Travel Jams

on 10/18/2016

on 10/15/2016

During our 5-day trip to Hong Kong recently, Mini Hotel Causeway Bay was our home. Mini Hotel is a chic boutique hotel located right in the shopping district of Causeway Bay. We chose this hotel basically for its affordability, proximity to key city destinations and easy access to public transportation (MTR, tram, mini-bus, taxi).

LOCATION

Mini Hotel is located in the shopping district of Causeway Bay. It is only a short walk away from popular shopping destinations like Lee Gardens, SOGO, Jardine's Crescent, Hysan Place and Time Square. Tourist destinations near the area include Happy Valley, Victoria Park, Hong Kong City Library, and Hong Kong Stadium. Plus with the MTR Causeway Bay station within a 4-minute walk, it is easy to explore other parts of the vibrant city of Hong Kong.

LOBBY / COMMON AREA

The lobby is in the basement of the building. Beautiful art pieces and warm smiles from the staff welcome the guests. There's a common area for everyone to stay and chill, read, eat, etc. There are a couple of iMac's in there free for use too. There are also brochures about Hong Kong to help you make the most of your visit.

Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong KongMini Hotel Causeway BayMini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongfocallength 5.1flash 16cameramake Panasonicheight 506fnumber 2exposuretime 0.025camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/8/2016 4:09:32 AMwidth 900cameramodel DMC-LX5Location: 8 Sun Wui Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong IslandMini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongfocallength 10.7flash 16cameramake Panasonicheight 506fnumber 2.8exposuretime 0.004camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/9/2016 2:42:22 PMwidth 900cameramodel DMC-LX5The hotel lobby is at the basement of the building. We were pleasantly surprised by its overall stylish appeal.Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongcameramake asusfocallength 3.5height 675fnumber 2.2exposuretime 0.083334camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/8/2016 4:09:29 AMwidth 900cameramodel ASUS_X008DTotally love the stylish design!Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongcameramake asusfocallength 3.5height 675fnumber 2.2exposuretime 0.066659camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/8/2016 4:04:39 AMwidth 900cameramodel ASUS_X008DThe lobby / common room is filled with numerous art pieces.Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongfocallength 5.1flash 16cameramake Panasonicheight 506fnumber 2exposuretime 0.02camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/8/2016 4:12:22 AMwidth 900cameramodel DMC-LX5Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongcameramake asusfocallength 3.5height 633fnumber 2.2exposuretime 0.124995camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/8/2016 4:06:58 AMwidth 900cameramodel ASUS_X008DHallways are decorated with photographs and art pieces.Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongfocallength 5.1flash 16cameramake Panasonicheight 506fnumber 2exposuretime 0.166666672camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/9/2016 2:36:46 PMwidth 900cameramodel DMC-LX5Art pieces + white walls + mirrors + lighting. Mini Hotel is easy to the eyes. :)Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kongfocallength 5.1flash 16cameramake Panasonicheight 504fnumber 2exposuretime 0.06666667camerasoftware PhotoScapeoriginaldate 10/9/2016 2:36:18 PMwidth 714cameramodel DMC-LX5

TIP: There's a vending machine that sells food, drinks, hygiene care kits, and even adapters.

Computers are free to use.

ROOM

In contrast to the visually stimulating art-filled lobby and hallways, the room is in an unfussy stark minimalist style. I personally love the simplicity the white walls, white beddings and linens bring. This monochromatic approach and smart use of mirrors create a feeling of wider space of this rather small room. Space is a luxury in Hong Kong, and the rooms in Mini Hotel Causeway Bay are relatively on the larger side by Hong Kong standard.

Oh, and yes, that glass on the right side of the photo is part of the bathroom. Yes, the bathroom walls and sliding door are made of glass. Not even frosted, it is clear glass, guys! Whoah!

This is how it is when viewed from the bed. Completely see-through. Haha!

The bathroom as viewed from the bed. That's Xy-Za studying the shower area.

TIP: If you're on the conservative side and uncomfortable of being exposed while taking a shower, turn on the hot shower a couple of minutes before you take a bath. It will fog up the bathroom walls. Of course, don't forget to give a heads up to your companion that you will be taking a nice hot shower just to be sure they won't look. :)

The bed, pillows, and duvet are unbelievably comfortable! It's seriously a battle to get up early to go around Hong Kong. Bonus points for the daily housekeeping services, making sure everything is fresh and clean when you come home from a busy day of adventures.

There is no wardrobe / closet for clothes so you would have to make use of the space under the bed for your luggage. There's also a safe under the bed for your valuables.

There's a wall-mounted LCD TV. There is also an electric heater, hair dryer, and air humidifier.

TOILETRIES

Basic toiletries are provided (toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, and shampoo). Other personal items such as nail care, socks, and combs are available for purchase via the vending machine at the lobby.

STAFF

The receptionists in the lobby are courteous, warm and friendly. They are English-speaking, so no problems with communication at all. They are very helpful and are able to respond to our queries and requests. Also, they are able to help in booking for tours around the city.

