We head to one of my favorite cities this week for the first of two parts as we review the top suites of Hong Kong’s best hotels.
1. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
2. Mandarin Oriental
3. St. Regis Hong Kong
4. The Upper House
5. Island Shangri-la
6. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
7. The Murray
8. Conrad Hong Kong
1. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
The Telegraph writes, “The hotel’s grand entrance, all gleaming surfaces, three-story high windows and brilliant sunshine, makes you feel like you’re a part of the harbour. The people-watching is such fun here too – lady billionaires clip-clopping their Ferragamos across the marble, men in dark suits brokering power deals, accents from all over the world. Order coffee at the Glass Room lobby lounge and observe Hong Kong at its glamorous cosmopolitan best.”
Forbes Travel Guide adds, When the gleaming, high-rise Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong opened in 2005 on a waterfront stretch of land in the city’s Central District, it raised the bar for luxury in Hong Kong. Rooms are comfortable and subtly elegant, dressed in soothing neutral tones and amply-sized for such limited space. Outside the cozy accommodations, there are plenty of diversions, including one of Hong Kong’s best pools, complete with views of Victoria Harbour. Service is professional and efficient, meaning whatever you need, the staff will provide it before you even think to ask.”
Presidential Suite
At 3,430-sq.ft. the Presidential Suite is located on the 43rd floor with 180 degree views of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. Color schemes in soft, natural hues, accented with wood- and silk-paneled walls, highlight an exotic blend of contemporary and Asian styles.
More suites at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
2. Mandarin Oriental
Conde Nast Traveler says, “Few hotels have a history that is as zeitgeist-y as Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s—this is where David Bowie met up with John Lennon for the last time, where Christian Dior debuted his Boutique Collection in Asia, where Muhammad Ali stopped en route to Beijing at the request of then Chairman Deng Xiaoping, where Margaret Thatcher mulled over the terms of the now-defunct Sino-British Joint Declaration. It’s not just the MO’s storied past that draws guests back time and time again; there’s a brilliant spa set over three levels and 10 bars and restaurants, including Man Wah (freshly redecorated with China-blue paneling, red lanterns, and gold birdcage lamps) and new addition The Aubrey, a Japanese Izakaya with maximalist interiors and a busy bar. A renovation across this year will bring new look rooms and restaurants. We can hardly wait for the big reveal.”
Mandarin Suite
The Presidential Suite spans 3,843-sq.ft. and features a living room, dining area for 12 guests, kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom with soaking tub and spa suite.
More suites at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
3. St. Regis Hong Kong
Conde Nast Traveler reports, “Don’t be fooled by the St. Regis’s businesslike location adjacent to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center; this is no corporate cookie-cutter hotel. Behind the silvery facade is another Hong Kong hotel that has been meticulously designed and styled by André Fu. The slender double-height lobby feels grand yet intimate and leads to a zen outdoor terrace and the confidential-feeling St. Regis Bar. Michelin-star chefs oversee both restaurants: L’envol, which serves clever contemporary French cuisine, and Rún, where you’ll find beautifully presented Cantonese classics. Elsewhere, there’s an outdoor swimming pool (heated in winter) and a tranquil little spa that will transport you a world away from the Hong Kong hustle. Only a few of the spacious rooms and suites have harbour views, but the decor will want to make you want to run your hands over everything, from the winged leather headboards to the soft mauve throws to the creamy-white panelling that recalls Hong Kong’s old shopfront shutters.
Presidential Suite
The 2,582-sq.ft Presidential Suite offers sweeping harbor and Central views.
More suites at The St. Regis Hong Kong.
4. The Upper House
Set in Admiralty (a slightly calmer slice of prize real estate wedged between Wan Chai and Central), The Upper House was the first hotel in Swire’s swish House Collective and the property that made the name of Hong Kong interiors hotshot André Fu. From the discreet entrance to the vertiginous sky bridge which straddles a 48-story atrium, everything feels expensive. The rooms are some of the largest in Hong Kong, all done up in smooth ivory, bronze, and cognac tones with suave touchy-feely furnishings, precisely positioned art pieces and views of the harbor or Victoria Peak. In 2021, the hotel’s only restaurant Cafe Grey Deluxe made way for a new modern Mediterranean restaurant Salisterra—also designed by Fu—helmed by 25-year-old chef and ex-Gordon Ramsey protege Cary Docherty, whose presence has made it harder than ever to bag a table. Unusually, there’s no swimming pool or spa, but Bamford treatments can be arranged in your room and the Upper House’s real appeal is its spoiling exclusivity.
