[chl23]

Hello!

I am moving to HK at the end of August from Boston / NYC for a one-year rotation with my company. I am incredibly excited about the move and finding this forum super helpful, so thought I would try posting. :-) I will be working in Times Square--likely pretty long hours. I have been to HK a few times before, including in May to look at apartments. But I am hoping to get a bit more information on a couple of buildings / areas.

I am seriously considering a two-bed in CentreStage and a studio in J-Residence. I really loved the amenities and area along Hollywood Road up by CentreStage. I realize it is a bit of a commute, but am willing to make that tradeoff for a cool area / building. However, I am also tempted to save money on rent (to put towards great new clothes!) and go for a studio in the J-Residence in Wan Chai (and be closer to work). However, I am a little worried about how safe I will feel walking around there at night.

I am a 27 year old single female and tend to stick out in HK since I'm tall and blonde. I would love to hear people's thoughts on how comfortable I would feel taking the MTR from Causeway Bay to Wan Chai and walking back to the J-Residence at night. I've walked through the sketchier parts of Wan Chai and am not a fan. I am assuming that at night going back to CS, I would take the MTR to Central (rather than Sheung Wan) and walk home along Hollywood Road.

Also, if anyone has also looked at J-Residence and CentreStage, I would love to hear how you thought about comparing the two buildings and areas. In particular, I have friends that say Wan Chai is the next SoHo, but am not so sure I think that is going to happen in the next year, which is all that is relevant to me. Do you agree?

Thanks so much!
Claire

[Crocodile]

As you have already pointed out, there are advantages and disadvantages to each.

Walking around Wan Chai and Causeway Bay at night is very safe - can't think of many other places I would feel safer really, so that is no problem. You could always catch the tram instead of walking to J Residence from work.

Some others on here might be able to recommend the best way (and timing) to get from Hollywood Rd to Times Square. A 2br apartment is handy - the 2nd bedroom essentially being used as a walkin wardrobe. That is the big disadvantage of a studio apartment. But, in the end, it depends what you can put up with.

Do you have a budget in mind?

[gilleshk]

Safety certainly isn't an issue here and the "sketchier" part of Wanchai as you call them are usually full of expat anyway and there are many excellent and popular restaurant in the area. On top of it, there's no need to walk there as you could come back on Queen's RD or Wanchai/Johnston for J residence. You can take the tram and many buses and minibuses from Time Square and a taxi will only be 16 HKD.

For my lifestyle, Wanchai is more convenient with access to a large Supermarket(Taste Hopewell), running trails, sports club, a nice selection of restaurants and close to Admiralty and Central tunnel which takes you to Kowloon easily.

More expats, more restaurants in midlevels, LKF if you're a clubber and if the place is two bedroom, that may make you happier...

[campas12]

Originally Posted by chl23

Hello!



I am seriously considering a two-bed in CentreStage and a studio in J-Residence. I really loved the amenities and area along Hollywood Road up by CentreStage. I realize it is a bit of a commute, but am willing to make that tradeoff for a cool area / building. However, I am also tempted to save money on rent (to put towards great new clothes!) and go for a studio in the J-Residence in Wan Chai (and be closer to work). However, I am a little worried about how safe I will feel walking around there at night.

I am a 27 year old single female and tend to stick out in HK since I'm tall and blonde. I would love to hear people's thoughts on how comfortable I would feel taking the MTR from Causeway Bay to Wan Chai and walking back to the J-Residence at night. I've walked through the sketchier parts of Wan Chai and am not a fan. I am assuming that at night going back to CS, I would take the MTR to Central (rather than Sheung Wan) and walk home along Hollywood Road.

Also, if anyone has also looked at J-Residence and CentreStage, I would love to hear how you thought about comparing the two buildings and areas. In particular, I have friends that say Wan Chai is the next SoHo, but am not so sure I think that is going to happen in the next year, which is all that is relevant to me. Do you agree?

