Inner-City Oasis

Although it makes commercial sense for hotels to cluster in a city's prime tourist quarters, for some holidaymakers the experience of stepping out of a lobby and onto a street full of more hotels, souvenir shops and other tourists can be disappointing.

But there's no danger of a letdown at Hong Kong's Langham Place Hotel (www.langhamhotels.com). It's situated in the heaving heart of Mongkok — a

working-class district famed for being one of the most densely populated places on earth.

Guests thus enjoy the best of both worlds: five-star luxury within, and the "real Hong Kong" outside. In a trice, you can go from strolling through raucous street markets to being back at the hotel and lapping up its creature comforts. Chief among these are the Chuan Spa (with its 360-degree city views) and the impressive guest-room technology (including wireless, Internet-enabled phones). If you're looking for somewhere luxurious but original to rest your head, you could hardly do better.