Penthouse
The 1,960-sq.ft. Penthouse provides a modern perch to take in some of the best views of both the city and Victoria Harbour, looking over to Kowloon.
More suites at The Upper House.
5. Island Shangri-la
Forbes Travel Guide writes, “Though the hotel is situated amid a cluster of skyscrapers in Hong Kong’s Central neighborhood, its location across from leafy Hong Kong Park makes the hotel’s heated, outdoor, 90-foot-long pool feel like an urban oasis. In a town where business rules, this is one hotel that actually caters to and welcomes families, with services such as babysitting available. There are so many spaces to relax outside of your room, the whole hotel begins to feel like your abode (maybe it’s the signature white tea scent used throughout the hotel that makes it feel so welcoming). The business center is like having an extra living room, and there’s even a lounge off the lobby for sitting back with a drink and a grassy knoll near the pool for a little green space. Island Shangri-La is located in a tower that rises above Central’s Pacific Place shopping center, which houses an array of luxury shops such as British department store Harvey Nichols and boutiques like Bottega Veneta and Diane von Furstenberg. There’s even a movie theater and a slew of restaurants to try inside Pacific Place, should you want entertainment beyond Island Shangri-La’s walls.”
Shangri-la Suite
This suite is 2,390-sq.ft. with stunning views from its Pacific Place venue. The dining room has a marble table for ten. Stunning chandeliers and hand-painted murals create a sensory feast. There’s a separate kitchen, guest bathroom, spacious living room with bar and wine cellar.
More suites at Shangri-la Hong Kong.
6. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Forbes Travel Guide inspectors say, “From sophisticated Italian at Grissini, exquisite Cantonese fare at One Harbour Road and cocktails at The Waterfall Bar, the grand address is one of the top choices in the city when it comes to pleasing the palate. The pampering begins on the 11th floor, where Plateau Spa awaits. Featuring a minimalistic Japanese aesthetic, the treatment rooms and suites at this luxurious retreat come with bathrooms, timber floors and enormous soaking tubs. An adjacent fitness studio was refurbished from top to bottom in 2015 and features state-of-the-art treadmills, free weights and cross-training equipment. On the sprawling pool deck, you’ll find a 164-foot pool and a relaxing pool bar that comes alive after dark.”
Presidential Suite
The 4,200-sq.ft. Presidential Suite features unobstructed views of the harbor and across to Kowloon.
More suites at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.
7. The Murray
Conde Nast Traveler says, “When The Murray Building was built in 1969 it won multiple awards for its forward-thinking energy-saving design. Its bones were so strong that fifty years later it was ably remodeled into a five-star hotel by Foster + Partners, whose other masterworks—skeletal Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Building—happen to dominate The Murray’s view. The 336 rooms are some of the largest in the city bedecked in steely grays, blues, and blacks, with generous marble bathrooms featuring Japanese electronic toilets and glass panels that mist at the touch of a button. The food and drink are good (if not exceptional)—try to catch afternoon tea on the terrace and happy hour at the lobby bar—but the main event is the rooftop bar, Popinjays, which has dizzying views of the HSBC bank and I.M. Pei’s jagged Bank of China, as well as eyefuls of Hong Kong Harbour, Hong Kong Park, the Botanic Gardens, and Victoria Peak.”
Murray Suite
The Murray Suite at 2,450-sq.ft. includes a bedroom with an oversized en-suite bathroom, his and hers walk-in wardrobes, separate living and dining areas, a pantry, study, and fitness zone, as well as the option to connect with an additional deluxe room for added space.
More suites at The Murray.
8. Conrad Hong Kong
Forbes Travel Guide writes, “In Chinese culture, the color gold symbolizes prosperity and happiness, and it seems that Conrad Hong Kong wanted to share the wealth when it added gold to the color scheme in its recently refurbished rooms. Warm wood furnishings and Asian artwork complete the finishing touches to the gold-inflected interior of the rooms, which run from floor 40 to 61 of a Pacific Place tower. Though the hotel is in the middle of the city, it could pass for a country retreat, thanks to an outdoor pool, massage suites, a steam room, a solarium and a health club. The dining, another obsession of Chinese culture, at Conrad Hong Kong is superb as well.”
Presidential Suite
The 2,519-sq.ft. Presidential Suite features a king-sized bed and adjacent walk-in closet, living room, dining area, bathroom, separate powder room, a fully equipped pantry and fitness room.
More suites at Conrad Hong Kong.