Hong Kong was founded as a place to conduct business, and it has done so zealously and aggressively ever since. With one of the world’s freest economies and with trade, tourism and financial services constituting its biggest industries, Hong Kong boasts the world’s ninth-largest trading economy, the world’s busiest airport for international cargo and the world’s sixth-largest stock market. As many as 48 million visitors (70 percent of them from mainland China) crossed its borders in 2012, some attending the 300 international conventions held here each year.

While archaeological finds show the area has been inhabited at least 6,000 years, Hong Kong’s modern history began in 1841 with the arrival of the British, who made it their financial and military stronghold in Asia. Although colonial rule ended in 1997 with Hong Kong’s transfer to the People’s Republic of China as a special administrative region, many British legacies live on, including English as an official language, a legal framework based on English common law, a Hong Kong dollar pegged to the U.S. dollar, horse racing and rugby, double-decker buses driving British-style on the left side of the road — and that most civilized of English traditions, afternoon tea.

Yet with 7 million people living in what is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, Hong Kong has always been intrinsically Chinese, who account for about 95 percent of its residents. Walk down any street in Central, the financial district, or touristy Kowloon and you’re likely to encounter roast duck hanging in Cantonese windows, shirtless men pushing carts alongside buzzing traffic, advertisements for foot reflexology and temples enveloped in the sweet smell of incense. But you’ll also find ever-taller skyscrapers, toney French restaurants, international designer boutiques and first-class hotels that dazzle even before gloved doormen usher you inside. In other words, Hong Kong is familiar yet exotic, a bustling Chinese metropolis with all the comforts of home.

You’ll notice how efficiently things run upon landing at Hong Kong International Airport. Sleek Airport Express trains whoosh you in less than 25 minutes to stations in Central and Kowloon, where free buses transfer passengers to major hotels and where check-in is offered for flights home. If you’re in Hong Kong more than a couple of days, purchase an Octopus card, valid for travel on the Airport Express, the MTR subway and train system, the iconic Star Ferry and the tram to famous Victoria Peak.

Because Hong Kong is so compact and the MTR is quick and easy to use (taxis are inexpensive and plentiful, but you risk getting stuck in traffic during peak times), location of lodging is less a concern for business travelers than, say, in sprawling Tokyo. The hotel business is booming, with the number of hotels and rooms approaching 230 and 70,000, respectively (in 2012, hotel occupancy was a healthy 89 percent). And because it’s all about the views in Hong Kong, book a room facing peerless Victoria Harbour.

The biggest concentration of hotels is in Kowloon, with top picks including InterContinental Hong Kong on the water’s edge (70 percent of its rooms face the harbor); The Ritz-Carlton, the highest hotel in the world; and the venerable Peninsula, built in 1928 but updated in 2013 with the most high-tech in-room facilities you’ll find anywhere. In Central, good choices include Mandarin Oriental, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary; the gorgeous Four Seasons with its outdoor infinity pool overlooking Victoria Harbour; and the intimate Upper House above upscale Pacific Place mall.

Many hotels offer club floors with special privileges that appeal to business travelers, including concierge service (useful for obtaining that hot restaurant reservation); a free one-time pressing of a business suit; use of a club lounge and meeting rooms; and complimentary buffets that usually include breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails and appetizers.

Hotels are good for power breakfasts, with the Mandarin Oriental’s Mandarin Grill a longtime favorite for its generous seating and views of Statue Square. The Peninsula’s Verandah is popular for its classy buffet spreads, while The Lounge & Bar in The Ritz-Carlton has a stunning interior and knock-out views from its 102nd-floor perch.

Private luncheon meetings are also easily arranged in hotels, with rooms for small to large groups and many with harbor views, including those at InterContinental, The Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Icon, Island Shangri-La and a long list of others.

Many of the city’s top restaurants are in hotels as well. Sure to impress clients are the Four Seasons’ Caprice French restaurant; The Peninsula’s Philippe-Starck-designed Felix, serving contemporary European cuisine; and InterContinental’s Spoon by Alain Ducasse. For Cantonese fare, the list of hotel restaurants is endless, but outstanding meals are guaranteed at the Four Seasons’ Lung King Heen, The Ritz-Carlton’s Tin Lung Heen and The Langham’s T’ang Court.

While only 30 years ago hotels were the only choice for quality Western fare, the food scene now covers 11,000 restaurants offering a staggering choice of international cuisine in all price ranges. Good stomping grounds in Central are SoHo, flanking the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator; and Lan Kwai Fong; Hong Kong’s nightlife district. Standouts include Gold by Harlan Goldstein, serving contemporary European cuisine; Duddell’s, a Cantonese restaurant/ art gallery above Shanghai Tang; Zuma, a contemporary Japanese restaurant; and Chicha, a cozy and casual favorite for Peruvian food. Farther afield, Bo Innovation in Wan Chai features molecular Chinese cuisine, while sister restaurant MIC Kitchen in the up-and-coming Kwun Tong district serves innovative international fare.

For drinks, Central’s Quinary with its molecular concoctions and rooftop Sevva hum with expat professionals. On the other side of the harbor, enjoy dreamy views from the dimly lit aqua spirit; Tapagria with its tapas and sangria menus; and The Ritz-Carlton’s Ozone, the world’s highest bar. Hong Kong’s raison d’être may be business, but it also knows how to show a good time.

Read more about shopping in Hong Kong.