Getting Married in Hong Kong: Where to Stay

Documents sent.

Schedule of the Ceremony finalized.

Flight tickets booked.

The next question is, where to stay in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong isn’t a cheap place to go.  The fact that it is one of the most densely populated places in the world, the competition for space isn’t something that needs further elaboration.

Since I have written the first blog post dedicated to getting married in Hong Kong some time ago, the blog’s contact form and my Facebook got flooded with questions on itinerary, documents, Apostille, budget, and so on… The list can get longer.

I noticed, however, that most young couples like us  are more eager to find a more affordable accommodation in the concrete jungle, so I felt quite obliged to write about it. At least, I don’t have to answer the same question individually.

So, are there enough choices for a cheaper stay?

There are numerous hotels, guesthouses and bed and breakfast in Hong Kong, specifically in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) are. We opted to stay in this area as its location is perfect for our trip’s purpose. It is also in proximity to other Hong Kong attractions and public transportation like buses and MTR.

As you search for “cheap accommodations in Hong Kong” online, you will find out that there are way too much choices for a cheap stay and mostly they are in the Mirador  or Chungking Mansion. After reading a lot of reviews like bedbugs, no hot shower, difficult to find, cockroaches, smelly beddings, crowded elevator to line up for, etc, I was able to convince mein Mann that we  pay a little more for a better place.

And so we booked room at Golden Crown Guesthouse at Tsim Sha Tsui.

Booking is easy.  To get the best deal, you have to reserve a room directly through their website.  You have 24 hours to confirm your reservation.  We paid the HKD500 as reservation fee via PayPal and received our booking reservation thereafter. You can also access your account  on their website to check the status of your booking at anytime.

Don’t forget to print your confirmed reservation as you need to show this during your immigration check. (You know, it can get really crappy in the border control counters) In our case, since I arrived a day early, the reservation was named for both of us.

Due to the very good reviews in TripAdvisor and Booking.com, Golden Crown Guesthouse runs out of rooms specially on peak season!

Room and Inclusions

We chose a Renovated Couple Room and asked for the one with a window. 🙂

It has a comfortable double bed, an air conditioner and a fan, a television, a telephone, a small desk, cups, free hot and cold drinking water (yep,it is actually expensive in Hong Kong) and free wi-fi.

Our room was great! It fact, it was spotless. The sheets, the tiled floors and the bathroom were all clean. The ensuite bathroom is surprisingly spacious with a glass enclosure that separates the hot and cold shower area from the toilet bowl and sink area (unlike those of other cheaper guesthouses in the area). Towels were changed everyday, toiletries, hangers, a mirror and a hairdryer, and extension wires with round plug adapters  were also provided.

Thanks to Ate who took extra care of us!

Location

5th Floor, Golden Crown Court, 66-70 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

It is in the middle of three Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station exits which makes it really convenient to go to and from Central or Admiralty where you will be doing all the paperwork for your wedding.

You can also save time for sightseeing as it takes only around 10-15 minutes to reach the Avenue of Stars (currently closed as it is under renovation),

It takes around 10-15 minutes to the TST Ferry Terminal where you can take the ferry ride to Central and Admiralty at a much cheaper fare, and of course, shops are everywhere!

Accessibility

The most convenient (and cheapest)  way is to reach Golden Crown from Hong Kong International Airport is to ride the A21 bus with the use your Octopus card (Fare: 33 HKD). Just go to the Bus Terminus and look for the signage of A21 buses going to TST. Hong Kong is very generous when it comes to signages so it is impossible to get lost! (Believe me, it was my first time in Hong Kong and I rode the bus alone without any problems).

It would take around an hour to reach the guesthouse. Nathan Road stretches through a lot of streets, but don’t forget to get off the bus at Cameron Road (the 13th stop). And oh, stops are flashed on the screen, so you shouldn’t miss it. Be sure to push the STOP button as soon as the bus leaves the 12th stop or the driver will not halt at the next bus stop.

You will receive this map together with your confirmation receipt.

Yep, we get it, too. Of course it would really be great to be able to splurge on luxurious hotels but it’s too impractical. I mean, we are just starting our lives together and we don’t like to begin it with a credit. Do I need to mention that even the most basic of hotels in Hong Kong are also expensive? I bet if you already did some hotel hunting, you get the feel of how it can really be strangely costly.