The Putman
by the TopOfHotel team
The Putman is a self-catering designer suite with a real kitchen in the room, set in the most stylish corner of Sheung Wan — built on Andree Putman's legendary design, apartment-style privacy, and a walkable location that reaches both the antique shops and the business district.
The Putman is a self-catering designer suite with a real kitchen in the room, set in the most stylish corner of Sheung Wan — built on Andree Putman's legendary design, apartment-style privacy, and a walkable location that reaches both the antique shops and the business district.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a smart building hiding behind a striking Art Deco glass front on Queen's Road West in Sheung Wan. Walk in and it doesn't feel like checking into a hotel — it feels like opening the door to a designer's private apartment, and that's the charm of The Putman. The heart of the place is the name above the door, Andree Putman, the renowned French designer behind celebrated interiors around the world. She shaped all 28 suites herself in a clean, understated style — uncluttered lines, soft tones, furniture that looks good without shouting. Every room is a roomy suite with more usable space than a typical downtown Hong Kong hotel room. The best part is the high-tech kitchen hidden behind a screen: open it up and you can cook for yourself like you're at home, with Zwilling cookware and a Nespresso machine, plus a freestanding bathtub for a warm soak after a day out.
Food and amenities
The appeal of The Putman isn't grand facilities like a giant pool or a rooftop bar — it's the self-catering setup that lets you live like you're in your own home in the middle of the city. The core of it is the kitchen in every suite, carefully designed and tucked behind a plain screen; open it and it becomes a real kitchen with quality Zwilling cookware and a Nespresso machine. That makes it easy to pick up ingredients from the wet markets and the old dried-goods shops in Sheung Wan and cook for yourself. That suits anyone saving on meals in high-cost Hong Kong, longer stays, and families who want their own kitchen space. Another thing reviews love is the freestanding bathtub, which makes downtime in the room feel that bit more private and indulgent. On service, being a small 28-room suite building, the staff look after guests closely in a boutique way — many reviews say the team is friendly and good at pointing you to local restaurants and sights, so you feel like a special guest rather than a room number. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout.
Location and getting there
The location is another strong card, because it sits on Queen's Road West right where Sheung Wan meets Central, so you get both worlds in one spot. Sheung Wan is an old district that's now popular with design lovers, full of traditional dried-goods shops, wet markets, art galleries and stylish cafes around PoHo. Walk a little further up the hill and you reach Hollywood Road, the famous antiques street lined with curio shops and galleries, and the old Man Mo Temple thick with incense. At the same time you can walk toward Central for the office towers and the downtown business district, which is handy if you're mixing work with travel. Sheung Wan MTR station on the Island Line is close, a few minutes' walk, with easy trains across Hong Kong Island and over to Kowloon. The Macau Ferry Terminal for crossings to Macau is nearby too. Reviewers rate the location as high as 9/10.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. First, The Putman is a small suite building of just 28 rooms and sets itself up as a self-catering stay, so there are no grand facilities like a large pool, a rooftop city-view bar, a spa or multiple on-site restaurants, and no daily breakfast served. Anyone who likes spending time in the hotel with full service on hand may feel more on their own — but if you came for the kitchen and the apartment-style privacy, that turns into a plus. Second, Sheung Wan is hilly with some steep slopes, and it's an old commercial district where the streets get busy during the day, so some rooms may catch noise from the area. Light sleepers should ask about the room type and which way it faces before booking. Finally, with a limited number of varied suites, it can fill quickly in high season and prices climb, so book ahead and confirm what's included in the room, like the kitchen equipment, before you commit.
Our take
After reading through a lot of real reviews, The Putman sells one thing with real character: a self-catering designer suite with a real kitchen in the room, in the most stylish corner of Sheung Wan. With Andree Putman's legendary design, the pretty Art Deco glass front, a high-tech kitchen behind a screen with Zwilling and Nespresso, and a freestanding bathtub in every room, it stands clearly apart from the big-brand 5-star hotels in the same area. If your idea of the trip is waking up to make coffee in your own kitchen, strolling the antique shops of Hollywood Road and the hip cafes nearby, then coming back for a soak in a quiet, design-led suite, this is about as good a fit as it gets — especially for longer stays or anyone wanting a kitchen of their own. If you're after full grand facilities or a complete hotel service with an in-house restaurant and spa, the small self-catering format may give you pause. Overall we'd give it 8.7/10, best for couples, design-minded travelers, and anyone who wants to live with a kitchen of their own in the middle of the city.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Every detail passed through the hands of Andree Putman, the renowned French designer, in a clean, understated style that's hard to find a match for in this neighborhood — it feels like sleeping inside a genuine design piece.
- Each suite comes with a high-tech kitchen hidden behind a screen, fully kitted out with Zwilling cookware and a Nespresso machine, so you can cook for yourself like you're at home. It's ideal for longer stays or saving on meals in pricey Hong Kong.
- With just 28 rooms, the building feels private and quiet, more like a luxury apartment than a busy chain hotel. Plenty of reviews say it feels like coming home.
- Every room has a freestanding bathtub for a relaxing soak, and the building hides behind a pretty Art Deco glass facade that has become an eye-catching feature on Queen's Road West.
- The location straddles Sheung Wan and Central, an easy walk to the antique shops of Hollywood Road, the galleries, the hip cafes, and the downtown office district — the location score runs as high as 9/10.
- As a small suite building of just 28 rooms, it doesn't have the grand facilities of a big hotel — no large pool, rooftop bar or in-house spa. If you like spending time in the hotel and want full amenities on site, it's worth weighing up.
- The self-catering concept is built around guests looking after themselves in a room with a kitchen, so there's no restaurant or full hotel-style service and no daily breakfast served. Anyone who prefers being waited on throughout may feel they're more on their own here.
- It sits on the hilly side of Sheung Wan, with some steep slopes, in an old district where the streets get busy during the day. Some rooms may catch noise from the commercial area, so check the room type and which way it faces before you book.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Sheung Wan
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Insider Tips
- If you're planning several nights, make the most of the in-room kitchen — stop by the wet markets and the old dried-goods shops in Sheung Wan (dried fish, spices, Chinese herbs) for ingredients to cook with, it makes for a great experience.
- Walk up toward Hollywood Road mid-morning to browse the antique shops, galleries and the old Man Mo Temple, then drop into the hip cafes around PoHo nearby before heading back to your room.
- Since it's a small suite building, contact them ahead about the room types and what's included in the room. The close-knit team can usually help arrange a room and point you to good spots in the area.