Should You Stay at the Bishop Lei International House?

If you read any of my other posts on Pale Ale Travel then you know for the first 6 months of 2023, I was located between Saigon, Bangkok, and Osaka (the latter being my new favorite city on earth). Prior to leaving, my apartment lease ended so coming back and getting resituated was a bit of an arduous and overwhelming process. 

However, providing refuge in the quest for my reclamation of stability in Hong Kong was the Bishop Lei International House. Located at 4 Robinson Road, in the prestigious Mid-Levels, Bishop Lei is a convenient, affordable, 3-star hotel that is perfect for budget travelers and those wanting to immerse themselves a stone’s throw away from all the action of Hong Kong Island.

Having lived in Hong Kong for six-plus years, all of it on Robinson Road (until recently), I’ve inevitably stayed at the Bishop Lei more than a handful of times – with my most recent stint clocking in at just under one month. While it definitely is not the sexiest or most luxurious hotel by any stretch of the imagination, Bishop Lei does hold its own when it comes to hospitality, amenities (outdoor pool, restaurant, and exercise room), and convenience (I can’t state this enough). 

Here’s a little bit about my most recent stay in the Bishop Lei International House and what I particularly enjoyed (and what I didn’t). 

P.S. If you couldn’t already tell, the feature image of Hong Kong’s skyline was taken from my room at Bishop Lei.

A Little Bit About Bishop Lei

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.bishopleihtl.com.hk/en/ 

• Address: 4 Robinson Rd, Mid-Levels

Owned and managed by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, Bishop Lei International House is a 23-story, smoke-free hotel boasting over 200-plus rooms for travelers (and returnees) of all types and budgets. From basic twin-bed accommodation to luxury sweets, Bishop Lei has you covered. Check-in begins at 2 PM and check-out is before 12 PM.

And the Bishop Lei is just a hop, skip, and jump away from Hong Kong’s bustling ‘Central’ financial district, making it a perfect refuge from the hectic city life, without compromising on convenience. From touchdown at the Hong Kong airport (post-immigration and customs), it takes no more than 40 minutes to step foot in the hotel lobby. 

My recommended route to get from the airport to Bishop Lei is to take the 24-minute Airport Express line from the Airport to Hong Kong Station, pop out to a taxi stand, and take a 5 to 10-minute taxi ride up Garden Road to Robinson Road.

The Deluxe Room

I alternated between the ‘Standard Single Room’ and the ‘Deluxe Room’. I unfortunately was apartment hunting during one of the busiest months for tourism in Asia (August) so prices swung somewhat wildly and the ‘Deluxe Room’ was outside my budget during several of the weeks. 

All the pictures in this post are from the ‘Deluxe Room’ as I wasn’t initially planning to do a hotel review but I have a few thoughts on the ‘Standard Single Rooms’. They are snug but get the job done. In general, I would not recommend them for couples or anyone who isn’t a single traveler as you may feel extremely cramped at points and constantly bump into things attempting to navigate the room. However, for their price point (which I’ve paid anywhere from HK$400 to $1,000 per night) and location in the heart of Mid-Levels, you really can’t beat it.

Regardless of the room type, every room I alternated between offered great sunlight – either from the Victoria Harbor side or the Robinson Road side. This is a major requisite for me in apartments and/or hotels. Both the Standard Single Room and Deluxe Room allowed for this Big Body to get more Vitamin D than that astronaut chimp in the Sunny D commercials back in the 2000s when first waking up. This natural light kept my circadian rhythm in check (oooh, look at me using biological processes to seem smart).

The Bed: Perfect For a New-Age Throuple With Back Concerns

While the bed is actually two twin-sized beds pushed together, it’s comfortable and provides more than enough space for an individual or couple (or throuple – looking at you UC Berkeley grads) to fit (with room to spare). 

Having spent many nights on both ends of the mattress firmness spectrum, Bishop Lei’s beds definitely lean towards the firmer side. The Standard Single Room was noticeably stiffer than the Deluxe Room, which is odd considering I’m 95% sure they use the same mattress across the board. 

The Deluxe Room’s mattress struck that perfect balance of firmness for Big Body, coupled with its strategic positioning in the room to gradually ease into the day with natural light, allowing me to start each day as fresh as a daisy.

Pale Ale Travel Tip: For couples, throuples, or just anyone looking for things to do in Hong Kong, make sure to check out my blog post tackling Hong Kong date ideas that will keep things fresh.

