We are stopping over in Hong Kong on the way to Oz, but are struggling to find a good value budget hotel. Most that we have found so far are of the massive chain variety, but we’d prefer something boutique. Any suggestions? Marcus Cooper, London

Sunday Times travel expert, Richard Green, responds: Hong Kong’s hotels vie with each other in scraping more sky and in carving out ever more hangar-like lobbies, It means that boutique properties are about as hard to find as a seat on the city's MTR railway in rush hour.

However, there is a welcome exception in The Minden (00 852 2739 7777). It’s a modest take on the boutique style, with 64 nicely (if unspectacularly) decorated, and spotless rooms, which is located in Kowloon on the small and quiet-ish Minden Avenue, just a five-minute walk from Nathan Road, and about ten from the Star Ferry and boats to the Hong Kong Island. Quiet-ish because this little lane is fast filling with bars, restaurants, and has a nightclub too - great for a nightcap or a jetlagged meal, but beware of some noise nuisance on the lower floors. There’s a free shuttle bus to the main Airport Express stop at Kowloon. Doubles start from £58, including a very basic breakfast.

A good few runs up the luxury ladder is the new 57-room Philippe Starck-designed Jia Boutique Hotel (00 852 3196 900) on Hong Kong Island in Causeway Bay. Its unremarkable 24-storey exterior hides a very sexy lobby, and thankfully the rooms are much less intimidating than Starke’s signature (read outlandish) public spaces. All have fully equipped kitchenettes and a studio style lounging area. It’s high tech and idiosyncratic, with wonderfully mismatched furniture, a restaurant that serves modern Australian cuisine and an Asian bistro. Rooms are from £130.

Times recommends

• Oasis of the Seas: the Times review
• The 20 best new year party places to stay
• Green Spaces 2009: are you the winning writer?