By Assunta Ng
My mom’s 600 square foot apartment in Hong Kong costs US$2,200 to rent per month. You could both see and hear her neighbor through the adjacent windows. The high-rise consists of 1600 units and stands in the middle of a forest of cement buildings. Imagine four people myself and my husband included wriggling in that small of a space. I felt like I hardly had enough air to breathe. The noise was unbearable, not only from my mom, but also from neighboring apartments that were remodeling. The whole scene is typical of many Hong Kong apartment buildings.
So what are my options?
My husband and I found our escape by spending two nights in Macau, which is known as Asia’s Las Vegas. We stayed at the Westin, a waterfront resort located on one of two of Macau’s islands. It cost us only US$125 a night, including breakfast. The usual rate is about $300. Our rate is lower compared to its seasonal and weekend rate of over US$300. Too bad we don’t golf because our hotel was located next to a golf course, which is owned by Gaming King Stanley Ho. (end)