When looking for a place to stay in Hong Kong, you will quickly feel the local housing crisis. Property pricing is through the roof. Hotels can be ridiculously expensive, and short-term rentals follow suit. Except for Chungking Mansions, a cheap stay right in the middle of Hong Kong’s most expensive residential district.
The Cheapest Hotel In All Of Hong Kong
The infamous Chungking Mansions, located right in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, is one of the few cheap hotels in town. You might be shocked to see the prices of this so-called Mansion, especially considering that Tsim Sha Tsui (a.k.a. the Golden Mile) is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the world. Don’t let the name fool you- this is not what you expect from a mansion. There are no grand chandeliers, wine cellars, or luxurious amenities here.
An excellent location paired with some of the cheapest rates in the country lures budget-savvy travelers. Myself included.
A quick Google search will reveal how polarized the opinions about this place are. Some travelers seem not to know what they were in for when booking a room here. They are shocked at the sight of drug dealers, sex workers, and shady people altogether. Others, however, claim the horror stories are far exaggerated, and while Chungking may appear extremely sketchy, it isn’t.
Naturally, the only way to gain a relatively educated opinion of this place was to experience it first-hand. I booked 3 nights in total- 2 at the Icon Inn, and one at the Paris Guest House.
Chungking Mansions- A Taste of The Kowloon Walled City
A night here is one for the books. This 17-storey giant, dating back to the 1960s, stands proudly off Nathan Road, a stone’s throw from Victoria Harbor. Tsim Sha Tsui is a very busy part of the city, making the Mansions surprisingly easy to miss.
Nicknamed a “mini-city” for its self-contained ecosystem, Chungking Mansions offers a mind-bending glimpse into a bygone era. It’s a real blast from the past as soon as you step inside. The unique character of this place resembles what Kowloon Walled City must have felt like. For context, Kowloon Walled City was a densely packed, largely ungoverned settlement in Hong Kong until its demolition in the 1990s. Known for being home to over 35,000 people crammed in a tiny 6.4-acre area, the high density is somewhat similar to the 10,000+ people who pass through Chungking Mansions every single day. Both spots also share a similar image.
Many Hong Kongers tend to avoid this place due to its questionable reputation. When it first opened, Chungking Mansions was a cutting-edge mixed-use project in the heart of town. Its image then deteriorated over the next years.
By the 80s, CM was known for all the wrong reasons- a trading house for smuggled jewels, narcotics, and prostitution, all while being the hotspot for hippies. The government eventually cracked down on the crime, and much of it was gone before the 2000s.
Today, you can still find traces of Chungking’s terrible reputation, especially during the night. However, it is only a small fraction of what it used to be like just a few decades ago.
Most people seem to focus on the negative aspects of Chungking, completely overlooking the upsides. Many of the long-term tenants were ethnic minorities who came to HK seeking a better life. Over the years, Chungking has become one of the most diverse places in town. This cultural melting pot is home to people from over 120 different nations who stay here on any given night.
A Walk Inside The Chungking Mansions
The Chungking Mansions is made up of 5 towers, connected by a bustling indoor market on street level. Each tower has its own set of cramped elevators.
While the chaotic feel that Hong Kong once had seems to melt away each year, Chungking truly is a whole different story. It was about as erratic as it gets the second I entered.
The Indoor Market on the Ground Floor
As soon as I stepped past the entrance, I had to make my way through a maze of local businesses. Here, you’ll find cheap South Asian eateries that serve some of the best Indian food in town. There are a few security guards around, although they are not very keen to help tourists navigate through the towers.
You will be approached by pushy tailors offering deals on not-so-good suits. Looking for accommodation? You can rent a room on the spot, right by the elevators, from one of the salesmen. Need to exchange currency? Choose from tens of shops, some of which even offer surprisingly decent rates.
