My trip to Hong Kong was a little different because it was VERY last minute. I booked our flights and hotels, made our transportation arrangements, and made our reservations for activities and restaurants as we sat in the airport after having to cancel our original travel plans. Although it wasn’t necessarily ideal, it really put my travel planning skills to the test and we ended up having an absolutely amazing trip.
Hong Kong is a huge city in southeastern China. It’s known for a it’s vibrant food scene, fabulous shopping, and breathtaking tower-studded skyline. Although Hong Kong is very different from mainland China, there is quite a bit to see and do. My mom and I (somewhat accidentally) traveled to Hong Kong for a mother-daughter weekend, and despite whispers that the city is overrated and lacks culture, we had an amazing time. Here are my picks on where to stay, dine, shop, and play in Hong Kong:
Travel Well: Hong Kong
Stay: The hotels in Hong Kong are among the highest rated in the world. They take luxury to another level and there are a number of beautiful options to choose from. My mom and I stayed in the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and we couldn’t have asked for a better lodging experience. The Ritz Carlton is located in Kowloon at the International Commerce Centre. Connected to Elements shopping mall, the skyscraper housing the hotel soars 118 floors into the sky. The views are spectacular, the rooms, lobby, and restaurants are world class, and the staff goes above and beyond to ensure that guests are comfortable and well taken care of. While I absolutely loved the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and honestly can’t imagine staying elsewhere, the W Hong Kong, located basically next door, is also a gorgeous hotel. For travelers looking to stay in Central Hong Kong, the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, which overlooks the Victoria Harbor and neighbors one of the best shopping areas, is an amazing option as well.
The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong
Dine: Despite rumors that the food in China is lackluster, we had amazing dining experiences in Hong Kong. From fabulous brunches with bottomless champagne to peking duck and dim sum, almost everything we put in our mouths was absolutely delectable. I only wish we had been there for longer than an extended weekend so that we could have tried more restaurants and spent more time stuffing our faces. Here are my favorite restaurants in Hong Kong out of the ones that we had a chance to visit:
Tin Lung Heen: Located on the 102nd floor of the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, Tin Lung Heen serves traditional Cantonese cuisine in an elegant atmosphere. The views are amazing, the service is impeccable, and the food is awesome. From start to finish, our meal was perfect. We had quite a bit of peking duck during our trip, but the duck we had at Tin Lung Heen was by far the tastiest.
Dinner at Tin Lung Heen
Hutong: Our dining experience at Hutong was extra special because the restaurant holds table side pasta making demonstrations during dinnertime. It was beyond cool to see pasta made by hand and I was completely amazed at the technique. The dim sum at Hutong was single handedly the best that I’ve ever tasted and I’ll judge all dumplings and rolls to theirs from this point forward.
Awesome pasta making demo at Hutong
Ozone: The Dom Pérignon Sunday Brunch is single handedly the best brunch I’ve ever been to. I consider myself a brunch connoisseur, so for me to say a brunch is that absolute best that I’ve been to means a lot. Not only did their brunch feature all you can drink Dom, but it also included all you can drink bloody mary’s, a lavish buffet of seafood, sushi, appetizers, and deserts, and a hot, made to order, a la carte item. After I ate my fill of sushi and seafood, I ordered the wagyu beef burger, which did not disappoint.
Bloody Mary’s served in bell peppers at Ozone’s brunch
Delectable brunch seafood spread
Shop: Before my trip to Hong Kong, I was convinced that Singapore was the best shopping destination in Asia. Although I’m not sure that Hong Kong has Singapore beat, the two cities are definitely tied for the number one spot, if you ask me. From huge, themed malls and streets dedicated to luxury shopping to traditional markets, the shopping in Hong Kong is awesome. My mom and I had a blast in Elements, the shopping center attached to our hotel, and we also really loved the Landmark shopping mall, located in Central. Our favorite shopping area was Canton Road which houses Harbor City Mall . Harbor City is a one-stop-shop for those looking for designer brands, trendy apparel, or anything else under the sun.
Play: There is quite a bit to do in Hong Kong, and we honestly weren’t able to fit everything into the 4 days that we were there. On my next visit, I definitely want to take a ferry over to Macau, which is apparently, like a Chinese version of Las Vegas. I also want to visit Aberdeen Fishing Village, which we, unfortunately, didn’t have a chance to do. Although we didn’t get to do everything we wanted, we did squeeze quite a bit in to the long weekend. While people say that Hong Kong lacks culture, we really enjoyed our visit to Lantau, an outlying island that houses the Tian Tan Buddha (better known as the Big Buddha). We took the Ngong Ping Cable Car through the mountains and across South China Sea, which was an amazing experience on its own. Although the hazy weather during our visit ruined our view, Victoria Peak is also worth a visit for any tourist looking to take in an amazing view of Hong Kong’s skyline. Another beautiful way to see the infamous tower-studded skyline is by water. Every evening, there are evening cruises on the harbor that offer the best seats in the city for Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights show. My mom and I had an amazing time sipping cocktails as we cruised along the harbor and took in the skyline as it lit up. For late night drinks, Ozone at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong (mentioned above), which is the highest bar in the world, has an amazing atmosphere, amazing views, and even better cocktails.
Tin Tian Buddha
Symphony of Lights cruise
I love a mother-daghter getaway, and Hong Kong is one of my favorite places that I’ve explored with my mom thus far. Even though it wasn’t our originally planned destination, I know it was where we were supposed to be because we had such an amazing time. For those who love shopping and good food, Hong Kong is definitely worth a visit!
Is Hong Kong on your travel bucket list? If so, what are you most looking forward to doing when you visit? If you’ve been, what was your favorite thing about your trip? I would love to hear from you!
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