Hong Kong Vacation Rentals: How To Find And Book Them
You may want to consider the following criteria when searching for Hong Kong vacation rentals: availability date, suitability for families, Internet access, apartment size and pets/smoking rules. For Hong Kong apartments you especially want to keep an eye out on size. A 2 bedroom apartment in Hong Kong is typically 40 square metres, if you find one that’s 50 square metres or above you’re doing well!
Use one of the many online holiday apartment websites to search and find Hong Kong vacation rentals. It can be useful to firstly decide which area you want to stay in (by talking to friends / family or browse the most popular rentals on the website) to narrow down your search. Remember to read the property reviews left by previous guests. They provide an unbiased opinion of the property and serve as a good sanity check on the accuracy of the advertisement.
Request, Review and Return the Rental Agreement
Once you have a tentative agreement with the owner, ask for a rental contract. By HK law if you are renting for over 3 months (even for Hong Kong vacation rentals) you want your rental contract stamped by the rental authority. This is because in the case of any dispute if the contract is not stamped then you may legally not enforce your rights. The contract will highlight your check in and check out dates, obligations on renting Hong Kong vacation rentals and most importantly any cancellation and refund policies. You should review this contract carefully to make sure you are comfortable with the terms and keep a signed copy of the contract.
Book the Hong Kong Vacation Rental
Generally rental owners will ask for deposit between 30-50% of the rental price to secure the booking. You want to check for the terms and conditions related the return of the deposit. The rental contract you reviewed in the previous step will contain the exact payment schedule. In most cases in Hong Kong, full payment is expected prior to check in date. Check with the owner on payment methods, the most common is PayPal, followed by online bank transfer and credit cards for Hong Kong vacation rentals.
Important Details Before you Arrive
Before you go on your holiday you want to ensure you have the following details about the vacation rental from the owner:
- Address of the apartment
- Keys to the property or a pre-arranged appointment with the owner on how to get them
- Owner’s contact details (a phone number or at least an email)
- Travel instructions to reach the apartment from the airport. When travelling to and from Hong Kong airport to your apartment, its best to use the airport express it’s the cheapest and most efficient way to travel to and from the airport.
It usually takes about 30 minutes from the airport to get into the City Central in HK so this is a good time to call the owner to give them a heads up on arrival.
When you are living in Hong Kong here is a list of basic necessities you’ll need.