Thanks so much!
Claire

in terms of buildings- centrestage 2 bdrm is the size of a 1 bdrm in j-residence! personally i liked the layout of jres more than centrestage. the trade of is that jres feels like a hotel vs. centrestage feeling like a 'home.

since i'm more of a soho kinda person i'd rpefer to stay in centrestage area-- most ppl i know would talk/take escalator down and catch the mtr from central.


in terms of areas- i spend a lot of time around centrestage (friends live there, and i'm a fan of sunday afternoon coffee/drinks at a place on elgin/peel...so i'm def. a fan of that area vs. wan chai. wan chai to me feels more of a 'local' area (once you get away from the bar area)...and although i am chinese, i'm the definition of a twinkie...so expat areas suit me better. hell, i'll be working in quarry bay, but due to my preference of central, i plan on staying there (even though the commute will be longer, prices higher etc etc...)

as far as safety goes- i've been a new yorker for the past 8 years...and i can definitely say, i don't have any fear AT ALL in hkg...(no matter what area i'm in). the only thing to fear (sorry to go off on a tangent) is dirty old men trying to discretely take pictures of you with their cellphones (yes, it happened to my lady friend while we were talking to the MTR one morning)

[chl23]

Thank you all so much for your help! This was incredibly helpful. I think it's hard moving from places where crime is a legitimate concern to someplace as safe as Hong Kong!

I ended up deciding to go with CentreStage for the area, but had definitely gotten totally comfortable with the J Residence area as well. Thank you again--I'm so excited to get to HK.

[larac]

Have you signed with Centrestage yet? I used to live almost next door to Centrestage so know the area well and loved it both for convenience, atmosphere and safety BUT if I had to go to Times Square every day it would have driven me mad.

Right now it is 32-35 degrees so you just step outside and melt, even a short walk is draining and in work clothes you would be drenched in minutes plus the past few months it has rained alot so you need to think about this when considering your commute epecially in the morning.

Getting a cab in rush hour or the rain is hard from CS and the traffic would get pretty bad too and due to the heat or the rain you would get quite wet getting to the MTR so personally I wouldn't do it and would seriously consider another option.

At one point when living there I was considering a job at Quarry Bay - just along from Times Square - and these factors were a major concern. I had planed to join the gym right by the office so I could go to the gym before work and shower there to help avoid the morning rush and to arrive at work in a better state.

[chl23]

I haven't actually signed, but am basically just waiting for my lease. I am a consultant and thus will be most likely be going to client sites Monday - Thursday (could be anywhere in HK or even China, but most likely HK). The company will pay for taxis, so would definitely plan on that. The only day I would almost definitely be in the office is Fridays.

What you said about getting cabs is troubling. Are there cab numbers you can call to have one come in the morning?

Are there other places you would recommend with a similar atmosphere to CS, but more cab accessible?

[campas12]

Originally Posted by chl23

I haven't actually signed, but am basically just waiting for my lease. I am a consultant and thus will be most likely be going to client sites Monday - Thursday (could be anywhere in HK or even China, but most likely HK). The company will pay for taxis, so would definitely plan on that. The only day I would almost definitely be in the office is Fridays.

What you said about getting cabs is troubling. Are there cab numbers you can call to have one come in the morning?

Are there other places you would recommend with a similar atmosphere to CS, but more cab accessible?

i'd say getting cabs is more or less the same as nyc. the difference is- there are taxi cues around the central areas...but it's possible to hail one down no problem. getting a cab in midtown at rush hour is next to impossible (in nyc), just as it's hard to get one when it's raining...

as far as the centrestage route- i've also thought about the sweat/rain, but if i take the escalator down, then walk over to the train entrance across from the landmark, that isn't too far imho...

[gilleshk]

The heat/humidity and rain are pretty annoying in the summer but comes the end of september, it'll be really nice until June so it's not that much to put up with and if you plan your holidays right, that makes it even less of a problem. As for taxis, there are tons of them and if you leave a little earlier, it's not that much of a problem.

[larac]

With the cabs you need to walk back toward Possession Street. Just by the Man Mo temple there are alot of people wanting cabs and if they are further down the street than you they will always grab it first.

I think it is all relative...most of the time in HK you get a cab within a minute so when you have to wait as long as it would take in most places it can seem like an age, I guess if you factor some wait time into your schedule it wouldn't be so bad.

And if you are traveling around alot as you describe then Centrestage would be more convenient than first thought. Close to Macau and China ferries, close to cabs and close to central for trains in multiple directions and the airport express.