Garden Hostel—I found this location while visiting Shoestring Travel researching tours. It is located on Nathans Road in the Mirador Mansion (it’s a huge high rise building) and is very affordable. They have dorm style with shared shower and restrooms and single private rooms with facilities available for very affordable rates. The rooms are small and basic but my room was clean and my shower worked properly. Some folks need more amenities then I do when traveling. But I wanted to at least have a window with some kind of view and my room came with a fan. It was very comfortable. I didn’t need a TV but Garden Hostel did have a computer available down stairs in the lobby and I was able to pick up Wi Fi from my room on my Black Berry when I just needed to make a quick post or email home and the Computer on the 3rd floor was in use. The do have other internet cafes in Mirador Mansion.
One of the greatest aspects of this Hostel was its location. Being right next to the MTR and walking distance to the Harbor Star Ferry is essential for getting around Hong Kong when you are not on tour. The other major plus for being on the Golden Mile is that you will always be able to shop and eat very close to home. Tours for Shoestring travel meet at the Holiday Inn hotel which is right next door to the Garden Hostel (you can see it from the Garden Level Patio) so you can just get up and walk a few steps and be ready for your tour guide. It is super convenient for folks like me, who do not feel like getting lost just to go on a day trip.
The Garden level has a patio for guest use. They have the potted plans as advertised as well as the lockers and a refrigerator as well. They used to have a kitchen but that has been closed down but they will order food up for you (ask Mickey she will not steer you wrong) if you need a hot meal. On the patio they do have a Karaoke machine and of course you can use it if you would like (La Isla Bonita by Madonna is my song of choice). The patio is covered which is great because even if they have rain you can still sit out and enjoy the views without being drenched. Also they have Wing Chung Kung Fu classes a few times a week on that level so if you are into that check out what they offer for that. The Garden Patio really seals the deal for making this an excellent hostel experience.
If you feel overwhelmed running around Hong Kong and feel like you will be lost forever. I suggest taking a stroll around where you are staying and look for a land mark that you can remember, the brighter the better. Lucky for me my land mark reference was easy and can be seen in the skyline from even Hong Kong Island accord the Harbor. The K11 Building. It’s located walking distance from Garden Hostel and has a nice sitting area on the ground floor, great for people watching, writing in your journal or chatting with new found friends. You can even see it from the Garden Patio. Best thing is I never got lost. Side tracked maybe, but only by choice.
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