Housekeeping staff visits every day to clean up, take out the trash, and replenish supplies if needed. The bed is freshly made up daily and the towels are replaced.

PRICE

Price range: $$$. We stayed in an air-conditioned Mini twin room on the 12th floor. Nightly rates vary, but is usually around 513 HKD (~66 USD; Php 3,200).

Considering its strategic prime location, the service provided, and the unbelievably comfortable bed, this hotel is quite a deal.

TIP: Book online. Check their website regularly. They have awesome surprises from time to time. They also offer discounts for rooms booked in advance.

I checked the app on their Facebook page, and rates could go as low as 339 HKD per night with a minimum stay of 3 nights.

WiFi

There is complimentary WiFi internet access in rooms. Speedtest result averages around 8Mbps.

TIP: Book online, and don't forget to ask about their free pocket wifi so you stay connected even when you're roaming around Hong Kong.

In summary

Pros:

Convenient location; within walking distance to shopping destinations, tourist attractions, and MTR station
affordable
online booking available
with hot and cold shower
with air humidifier, hairdryer, and electric kettle.
provides basic supplies, including toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, soap, and disposable cups for your coffee/tea fix
24/7 offers bookings for tours around Hong Kong. We bought our Disneyland tickets there. :)

Cons:

Limited space
No wardrobe or closet for clothes
Glass bathroom walls! (sorry, just had to add that to the cons! haha!)

Check out TripAdvisor reviews on Mini Hotel Causeway Bay here.

BOTTOM LINE:

Overall, I highly recommend staying in the chic Mini Hotel Causeway Bay for your next visit in Hong Kong. The entire staff is awesome. Service is excellent. It is a stylish boutique hotel, yet it is affordable.

Contact Details:

Mini Hotel Causeway Bay

Address: 8 Sun Wui Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Phone: (852) 3979 1199

Email: reservation@minihotel.hk

Website: https://www.minihotel.hk/index.php/en/

Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/minihotelhongkong/

During our 5-day trip to Hong Kong recently, Mini Hotel Causeway Bay was our home. Mini Hotel is a chic boutique hotel located r...

on 10/13/2016

"Let's go to Hong Kong!"

It wasn't really on top of our bucket list, but hey, it's Hong Kong - a popular travel destination in the Asian region. So when there was a seat sale, we just booked our flights without overthinking anything.

In March, we purchased Cebu Pacific tickets to Hong Kong (thank you, seat sale!). Admittedly though, it was a little less than a week before our flight earlier this month when we sort of finalized our plans. And by "sort of finalize," I mean booking our return flights, arranging our accommodations, and drafting our itinerary. I travelled with my travel blogger friends (the ladies behind Pinay Travelista and The Purple Slippers) and I'm putting our little secret out there: We crammed in planning this trip maybe in a futile attempt at YOLOing. Ha!

Anyhoo, armed with tons of enthusiasm and optimism, we were ready to embrace our first international (mis)adventures together, arranging and rearranging our itinerary day by day. :)

So join us in our travel adventure to Hong Kong. Here's a video on how we got to this vibrant city from our humble city in Northern Mindanao.

We had to travel at 3:00 AM to get to Laguindingan International Airport to catch the first flight to Manila. The airport is a little more than an hour away from our home in Iligan City.

But since our flight to Hong Kong is at 6:00 in the evening, we opted to stay in The Wings Transit Lounge in NAIA Terminal for a quick nap and get some work done before officially starting our vacation. After paying the travel tax and checking in, we were ready for our flight to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong International Airport was huge, we had to ride a train to get from arrival area to immigration!

Because we arrived at 9:00 PM, we opted to take the Airport Express. We purchased the single journey pass for group of 3. We also bought Octopus card from the Airport Express Customer Service Centre.

We then took the free shuttle to get to Mini Hotel in Causeway Bay. We alighted at Regal Hong Kong Hotel and walked a couple of blocks to get to Mini Hotel. After a quick hot shower, we settled in and immediately fell in love with the comfortable bed and fluffy pillow.

Travel Notes:

We checked in at The Wings Transit Lounge in Ninoy Aquino International Airport. We chose the lounge seat accommodation at Php 700 for 7 hours of comfort. Rate comes with finger food buffet as well as unlimited hot and cold drinks. There's also a stable WIFI connection, perfect for finishing up any pending tasks.
MTR Airport Express single journey pass for group of 3 is at 230 HKD (76.7 HKD per person). We purchased the tickets at the Airport Express Customer Service Centre
We also bought Octopus cards from the Airport Express Customer Service Centre. Card is at 50 HKD. We pre-loaded it with 100 HKD. The Octopus card can be used for fares and even purchases from stores.
Mini Hotel is at 8 Sun Wui Road, Causeway Bay. It's near Lee Gardens. Hotel review coming up soon! Keep posted.

"Let's go to Hong Kong!" It wasn't really on top of our bucket list, but hey, it's Hong Kong - a popular travel des...