Central Hotels

The Pottinger, a 68-room boutique hotel tucked into the Central neighborhood, aims to infuse a bit of modernity into a storied part of town. Guest rooms are on the smaller side (you are in a densely packed metropolis, after all) but the tasteful, Chinoiserie touches makes you feel like you’re in a private residence. Don’t miss the gallery walls of black-and-white photographs by filmmaker Fan Ho, whose imagery tells a deeply personal story of the history of Hong Kong and Central.

The Four Seasons which is located right on the water’s edge with amazing views of Kowloon and houses three three-Star Michelin restaurants, including the Caprice, a French restaurant, if you’re in the mood for something different. Like FS locations worldwide, the rooms here are subtle but well-appointed and the service impeccable. This specific outpost is especially convenient, being right inside of the International Finance Center mall which houses all the good shops, like our personal favorite, Lane Crawford.

The suites here have an elegant and modern Chinese look to them, with huge windows that open up onto a balcony that wraps around the entire space. The views from all the way up there are incredible. The massive bathrooms have both a huge jacuzzi and a steam room. Non-suite guestrooms are all similarly decorated with Chinese antiques and modern furniture. And while you may not want to leave the confines of your room, there are ten restaurants and bars in the Mandarin Hotel to work your way through, including the M Bar, which is one of the more trendy places to go out.

This new, ultra-contemporary, boutique-like addition to the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong family offers only 100-odd rooms, making it a bit less bustling than its flagship counterpart. Though it occupies a smaller footprint, they most definitely have not scrimped on amenities: There’s an amazing two-story spa, the rooms are huge, and lavish touches abound, which is pretty much what you’d expect from a MO hotel.