Five of Hong Kong’s best co-working spaces reviewed - free beer if you’re lucky

In recent years, co-working spaces have sprouted in major world cities such as New York and London. In Hong Kong, where living spaces can be quite cramped, there’s arguably a greater demand as entrepreneurs, freelancers and digital nomads need room to work. We recently checked out five co-working spaces in town anonymously, from upscale to the cheapest we could find. Here is how they measured up.

The Work Project

At a daily rate of HK$350 a day, The Work Project is easily among the most expensive co-working offices in town. But it was obvious you get what you pay for.

With the owner looking to the hotel industry for inspiration, using the high ceiling space was akin to checking in for a stay: water was served the minute we sat down, and freshly brewed coffee and cookies were offered. There was also a minibar containing a wide selection of drinks, and mouthwash in the toilet, all available at no extra charge.

There was only one member of staff on hand, but he greeted us by name, which was a surprise. It’s not every day that you have a 2,000 sq ft office almost entirely to yourself.

The location is in itself a draw – a two-minute walk to the Causeway Bay MTR station, and situated above a number of restaurants (we received coupons for some of them). If you want to head out for a break, there are lockers for laptops and other belongings.

Although this was the most spacious and comfortable office we visited, the heated toilet seat was a bit much given Hong Kong’s current temperatures (though this would be very comfortable during winter). The room’s scent – rosemary and citrus notes, to promote concentration – is also a bit overpowering.

For once, the boast of “high-speed internet” was true: uploading a video took mere seconds.