The Fleming is in Wan Chai, a vibrant district on Hong Kong Island’s north shore.
Planes
Hong Kong International is one of Asia’s biggest airports, so it’s well serviced by direct flights from European hubs and larger US airports. Depending on the traffic, it takes around 35 minutes to drive to the hotel; one-way transfers are available for HKD1000. Our Smith24 team are on hand to arrange your flights and transfers.
Trains
If you’re travelling light, you can catch the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station, walk two minutes to Central Station, then hop onto an MTR train on the (blue) Island Line, riding two stops to Wan Chai. If you’ve got anything more than a carry-on, you’ll be better off in a cab.
Automobiles
You won’t need your own set of wheels in Hong Kong – most locals will tell you that it’s a better idea to take public transport, which is fast and efficient.
Other
The hotel’s muse, the iconic Star Ferry, has been plying the route between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island since the 1880s.
Worth getting out of bed for
Wan Chai was once synonymous with its infamous after-hours scene, but it’s since cleaned up its act, turning into one of Hong Kong’s hippest ‘hoods. It’s also one of the city’s oldest, so it’s got generations of history and culture packed into its dense streets. One of the best ways to get a feel for things is the Wan Chai Heritage Trail, a free walking route that takes you past many of its important sights, including the Blue House, Old Post Office and Pak Tai Temple. Once you’re done, go for a wander around the Star Street Precinct, made up of five bustling commercial streets. Hong Kong is nothing if not cosmopolitan – it’s branded itself ‘Asia’s world city’ in recent years – but few areas rival this one for sheer variety. Full of fashion and design boutiques, Vietnamese restaurants, French cafés and New York-style dive bars, this modern melting pot whisks you halfway round the world and back again. Stop in at any one of them and you’ll likely hear half-a-dozen languages being spoken at once. For another modern culture shot, don’t miss the Hong Kong Arts Centre, which has been flying the flag for the homegrown art scene since the 1970s. Last but certainly not least, take the Star Ferry across the harbour to Kowloon. You’ll recognise many of the details that inspired the Fleming’s design.
Local restaurants
If you’re looking for more than a simple caffeine fix, try hyper-minimalist coffee shop Omotesando Koffee, which unites pared-back Japanese design with some of the best baristas anywhere in the city. For lunch, hit local favourite 22 Ships, a stylish tapas bar helmed by renowned chef Jason Atherton. It’s a small place – most diners sit on the swivelling stools set around a bar decked in white subway tiles – so there’s often a queue; try arriving before or after the main rush. For a laid-back dinner, try Thai–Chinese eatery Samsen, a 35-seater shophouse with bare walls, wooden stools and potted plants dangling from the ceiling. Chef Adam Cliff might be Australian by birth, but his rigorous training in all things Thai means the dishes are as authentic as they are innovative.
Local bars
Cocktail spot Back Bar is hidden down an alleyway next to Ham Sherry’s, the sister restaurant to 22 Ships. There’s a bold mural on the outside and tattoo-esque illustrations of exotic flowers within, but it’s the drinks that are most bewitching of all. Known as one of the most creative cocktail spots in the district, Back Bar is where other bartenders go after they’ve knocked off for the night.
