.
- Location Score: 9/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Double Bed, 2 Twin Beds, 2 Double Beds
- Bunks to a Room: No Dorms
- Female Only Room: No Dorms
- Security Locker: No
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: Yes
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: Yes
- Towel: Yes
- Price: $75+ USD for a Private Room
- Trip.com
The Towns Well is 2-star hotel with great reviews and perfectly located in the old district of Macau. It is walking distance from the Grand Lisboa Casino, St. Paul Cathedral and the Fortaleza de Monte (old hill fortress). In Macau, many of the buildings are really old, or old fashioned. The Towns Well is clean, modern and decently priced for a group of 2 or 3 guests.
- Location Score: 10/10
- Air-con Rooms: Yes
- Private Rooms: 1 Double Bed, 2 Twin Beds, 2 Double Beds
- Bunks to a Room: No Dorms
- Female Only Room: No Dorms
- Security Locker: No
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: Yes
- Free to Use Kitchen: No
- Breakfast Included: No
- Towel: Yes
- Price: $57+ USD for a Private Room
- Trip.com
I Fu is a new hotel, opened in 2018 in the old quarter of Macau just 700 meters from St. Paul Cathedral. The rooms are very tiny, which is the new normal in Hong Kong and Macau these days. The location is perfect and everything is clean and new. There is a restaurant on the ground floor and free luggage storage for after check-out. This is easily one of the best options for a decently priced hotel in Macau.
Disclaimer: Hostelworld, Hotels.com, Trip.com and Booking.com are affiliated partners, we make a small commission from bookings at no cost to you. It helps us publish more useful travel guides.
More Info on Hong Kong
If you are still planning your trip to Hong Kong, check out our List of Articles for Hong Kong. They are based on my own travels over the years and I also dive into some of the more interesting darker history of Hong Kong. Here are three main articles I really recommend.