As I made my way to the elevators, I passed Filipino grocery stores, and electronic shops with thousands of phones. In fact, it is estimated that as much as 20% of all mobile phones in the Subsaharan once passed hands at the Chungking Mansions. The small cafes are packed with people from all nations of the world, enjoying a snack before heading back upstairs.
The vibe of the market changes dramatically late at night. The convenience stores shut down, and the tailors and pushy salesmen are replaced by people who are far less friendly. Nighttime is when you get a clearer picture of the building’s reputation. Expect to see a few dealers and sex workers hanging around the corridors. Some of the hotel salesmen remain, though at night they offer rooms by the hour instead.
The Elevators
The first set of elevators is conveniently located directly inside the Mansions on the left-hand side. Finding elevators for the other towers can be difficult. The ones for the Icon Inn are at the far end of the right-side corridor. I lapped the ground floor a few times before finding the correct ones.
Chungking Mansions are notorious for the elevator wait times. My “record” must have been around 20 minutes in the early afternoon. The endless lines to go up each tower are a clear indicator that this building wasn’t designed to host over 4,000 residents who sleep here every night.
You may be tempted to take the stairs instead. That’s not a very good idea, though. The staircase is home to many of the dodgy people who are responsible for the building’s reputation. I ended up taking the stairs once- only to see a handful of people indulging in what is, without a doubt, very illegal. Best to stick to the elevators, especially at night.
Shoebox Room At Chungking
Once I reached the tenth floor, it was time to get some sleep. Agoda claimed that my double room would be around 12sqm. That’s a very generous measurement, which must have also considered the corridor and at least one neighboring room. See it for yourself:
I didn’t bring any measuring tape, but I know for a fact that the bed was shorter than me. Being a slightly taller person (almost 1.9m), my legs were hanging off to the side the entire night.
To my surprise, the room even came with A/C. Sadly it only seemed to have two modes- on and off- with no way of controlling the temperature or fan speed. The cold air blows directly onto the bed. Thankfully, Hong Kong gets pretty chilly in the winter and I did not need to use it much.
Despite all this, the room was relatively clean. All of the lights worked, I received a set of clean towels, and the sheets were not stained. Even the bathroom wasn’t too bad, albeit tiny. The hair dryer was hanging by the front door, and I could easily reach for it from the bathroom.
The bathroom is truly ideal for multitaskers such as me. You could simultaneously be taking a shower and using the toilet for maximum efficiency. If you try hard enough, I’m sure you could also wash your hands in the sink at the same time. Very impressive.
Safety
This is the primary talking point. There is no denying that Chungking Mansions was a criminal hotspot. However, that does not seem to be the case anymore. At least not to the extent it once was.
Chungking is far different than the rest of Tsim Sha Tsui. It’s dirty, loud, and extremely busy. The contrast between the Mansions and the high-end malls next door is truly striking, and I can see how it may be overwhelming.
A fire breaking out is a much more serious issue these days. It seems as if there are way more tenants in this building than what was initially planned. If a fire did break out, it could be fatal. Just thinking about having to navigate around those tight corridors in a life-or-death situation gives goosebumps.
The rooms can be run down depending on the hotel (Paris Guest House was much worse than the Icon Inn), and there are some sketchy people hanging around at night, especially around the staircases. Based on my short 3-night experience, I believe many negative reviews that highlight the lack of safety are exaggerated.
The Overlooked Positives of The Chungking Mansions
The truth is, Chungking Mansions are easy to hate. Take a quick peek at the tiny outdated rooms, the lack of cleanliness, the smell of sewage, and the overall awful first impressions. However, there is more to CM than meets the eye.
As mentioned before, Chungking Mansions is one of the most lively cultural melting pots in all of Hong Kong. The days when Chungking was the city’s innovative trading center are certainly long gone. One could argue that this only adds to the charm. Chungking Mansions are a solid piece of local history that can still be visited today. Until the government decides it no longer fits into Tsim Sha Tsui’s “Golden Mile”, that is.
By the way, the Mirador Mansion is right across the street- Chungking’s lesser-known cousin.