A Presidential Desk For a Disgraced, Self-Anointed Dignitary

This presidential desk was a lifesaver for days that I was unable to make it down to The Hive – the coworking space you can find me at most days. I spent most of my days in a dark blue suit with a red tie stamping crude oil invoices and signing important transnational declarations at this desk. 

If you are a business traveler coming through Hong Kong, I highly recommend opting for the Deluxe Room (at minimum) to ensure that you have a sizable workspace. WiFi was also strong which was a godsend after spending one week over at the Harbor Plaza North Point (also one of my favorite hotels) where I was forced to mobile hotspot 90% of the time.

The view (pictured in the featured image) just can’t be beat. Nothing gets you more amped for the day and excited to grab the city by the horns than waking up and/or working with the world’s best skyline in the background. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you want to get out of the hotel and get some work done, make sure to check out my article breaking down 11 laptop-friendly cafes in Hong Kong.

The Bathroom: Spacious & Well-Equipped

While the Standard Single’s living quarters felt cramped at points, it still sported a sizable bathroom which made getting ready in the morning a breeze. The Deluxe Room’s bathroom was at least twice the Standard Single’s size, which really did make this Big Body feel as if he was the king of his own porcelain throne (and kingdom).

The shower was sizable and the pressure was strong – an essential for cleansing yourself after a long day out in the humid Hong Kong air. I did run into one snafu with the bathroom in the Deluxe Room but you’ll have to keep reading to see what it was.

Similar to other business hotels, you will be able to find toothbrushes, toothpaste, a hair dryer, and other common necessities for getting ready in the morning here!

Affordable Prices For Centrally-Located Living

Prices may vary drastically at the Bishop Lei International House. However, even during its most expensive months, this is still one of the more affordable deals (proportionate to space and amenities) on the Island. 

At its peak (in the midst of August), I paid USD 125 per night (HKD$980) for a Standard Single. I also paid roughly the same price for a Deluxe Room per night at various points in my stay. At its lowest, my initial 7-day booking (Standard Single) in July cost just USD 82 per night (HKD$650). As of the date of publication, prices for rooms at the Bishop Lei are clocking in around USD 60 (HKD$450).

I primarily booked via Klook and Agoda as I found that rates were far better than booking directly with the hotel. Remember, many hotels (almost all, actually) sell rooms to third-party aggregators and booking sites at specific rates (as a guarantee), so I would strongly recommend booking via a third-party platform rather than via the Bishop Lei website. 

For example, I went to extend a night in my Standard Single Room at the front desk and was surprised to learn that the Deluxe Room was actually listed at a cheaper rate on Agoda. Also, with third-party booking sites, if you create a profile, you can generally rack up an extra 10-15% back if you consistently book via their platform. 

After spending 3 months in Japan, where a large portion of that was in hotels, I was able to secure an extra 10-15% off (on average) per booking. This is not me trying to sell you on any affiliate links as I am not promoting any for this. Rather, this is to let you know how I approached booking (I probably should actually set up affiliate links at some point but would rather focus on writing informative, non-promotional content for now). 

Several other sites that I recommend using to book hotels in Hong Kong include Klook and Hotels.com. I’m not really too keen on recommending Booking.com after a recent large-scale platform hack that has led to phishing and privacy attacks against users (in the form of direct messages from the platform).

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you are traveling to Hong Kong and in the mood for ramen, I recommend checking out my guide to six authentic ramen restaurants in Central, Hong Kong. 

An Outdoor Pool With a View, Hotel Shuttle, & More

Photo of the Bishop Lei outdoor swimming pool courtesy of Jerry over at The Computational Engineer

Now, I always tell myself that I’m going to swim every day whenever I book a hotel with a pool. The reality is quite a stark contrast to that. Of the “almost month” I stayed at the Bishop Lei International House, I took one swim – and I didn’t even bring my phone down to take a picture as I told myself I’d surely be back the next day. 

Luckily, my top roll dawg, Jerry, is back in town from London and staying at the Bishop Lei per my recommendation and was able to take this gorgeous picture with the Hong Kong skyline in the background. He also sent me one with his hairy calves which I am selling over at my OnlyFans for $4.99 per picture, with half the proceeds going to the Bigfoot Research Foundation. 

Unparalleled Convenience

Bishop Lei eats, sleeps, and breathes convenience. Not only is it less than a 15-minute jaunt down the escalators and steps to Central Station/Hong Kong Station but the Bishop Lei also offers a scheduled shuttle service to and from Central, Admiralty, and the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). 

