The Ultimate Instagrammable Guide to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is awash with five-star hotels, most of which occupy the top floors of soaring, shiny skyscrapers and boast endless over-the-top amenities and facilities. I often prefer a design-forward, intimate boutique, and Hong Kong happens to be the home of my two favorites.

TUVE

I keep coming back to this ultra-minimalist, reasonably priced boutique hotel. Blink and you’ll miss its entrance, tucked beneath an overpass on a narrow, local eatery-lined street in Tin Hau, a non-touristy neighborhood east of Victoria Park. I’m endlessly bewitched by the Tuve, from its intimate, shadowy lobby with perforated metal walls and ceilings and trippy speckled lighting to its 66 sun-drenched, soul-soothing, minimally furnished rooms. The rooms are decked out with white textiles and exposed concrete and featuring cloud-like beds, marble bathrooms with gigantic walk-in rain showers and Le Labo toiletries. Then there's the room’s pinch-me-I'm-dreaming vistas of a sea of cloud-piercing skyscrapers via a wall of windows.

16 Tsing Fung St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

The Upper House

For a more elevated boutique option, it’s all about The Upper House. Perched in a skyscraper in the Admiralty District and designed by Andre Fu, the serene and swanky property soars above the glitzy shopping complex Pacific Place. The entire hotel exudes understated luxury, from the star-studded, lively Salisterra restaurant and bar on the top floor, to the spacious, art-filled guest rooms and suites. Each room offers a complimentary "Maxi bar," a stunning freestanding limestone bathtub and breathtaking views of Victoria Harbor, Victoria Peak and the iconic skyline.

88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Day trips:

Staying on Hong Kong Island? Take a quick, scenic ferry ride to Kowloon. My favorite neighborhood is the artsy Sham Shui Po, home to incredible restaurants, hip coffee shops, moodily lit drinking dens and my favorite quirky antique store on the planet. It's called Good Bad Creative, and its two floors are packed with delightful Hong Kong memorabilia. Comb the overflowing shelves for novelty toys, board games, glassware, magazines, ashtrays, vintage postcards and so much more.

You’ll never want to leave, but when you do, be sure to pet the shop's cute cat who tends to sleep out front.

Shop B1, 124 Nam Cheong St, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

Coffee & Laundry

If there were an award for the hippest, most Instagrammable coffee shop on Hong Kong Island, Coffee & Laundry would win hands down. On a busy Sheung Wan Street crammed with dried seafood shops and a 7-Eleven right next door, this coffee bar/launderette combo stands out. The wood-paneled space has ten washers and dryers that you can use at any time. It has checkerboard floors, indie fashion magazines scattered around, and limited seating because it's about the size of a Uniqlo dressing room. On sunny days, take your cold brew outside, find a spot on a bench and rub elbows with the hippest of Hong Kongers while they wait for their clothes to dry.

Queen's Terrace Tower 1, 1 Queen St, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

% Arabica (Monster Building)

This trendy Japanese cafe chain has a few ultra-sleek, minimalist branches across Hong Kong. But nothing compares to its “Monster Building” location (as seen in Hollywood blockbusters including 'Transformers: Age of Extinction'), which are five interconnected residential complexes with multicolored units stacked on each other. Sidestep the content creators with their voices and iPhones raised in the complex's courtyard as they annoy residents and quietly make your way into % Arabica, which is nestled between laundromats and hair salons. Enjoy a creamy latte, impossibly cool vibes and views of the Jenga Block tower-esque Instagrammable site from a window counter seat.

Shop three on G/F, Yick Fat Building, Nos. 1048-1056 King's Road, Nos. 2-32 Yau Man Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

Retro

This ambiently lit and aptly named retro-style café is a warm and laidback spot in the chaotic and vibrantly colorful Wan Chai district. Opened in 2022, the cozy, burgundy-drenched space is outfitted with bank lamps, dark wood paneling and brass accents, evoking a blissful sense of nostalgia. As for their menu? Everything is exquisite, from the prawn avocado toast to the seriously strong cold brews. But it’s their crazily refreshing espresso tonic that I’m most obsessed with. It’s a popular fizzy beverage in often-humid Hong Kong, but Retro’s is perfection. 10/10.

160 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Kam Fung Cafe

When in Hong Kong, you’ve gotta stop by a traditional classic cha-chaan teng, commonly called Hong Kong-style cafes or diners in English. My favorite is the no-frills hole-in-the-wall Kam Fung Cafe in Wan Chai, which has been open since the late ‘50s and serves incredibly addictive dishes like HK-style French toast. My go-to order is their warm pineapple buns, stuffed with a chunk of butter and perfectly crumbly. Pairing it with a chilled HK-style milk tea is a must.

41 Spring Garden Ln, Wan Chai, Hong Kong