Tsim Sha Tsui

The Salisbury - YMCA of Hong Kong

★★★★★

The Salisbury is Hong Kong's best-kept secret for travelers on a budget, although it is hardly a secret among regulars. Run by the YMCA of Hong Kong, it occupies a prime site on Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, right next to the Peninsula and a few minutes' walk from the Star Ferry, the waterfront promenade, the Cultural Centre and the MTR, and its rooms cost a fraction of the price of the luxury hotels around it. It is not a backpacker hostel: it is a proper hotel with 372 rooms, suites and a few dormitories, modern and functional in design, clean, well maintained and run with care. The best rooms are the Harbour View rooms and suites, which look straight across Victoria Harbour at the Hong Kong Island skyline; these are some of the most affordable rooms with this view anywhere in the city, and they sell out fast. Other categories include Partial Harbour View, Standard and Single rooms, and family suites for those travelling with children. Facilities are unusually good, thanks to the YMCA's sporting tradition: indoor swimming pools and a jacuzzi, a fitness centre with a gymnasium, climbing walls, squash courts and a basketball court. There is a cafe and a restaurant, a podium garden and free wifi throughout, and the whole property is non-smoking. Service is efficient and friendly rather than luxurious, and the atmosphere is calm and family-friendly. For travelers who want to spend their money on experiences rather than on a hotel, and who still want to wake up to the harbour, it is the best deal in town.

Location is the selling point. You are steps from the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade and the Avenue of Stars for the skyline, from the Star Ferry to Central, from the Museum of Art and the Cultural Centre, and from the shopping of Harbour City, Canton Road and Nathan Road. Tsim Sha Tsui and East Tsim Sha Tsui MTR stations are a short walk, and the Airport Express shuttle bus from Kowloon station stops nearby. The West Kowloon museums are a short taxi ride away. In the evening, the harbour views from the Harbour View rooms are spectacular, especially when the skyline lights up.

Booking tips: book the Harbour View rooms well ahead and directly with the hotel, which offers extra benefits for direct bookings. Family suites are a great choice for families, and the pool and sports facilities keep children happy. The dormitories are an option for budget travelers, but most guests take private rooms. Rooms are simple, with compact bathrooms, and the decor is functional rather than stylish; this is not a hotel for those who want a spa or a sense of luxury.

Who it suits: budget-conscious families, solo travelers, active travelers who will use the pool and gym, and anyone who wants a prime Kowloon location at a fair price. The trade-offs: the rooms are plain, there is no bar scene, and the hotel can be busy with groups and conferences. Popular dates sell out early. But for location and value it is unmatched, and many visitors who have stayed in grander hotels come back here.