There is a bus stop located right outside the front door of the Bishop Lei. Look for the 23 or 40 bus if you want to go all the way out to Wan Chai or North Point. Or, the 12 or 12M for trips down to Admiralty. I’m also forgetting the countless other buses (and minibuses) that stop here so make sure to check out the bus placards right outside the hotel.

Additional Value-Added Bonuses

While I didn’t use any of these, Bishop Lei also offers a reading room, exercise room, and Chapel (after all, it is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong). There is also a restaurant on the 1st floor (Terrace Room) serving up both Cantonese and Western classics such as baked rice pork chops (one of my favorites) and spaghetti bolognese. 

Like its room prices, Bishop Lei’s restaurant menu offerings are also affordable and reasonably priced (given its location).

Two Big Body Bishop Lei Anecdotes

Looking back I can laugh at it now but I had two little snafus during my time at the Bishop Lei. Granted, none of them were truly egregious or the fault of anyone in particular. But at the time, which was oddly one of the most stressful periods of life and work for me, they caused me slight vexation and irritation. 

This is not to “knock Bishop Lei” at all for these as looking back they are actually quite funny.

The Great 2 AM Flood

The first was after a relentless day of client work that had me further in the dumps than Eoir on a rainy day after a breakup. Just as I finished my nightly work calls, which on Wednesdays end around 1:30 AM to 2 AM, and had settled into my cozy, king-size bed, I heard rushing water flooding my bathroom (upon inspection, it was, indeed, flooding my bathroom). I put two and two together quickly as all hotel guests had received a letter under their door that day informing them that piping maintenance would be conducted at night for several hours. 

I frantically called the front desk, letting them know that something had gone wrong during their maintenance, to which the woman on the other end of the phone replied, “Are you sure it’s not just the maintenance?” This back and forth occurred several times before I blurted out, “Get someone up here now or my room will be underwater.” Several maintenance workers were in my room within a minute and the problem was fixed over the next hour.

Deep down I was terrified that the in-house plumber/handyman was going to look at the front desk staff standing next to me and say, “This wasn’t due to the current maintenance, it was because this man doesn’t know how to say “No” to kebabs.”

A Curious Incident of a Phone Charger in the Night-Time

The second incident was funny enough the next night when after having dozed off at a reasonable hour, still in the throes of work anxiety and stress, I was awoken by a persistent knock on my door at 3 AM. Half asleep and in no state to understand that it may be someone knocking on the wrong door, I called out, “Hello?” The woman on the other side responded, “I’m here with the charger you requested!” Still unable to process exactly what was happening, all I could muster up was, “Why are you doing this to me?” in my most pained, whiny voice.

Accidents and mistakes happen and I don’t expect anything in return because of them. Yes, it was less than ideal that it occurred on the days when I was at the end of my rope but maybe that was just the universe testing Big Body. What was a nice response to the first situation (the second really was no more than 45 seconds) was the fact that the staff learned that I was planning on extending my stay and offered me the ‘Deluxe Room’ that I was staying in at the time for the rate of a ‘Standard Single’ – which was applied to the subsequent 7 more days I spent there. 

I thought this was a really nice gesture and by the end of it, I didn’t want to leave. 

Should You Stay at the Bishop Lei International House in Hong Kong? 

Absolutely. I mean, unless you are rolling in dough and can stay at the Grand Hyatt or Four Seasons. Then do that. But if you are like me, a budget-conscious, traveler (and resident) seeking convenience with more-than-basic amenities (and then some), then I highly recommend the Bishop Lei for your first (or next) trip to Hong Kong. 

I know that should I change apartments (again) and need a reliable, affordable, comfortable hotel to stay at while I search for my new abode, Bishop Lei will be at the top of the list.

I would be remiss not to acknowledge how professional the front desk and cleaning staff at the Bishop Lei were. I could always count on a thoroughly cleaned room after a long day out of failed apartment hunting, an attentive front desk to field one of 300 questions I asked about extending my stay at X rate, and friendly doormen to greet me as I left for work and returned from taking it on the chin.

If you’ve stayed at the Bishop Lei in Hong Kong and have any thoughts or comments about it, I’d love to hear from you! Or, if you have any other hotels (budget, boutique, or luxury) in the Fragrant Harbor, don’t hesitate to reach out to let me know! I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have about staying at the Bishop Lei or any specific areas in Hong Kong.

Stay comfortable everyone,

Big Body