… and smoke ‘em!
Maya and Diego, our savvy fellow travelers (also, erstwhile ITPers, recent West Coasters and newlyweds), have sent a few helpful links our way. We repost here for your edification.
First is a decent flight search aggregator, called Vayama.com. It specializes in international flights, and it’s capable of dredging up an assortment of non-domestic carriers that Kayak isn’t. Check it.
Second are some HK/Kowloon hostel links. Writes Maya:
We are staying at this place from Dec 31 to Jan 4: Hong Kong Budget Hostel
http://www.hostels.com/hosteldetails.php?HostelNumber=6533hostels.com is not bad for finding hotels too (you can see a range of budgets, you just have to check a box to include hotels)
This one was also recommended: Dragon Hostel, http://www.hostels.com/en/availability.php/HostelNumber.5065
My friend says, “Both in same building, down the hall from each other, they are in a less touristy part of Kowloon, a 10 minute subway ride to the heart of Kowloon touristy area, or a 45 minute walk”
She also recommends AGAINST staying in the Chungking Mansions, saying that they’re crowded and the shopping area in the bottom of the mansions feels shady.
Hope this helps! (we are staying in a hostel because we plan to be out and about most of the time anyway and just need a place to crash!)
Itinerary: check. Airplane tickets: check. Accommodations: check. That’s how on top of shit Maya and Diego are. Mad props.
Hope you find this useful …
Update!
Some more hostel information from a friend of Maya’s:
For really hostel range, there is Alisan Guesthouse in Causeway Bay (around the corner from my flat actually)
http://home.hkstar.com/~alisangh/
Some friends of mine stayed there and said it was good but basic— the best part would definitely be the location.
For a similar room but possibly cheaper, and in way more colorful/chaotic/insane surroundings, would be any of the hundreds of guesthouses within Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui. I would recommend the Himalaya (Block B, 7th Floor) for the old-school, 70s-influenced gritty guesthouse experience (the design is like something out of a Wes Anderson movie). For newer, slicker digs, try some of the top floor rooms, like New International or Tom’s Guesthouse (the new one).For slightly higher end, check out www.asiarooms.com, and www.zuji.com.hk, for good, current deals.
