Happy Valley may be home to one of the world’s most famous racecourses, but there’s more to this Hong Kong Island neighbourhood than ponies and punting. Book a stay at one of these eight Happy Valley hotels to see it all for yourself.
Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
Hotel
Hotel Indigo is a popular place to stay for horse racing fans travelling to Hong Kong | Courtesy of Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island / Hotels.com
Located just a short walk from the Happy Valley Racecourse in the nearby neighbourhood of Wan Chai, this upscale hotel provides genuine luxury that doesn’t cost a fortune. Solar panels wrapped around the building create the image of a shimmering bronze dragon, and a glass-bottom infinity pool and Sky Bar are clever design touches, while the Café Post restaurant pays homage to the Old Wan Chai Post Office across the street.
Fancy watching the races from the comfort of your own suite? Then book one of Vela’s special Racecourse View Rooms, boasting unobstructed vistas of all the action. This modern tower on Morrison Hill Road features 98 well-appointed rooms and a contemporary on-site restaurant. It also provides easy access to the rest of the city – it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the Causeway Bay MTR station and Victoria Park.
Sitting between Wan Chai and Causeway Bay on the doorstep of the racecourse, this boutique hotel enjoys a central location in the heart of Hong Kong Island. Cosmo makes it even easier for guests to discover Hong Kong with a free shuttle service connecting a host of destinations around the city, including Admiralty, Central, Tai Koo and Quarry Bay.
The Emperor Hotel is so close to the Happy Valley Racecourse that its Michelin-star restaurant is even named after it. And the luxury doesn’t end with an award-winning in-house eatery – each one of the hotel’s 299 guest rooms were designed by prestigious Turkish firm Autoban and French botanist Patrick Blanc. The Emperor is also great value.
Situated between shopping hub Causeway Bay and the Happy Valley Racecourse, this Holiday Inn Express delivers modern rooms at affordable rates. This reliable chain hotel also includes a casino on-site if you want to keep punting after you’ve left the racecourse, as well as art galleries and mega-malls within walking distance.
These sophisticated serviced apartments are perfect for travellers spending a little longer on Hong Kong Island – all of the Eaton Residences’ 71 rooms contain a fully equipped kitchen, in-room washer and dryer, and access to a gym and sunny communal terrace. Shorter stays are also available for visitors attending big sporting events at Hong Kong Stadium, Happy Valley Racecourse and Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
This mammoth hotel towers over Happy Valley – you can see the 454-room building loom over the Hong Kong Racing Museum at the northern end of the track – as well as the bustling streets of the Wan Chai district. Close to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as well as the noodle shops and bars of Wan Chai, the Dorsett is popular with both leisure and business travellers.
You can’t miss the South Pacific Hotel, an oval-shape 28-storey skyscraper cloaked in a shimmering glass exterior. The unique architecture welcomes guests to a comfortable four-star hotel located only minutes from Times Square, Hysan Place and the Causeway Bay MTR station. There’s also a free shuttle service to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Admiralty and the Central ferry pier.
