When my husband and I were planning our trip to Hong Kong, we found it difficult to choose a hotel or place to stay. The hotels there are generally small, yet they come with high prices.
After looking around for a few days, my husband discovered a hostel that was quite spacious and offered a great price. We thought it was a fantastic deal. Additionally, the reviews from other travelers about this hostel were very positive.
In this article, I will share detailed information about this hostel, which is not only historical but has also received an award from UNESCO for Cultural Heritage Conservation! Be sure to read till the end!
The hostel we stayed at in Hong Kong is the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel. It's located at Block 41, 70 Berwick Street, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong.
We booked the hotel through the Agoda app. We believe that for this price, considering the facilities offered, it's a great value in Hong Kong.
The hostel isn't exactly in the city center, but it's still conveniently close to many places. It's only 380 meters from the Sham Shui Po MTR Station, and the bus stop is also within a comfortable walking distance.
Nearby attractions include Garden Hill, Ladies Market, and Victoria Harbour, a well-known spot in Hong Kong. In terms of getting around, my husband and I didn't face any issues during our stay.
Mei Ho House is a part of the Shek Kip Mei Estate. This estate was built in the 1950s after a huge fire on Christmas Eve 1953 in Shek Kip Mei. The fire left about 58,000 people without homes.
To solve this problem, the Hong Kong government started building public housing. The Shek Kip Mei complex was one of the first and biggest public housing projects in Hong Kong.
The original Mei Ho House was a seven-storey building. It had small apartments made for people who lost their homes in the fire.
By 2005, Mei Ho House was the only building left from the first group of Shek Kip Mei public housing. The other buildings had been changed a lot over the years.
In 2013, Mei Ho House was turned into a youth hostel. It's modern and comfortable. There is also a museum inside that tells the story of public housing in Hong Kong.
The museum is on the first floor of the hostel. If you're staying there, you should visit the museum. It's free to enter, and you can learn a lot about the history of the place.
The museum is really interesting. It shows how people lived in the public housing when it was first built and then used.
Now that I've covered the hostel's history, let's talk about what the hotel rooms offer.
First, there's the television. It's quite old-fashioned, but it's fine if you just need some noise in the background. The TV has limited channels, and most of them are in Chinese, so it's more for background sound than watching for me.
You'll also find two glasses, an electric kettle for making tea and coffee, and two bamboo drink stirrers in the room. They don’t give you spoons, but you can either ask for one from the front desk using the room phone or bring your own cutlery.
The room comes with hotel slippers and a toothbrush. This is handy if you forget to bring your own toothbrush.
This was mine and my husband's favorite spot in the room. After a long day of exploring, we could relax here. We enjoyed having dinner at the provided table and chairs. They’re not very big, but they are perfectly fine for one or two people.
One thing I really like about this hostel is the amount of storage space available. One good example is the cabinet right under the TV.
We chose a double room, which comes with a king-size bed. The bed also has a sleeping lamp on both sides.
This hostel offers a variety of room types: 1 Person in an 8-Bed Mixed Dormitory, 8-Bed Dormitories for males only and females only, Family Rooms, Twin Rooms, Double Rooms, Run of House, Dormitory Rooms, Triple Rooms with 3 Single Beds, and Triple Rooms with 1 Double and 1 Single Bed.
For us, the room was clean and well-kept. It has an old-school feel, like something you’d see in old Chinese movies. But that's fine because it's clean and comfortable!
Furthermore, the room includes a partition cabinet for storing items, a special cabinet for hanging clothes, a standing mirror fixed to the wall, and a safe deposit box.
The wood used for these cabinets is strong and durable, and there are plenty of compartments. You can easily store your belongings and clothes here.
The last feature is the bathroom. It's equipped with a shower, sink, and a seated toilet. The bathroom is quite spacious, making bathing more comfortable. You'll also find two bath towels and three small towels for use as mats.
I think the facilities at this hostel are quite good for its size. Despite the differences between hotels and hostels, with hotels often being more luxurious, this hostel holds its own. Let's look at the shared facilities!
The front desk operates 24 hours a day, just like at other hotels or hostels. However, if you need to check in early or check out late, you should confirm with the hostel beforehand.
The check-in process here is hassle free. You just need to show your booking confirmation, passport, and a deposit.
The staff at the reception can speak English, which is really helpful for tourists who don't speak Chinese.
On the ground floor near the reception, they also sell souvenirs and cold drinks. If you're thirsty, you can easily grab a drink here!
On the ground floor of the hostel, there's a multifunctional room that's very useful for travelers. It includes a self-service laundry facility.
If you prefer to travel light and do your own laundry, you'll find this very convenient. There are easy-to-follow instructions next to the machines.
And remember, this place accepts cashless payments. You can use an Octopus card to pay.
In the same room, there's a large fridge and two microwaves. We didn’t store any food or drinks in the fridge ourselves since we didn't buy any.
But we did use the microwaves to heat up ready-to-eat food we got from convenience stores. This was really helpful!
Need to iron your clothes? This room also has an iron and ironing board. It's perfect if you want to keep your clothes neat while on holiday.
Additionally, there are two hair dryers for communal use. But don’t worry if you prefer privacy – there’s also a hair dryer in the room, so you don’t have to come down to use one.
Next up is the computer room. My husband and I weren't sure what its purpose was. The room has two computers, but we couldn’t tell if they were operational, as they didn’t seem to be working when we were there.
Beside the computers, there are bookshelves, tables, and chairs, which are great for sitting and eating. Just remember to keep the area clean!
Just outside the pantry, there's an outdoor area with more tables and chairs for guests who prefer to eat outside. The hostel also features its own restaurant. It’s convenient if you’d rather eat at the hostel and not travel far for food.
Also, right from the ground floor, you’ll find a hiking trail next to the hostel! This was our first experience with a hostel that had so many facilities, including a hiking trail.
The view from the trail is amazing! Unfortunately, we lost many of our photos, so we can’t share as many as we'd like.
In conclusion, if you're planning a trip to Hong Kong and need budget-friendly, clean, well-maintained accommodation with great facilities, this hostel is a fantastic choice!
