I have travelled to Hong Kong extensively for business and 20 years later, I'm still consistently surprised by what the city had to offer. Stepping through the threshold of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, a piano rendition of "The Phantom of the Opera" greeted me.
You'd expect the audio to be delivered through some fancy high-end sound system but the song was was actually performed live. As the violin solo followed, I was firmly in the "pleasantly impressed" camp as I broke into a rousing applause after the performance.
The grand piano sits atop the balcony of the upper mezzanine floor, and yes, from ground to ceiling, the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong measured closed to three storeys. Adding to the plenitude are grand marbled columns, period décor pieces, and indoor water features alongside curvilinear staircases that lead to the upper mezzanine. The immense lobby is reminiscent of a luxurious cruise liner. I feel dwarfed. This was an experience where ample spaces allow guests to comfortably take in the environment and acclimatise to the opulent details.
Located at the waterfront of Hong Kong Island, guests get a gander at the world-famous Victoria Harbour. When night falls, the city become starburst—lights dot and hum along the streets. Since opening in November 1989, the hotel finished a four-year-long renovation on all guest rooms and facilities in 2018. Masterminded by Melbourne-based boutique design studio, BAR Studio, the rooms are imbued with striking spaciousness. Outfitted with an open bathtub, a walk-in shower, a separate toilet, glass light-fixtures and a neutral sand-tone marbled vanity, one is still able to find the breadth of the space tenable; a respite in space-starved Hong Kong.
Even before the makeover, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong had chalked up several awards and accolades for its hospitality. While the room’s spaciousness is a refreshing commodity, there are the thoughtful designs like putting a multi-purpose solid timber table next to the windows just so you can take in the city view. The housekeeping team takes the cake.
If cleanliness is next to godliness, I'm in church. IMHO, the housekeeping is probably second to none. An example: on my second day, I accidentally dropped my contact lens case, which landed behind the sink. As I retrieved it, I spotted the sink pipes—polished, with nary a dust particle. Even in hard-to-reach places, the attention to neatness was evident.
The free time I had was either spent on eating and shopping. I needed the gym to keep my energy up and kill some calories. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong offers a 24-hour fitness studio and its wide assortment of gym equipment afforded me my usual workout routines with little to no need for variations.
Contributing to my excess calories was the breakfast buffet at Grand Café. During my stay, I had three opportunities at the sumptuous breakfast buffet and I still didn’t manage to try all the dishes. The offering was extensive—from Western to Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisines. It'd be easy to think that with such an extensive buffet offering, quality will dip but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Take the dim sum menu. As a Hong Kong signature, the dim sum were fresh and finely prepared, instead of being microwaved and placed in steamer baskets afterwards. If the Grand Café is serving up such hearty quality food, there is no doubt the other 11 world-class restaurants and bars found at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong will not disappoint.
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is the gold standard for luxury hospitality. If I had all the money in the world, I would want to replicate the thoughtful designs, environment, a capable in-house chef who can serve up international cuisines and a butler team who will anticipate all my OCD whims. But I'm a man of modest means so this brief stay at the hotel is a close second to my dream home.
For its latest promotional effort, Martell has brought Hong Kong’s finest together: the iconic Tony Leung and the charismatic Eddie Peng. To celebrate the Martell Cordon Bleu and the Martell XXO, Leung and Peng appear in two films by Wing Shya and Ryan Hopkins.
The Shya-directed short film, featuring the Martell Cordon Bleu, sees Peng leading Leung in a chase over Parisian rooftops. The Hopkins-directed piece featuring the Martell XXO has the two men outrunning an avalanche as they snowboard down the snow-covered slopes.
Together, Tony Leung, a veteran actor and recent Lion d’Or recipient in Venice, and Eddie Peng, a sought-after lead in over 30 box-office hits, mirror the prestige of the two cognacs. And how fitting that these intergenerational titans of the acting world represents Martell’s enduring legacy.
While this isn’t the first time that Martell has dabbled in the world of cinema, it showcases the maison’s audacious spirit in elevating a sensorial journey—one that goes beyond the discerning palates into the untamed imaginations of cognac connoisseurs.
The Hari Hong Kong is located between the bustling area of Causeway Bay and buzzing Wan Chai. Gaining ground as the epicentre to experience these vibrancy, the hotel combines the urban sophistication of a downtown art studio alongside all the creature comforts of a luxurious upscale hotel.
Step through the hotel's entrance and be greeted by lush leather booth seats and bookcases lined with art-inspiring tomes. British interior architect Tara Bernerd and Dr Aron Harilela, chairman and CEO of Harilela Hotels, conceptualised the decor.
Head to the hotel's third floor lobby, where the design approach is extended with plush mid-century modern interiors. An extensive display of artworks on the walls are curated by London-based art consultancy, A Space for Art. A modern luxury and social dynamism surrounds the bustling bar and restaurant scene. Mixed with old and new architecture, the charm of The Hari London is married with the vitality of Hong Kong.
The Hari Hong Kong boasts 210 guest rooms across 30 floors. Including three signature rooftop suites, which are all accorded the same design story of luxury comfort. From large plush beds decked out in Mühldorfer bedding to marble bathrooms fitted with rainforest showers. The Hari-scented La Bottega products fill the air. The Corner Rooms and Premium Corner Rooms offer a bird's eye view of Causeway Bay, Admiralty and Wan Chai in their neon-lit glory.
Feast at The Hari Hong Kong's two dining establishments: Italian restaurant, Luccioloa and Japanese izakaya, Zoku. Helmed by Piedmont-born chef Francesco Gava, Lucciola is a contemporary ode to heritage flavours. It showcases the best seasonal Italian produce in classic pasta dishes and mains, like Pennette al Ragu di Peperone Calabrese e 'Nduja and Orata di Orbetello in Crosta di Sale.
Oozing a bastion of old-world glamour with a modern, sumptuous interior and a bold palette of gold and green, a visit to Lucciola is not complete without a tipple or two. Choose from an aged liquor picked from the digestif trolley. Opt for a classic cocktail shaken tableside by the suave, crisp-white-jacket-donning bartender or a red selected from a list that takes diners on an insider's tour to the Italian regions. Conviviality is literally right outside your (hotel) room's door.
On the other hand, Zoku dispenses with the trappings of austerity and zen. Instead, it's an elegant, richly designed space with a palette of pinks and plays off khaki velvet banquettes and leathers. Keeping with modern dining styles, the restaurant is split into a more traditionally formal dining area. There's an angled booth seating to one side and more lounge seating to the other. The centerpiece is an asymmetrical origami ceiling carved in slatted wood as a sophisticated tribute to Japan.
Drawing upon chef de cuisine, Edwin Guzman's over-a-decade experience and work alongside renowned Nikkei chef Mitsuharu Tsumura, Zoku introduces guests to a delicious convergence of culinary cultures. A Zoku dinner brings together the freshness of Japanese ingredients and colourful heritage of chef Edwin's Peruvian roots. Each course is paired with a cocktail or spirit that hints to the restaurant's Japanese roots. Concocted by beverage manager Sabrina Cantini Budden and her team of mixologists, it's an experience Instagram can't capture.
After dinner, take your drink (or before if you prefer) to the al fresco terrace bar. This area is a wall of patterned book-matched marble that's set on the façade. On top of that, a three-storey green surface brings an oasis-in-the-city-feel as you take in the sights of Wan Chai.
With all that The Hari Hong Kong is offering, you might be finding some difficulties trying to book a stay there for your next Hong Kong vacay.
