I first stayed at Jia last year, and I've been back twice (most recently for two nights in early April '08). There's a lot to like about this small (50-some studio and suite apartments) boutique hotel, and if you're an independent traveler seeking style, comfort, and value in an HK hotel, I highly recommend the Jia.

Hotel: Jia occupies a typically slender, nondescript high-rise building in Causeway Bay. While its residential-flat origins are apparent, the building's makeover works very well, from the cozy and functional lobby area to the two efficient lifts servicing the 20 floors.

Rooms: I've stayed in both basic room types -- studio and suite -- and I come firmly down on the side of fellow travellers who found the rooms spacious and well thought out. Both formats make excellent use of space, and the Starck-designed furnishings and decor, while not high-end, are attractive and grow on one with successive stays at the Jia. The studio, at about 34 sq. m., is fine for the single traveller. The suite, double the size of the studio, basically adds space to the open living/dining/kitchen area while maintaining the same intimate sleeping and bathroom areas. Bathrooms in both layouts are done in a very smart grey-and-white marble; if you want a full bath, however, stay elsewhere. I was fine with the large walk-in shower, and the rest of the bathroom -- especially the clear-glass sink and bevel-mirrored medicine cabinet -- is visually and functionally appealing. Both layouts include a kitchenette; I don't cook when I travel, especially to HK, but it's a good touch to have basic kitchen amenities for urban-hipster families who may be more cooking-inclined than I.

As others have noted, the windows in Jia's rooms are one feature that didn't get upgraded in the building's transformation from flats to "boutique" accommodations. They're single-paned, but I found the noise from the street, particularly on the higher floors on which I've stayed, minimal. Jia provides blinds, shears, and blackout curtains on all room windows; and these effectively reduce most street noise. The rooms' lighting and other electronic features (TV/DVD, A/C) take a bit of time to become user-friendly, but everything works well and looks good. One minor nitpick: the smallish (but high-quality) flat-screen TV is fixed in place: it faces the living/sitting area rather than the sleeping area, and it can't be swivelled to face the bed. No matter; one shouldn't be watching much TV while visiting HK, anyway.

Quick note on the A/C: My stays at Jia have all coincided with warm or hot weather in HK, and the A/C (just one unit, even in the suites, if I remember correctly) is excellent: it has a high-power setting, which quickly cools the room to the point where it can be chilly. I like that, and I even like the continuous ventilation sounds of the A/C when it's on: good white noise while sleeping. Again, though, some travellers might find the A/C a bit too efficient, but it's a high-tech unit that probably heats the room as well in colder seasons.

Two other nice Jia room touches: free local calls and internet service.

Lobby/refreshments/front desk: Much happens in Jia's small lobby. The tiny reception desk, which is always staffed by at least one black-clad person, can get overwhelmed if more than a few people are simultaneously checking in our out or looking for transportation or restaurant-reservation assistance. But the property is small enough that this is not a big problem. The lobby has more Starck furniture, some comfortable, some not. There is a long, narrow table with high stools; this is the best bet for properly consuming Jia's complimentary continental breakfast (good if limited selection of fruits, breads, yoghurts, and beverages). I've not availed myself of Jia's complimentary happy-hour wine bar, but the small lobby refrigerator is always stocked with free soft drinks. (I think the San Pellegrino is a particularly welcome feature.)

Restaurant/bar/dining: I've not yet eaten at Opia, Jia's hightly rated restaurant, but I plan to rectify that oversight during my next stay. Opia and the adjacent bar are, of course, very stylish, and the bar has a good snack/light-food menu as well.

Location: Depending on what's important to you, Jia's location is either so-so or great. For me, it's the latter: the hotel is just one block away from the MTR, which will get you anywhere you need to go in HK. For getting to Central or other HK Island spots, Jia's Causeway Bay location is a very convenient and cheap starting point for HK's plentiful taxis. Causeway Bay is also a lively and interesting neighborhood, with lots of shopping, dining, and (local) people-watching possibilities. And, again, it's only a very short taxi, MTR, or Star Ferry ride to other interesting parts of HK.

Reservations/booking: This is the one area where I hope to see improvement by Jia. Until a few months ago, one could not reserve Jia rooms directly from the website; one either had to call or e-mail the hotel. While Jia's website now features (ihotelier-provided) online booking capability, the website is not secure (at least in all of the different web browsers -- IE, Safari, Firefox -- I have tried), so I have either used Expedia or direct contact to make reservations at Jia. A warning if you use Expedia, as I did for my last stay: Jia apparently doesn't receive confirmation of Expedia or other travel-agency reservations until a minimum of 24 hours after the booking is made. I found this out the hard way during my last stay, when I arrived at Jia at 2 a.m. only to find that the hotel had no record of my booking -- two nights in a suite -- which I'd made just the day before. The receptionist explained the booking-delay possibility and then added that the hotel was pretty much full for the weekend. He did find an available room, but no suite was available that first night, so I ended up taking an available studio. By way of apology, the receptionist offered a complimentary limo from the hotel to HKIA for my departure, which I found a more-than-satisfactory response to the problem. Bottom line, I suppose, is to double-check with Jia before arrival, whatever the means of booking one uses.

Value: For such a cute, hip property, Jia also represents a rare lodging value in HK. Whether booking directly with the hotel or via an online travel service such as Expedia or Orbitz, Jia's promotional rates make the rooms something of a bargain. Often, the difference in price between a studio and a suite is fairly small: I've seen as little as HKD 400, which makes the suite (at 700 sq. m.) probably the best suite bargain of any decent-or-better hotel property in HK. When I first stayed at Jia, in the summer of 2007, I booked a studio for one night at HKD 1,600 and was given a suite for that price. Even without an upgrade, that rate struck me as a good value; getting a suite for that price -- very nice. Finally, it's worth checking Jia's website at least several times before you book, as rates seem to be carefully calibrated to occupancy rates (both actual and antcipated), and you may see a drop in price from one day to the next.

Conclusion: Overall, I rate Jia as an excellent accommodation option in HK. It's probably more suited to younger, urban-oriented travelers, but it represents a stylish, comfortable value for pretty much anyone. Give it a try.