Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
by the TopOfHotel team
Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island is a boutique design hotel that retells the stories and texture of old Wan Chai through the whole building, then caps it with a glass-bottom infinity pool that hangs off the rooftop edge — strong on design, rooftop atmosphere and location more than on room size, right at the MTR Wan Chai entrance and steps from Star Street.
Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island is a boutique design hotel that retells the stories and texture of old Wan Chai through the whole building, then caps it with a glass-bottom infinity pool that hangs off the rooftop edge — strong on design, rooftop atmosphere and location more than on room size, right at the MTR Wan Chai entrance and steps from Star Street.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a boutique design hotel sitting on Queen's Road East, right across from the old Wan Chai post office — that is the first bit of charm at Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island, part of IHG's Hotel Indigo brand, which has a clear signature for telling each neighborhood's story through its design. Step into the lobby and you feel right away that this is not a chain that looks the same the world over. It is full of real Hong Kong character, from the gold-dragon motifs running through the building to small details drawn from the wet markets, Chinese medicine shops and old temples around Wan Chai. The 144 rooms and suites are fun and colorful, well laid out and easy to use, with comfortable beds and, in many rooms, big windows that pull in light and look out over the restless Wan Chai skyline. Plenty of reviews agree the rooms are cute, photogenic and more characterful than others at the same level. If you like a stay where the story and design are the headline act, this one lands.
Food and amenities
If this hotel has one true headliner, it is the glass-bottom infinity pool on the rooftop, cantilevered out past the building — the feature nearly every review mentions. Beyond the wide-open Wan Chai view, you can swim up and look straight down through the glass at the street below, equal parts thrilling and nerve-jangling, and people book in specifically for the shot. Right beside it is the rooftop bar, an easy spot for a cold drink over the city lights at night, with a mood that suits couples or a group of friends. For food there is an in-house restaurant serving breakfast and main meals, and for working out there is a fitness center. Overall this is a compact design hotel that leans on polish, atmosphere and the rooftop experience rather than sprawling common areas, with staff that many reviews call warm, friendly and genuinely helpful — the close-knit feel of a real boutique stay.
Location and getting there
Location is the other ace here. The hotel sits on Queen's Road East in the heart of Wan Chai, across from the historic old Wan Chai post office, and best of all the MTR Wan Chai station on the Island Line is right at the entrance with barely a step to walk — hop on the metro to Central, Causeway Bay or anywhere else in the city without a taxi. Exhibition Centre station on the East Rail Line, which runs under the tunnel across to Kowloon, is a slightly longer walk. A few steps out the door is the trendy Star Street district, full of cafes, restaurants and cute shops tucked into quiet lanes, while the other side gives you the local charm of old Wan Chai — the Wan Chai market, the medicine and antique shops, the historic Hung Shing Temple and traditional local restaurants to explore all day. In short, if you want a spot that is both supremely easy to get around from and genuinely close to real Hong Kong off the tourist trail, this location delivers.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing to accept is room size — this is central Hong Kong, so rooms run compact by the city's standards, especially the entry-level types, and anyone with big suitcases or a larger group may find the space a touch tight. The second is the view: most rooms look out onto Wan Chai's city buildings rather than a full Victoria Harbour vista like the harbourfront hotels, so if you are dreaming of waking up to the bay, reset that expectation first. Third, the rooftop pool, headliner as it is, is a small infinity pool built more for soaking and photos than serious laps, and on sunny days and weekends it gets fairly busy, so you may wait for a good photo spot. Finally the location cuts both ways: Queen's Road East is fairly busy by day with some street noise, so light sleepers or anyone wanting quiet should ask for a higher floor — quieter, and a wider city view too.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island is the hotel that sells design — retelling old Wan Chai's stories in a way that feels distinctive — paired with a memorable glass-bottom infinity pool and rooftop bar, a location right at the MTR Wan Chai entrance, and easy reach of both the trendy Star Street district and the local charm of Wan Chai, all at a price kinder than the 5-star harbour hotels. If your trip looks like staying in a room with character, soaking in a glass-bottom pool for fun photos, sipping a drink on the rooftop over the city lights, then heading down to explore Wan Chai's markets and old shops, this is a fun, great-value pick. But if the heart of your trip is a big room, a full Victoria Harbour view or a large pool for lap swimming, the style here may not be your match. Overall we give it 8.6/10 — best for couples, design lovers and working travelers after a characterful stay with a chic rooftop in the heart of Wan Chai, without paying harbourfront prices.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The glass-bottom infinity pool on the rooftop, cantilevered out past the building, is the feature reviews talk about most — swim up and you can look straight down through the glass at the street below, paired with a rooftop bar for evening drinks over the city.
- The design has real character, retelling the stories and texture of old Wan Chai, from the gold-dragon motifs running through the building to details drawn from the markets, medicine shops and old temples nearby. Reviews praise it as genuinely photogenic.
- The location is excellent, right at the entrance to MTR Wan Chai station (Island Line) with barely a step to walk, so you can ride straight to Central, Causeway Bay or anywhere else in the city, and the trendy, cafe-lined Star Street district is just a few steps away.
- You are in the heart of Wan Chai's local charm, with the Wan Chai market, the medicine-and-antique shops along Queen's Road East, the historic Hung Shing Temple and local restaurants all within a day's walk — real Hong Kong off the tourist trail.
- Staff service is warm, friendly and helpful by many accounts, and with an in-house fitness center, bar and restaurant, it delivers a boutique-design feel at a price that is easier on the wallet than the 5-star hotels along the harbour.
- Rooms are compact by Hong Kong city standards. Anyone traveling with big suitcases or in a larger group may find the space tight, especially in the entry-level room types.
- Most rooms look out mainly onto Wan Chai's city buildings rather than a full Victoria Harbour view like the harbourfront hotels. If you are hoping for a harbour view from your room, adjust your expectations.
- The rooftop pool is an infinity pool but not a large one, geared toward soaking and photos and taking in the view more than serious lap swimming, and it gets fairly busy on sunny days and weekends, so you may have to wait your turn for a good photo spot.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Wan Chai
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Insider Tips
- Plan time at the glass-bottom rooftop infinity pool either mid-morning when the light is good or early evening as the city lights come on — it is the hotel's signature photo spot, so go when it is less crowded if you want clean shots without waiting in line.
- Ask for a higher floor if you want a wider city view and more quiet, away from the daytime noise of Queen's Road East, which gets fairly busy.
- Make the most of the location: Star Street with its cafes and cute shops is a few steps away, and the MTR Wan Chai entrance is directly across from the hotel, so you can hop on the metro and head elsewhere right away.