Your room practically floats over Victoria Harbour, leaving no doubt that you’re staked out in perhaps the best hotel spot in the city. From the Kowloon-based InterContinental Hong Kong, you enjoy a spectacle of ever-changing natural light, as well as the promotional lights that play over Hong Kong Island’s skyscrapers.
And right from bed, you can just lie back and enjoy the endless parade of vessels passing in front of your picture window, as if a miniature toy world were on display out there.
And now, preparations are in full swing to make it all even better, as the InterContinental Hong Kong is set to begin renovations in early 2019. We’re not talking just a facelift here, but a serious renewal, as the structure approaches its fourth decade, of all guestrooms and suites, restaurants, public areas, as well as the façade.
The upcoming InterContinental renovations will come courtesy of Curiosity, a French-founded, Tokyo-based design and architecture studio which is already known for its work with swank fashion house clients such as Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana.
The hotel has long been inarguably one of the city’s premier dining venues. As renovations plans have it, guests will be happy to learn that the property’s two-Michelin star Yan Toh Heen restaurant, with its celebrated Cantonese cuisine and in-house tea sommelier, will remain open for dinner.
Perhaps now then it’s time to reserve at Nobu, whose popular Rockwell Group design features bamboo rings on the wall and a ceiling decked with 450,000 tiny sea urchin shells. This year, Nobu's Gourmet Tour of Japan featured six regions with 8-course omakase dinner menus (Hokkaido is up next for November and December).
Earlier this year, a new addition to the property was added. Rech by Alain Ducasse is based on the star chef's popular Paris seafood restaurant (that Rech actually dates back to 1925) and takes over the room that his earlier Spoon restaurant occupied in the hotel. If the huge harbor facing windows weren't enough, light wood helps keep the space bright and airy. Guests enjoy a full raw bar along with dishes like wild cod aïoli.
One of the InterContinental's simple but fine amenities is its Hong Kong Tea Culture experience in the privacy of your room upon arrival. Within minutes of your ordering, a butler shows up with your selection, before you've even finished reading the tea menu notes on how, say, oolong goes back to the Ming dynasty.
The hotel also serves a popular lobby lounge high tea daily, while executive guests on the second-floor Club Lounge can find tea and other goodies down there just about any time of day.
For further discoveries afield in Hong Kong, the city's tourism authorities recently put together a handy Cultural Trail guide. As it happens, the InterContinental is next door to the Hong Kong Museum of Art which holds 15,000 works of art of historical significance. And as it happens too, that esteemed institution is currently under renovation.
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For now, the InterContinental can serve as a bit of an art museum itself, where you'll admire hallways filled with stunning Chinese art works, from classical paintings to calligraphy from mainland Chinese artist Katherine Xiao and those of Hong Kong native David Chan.
Clearly, the InterContinental Hong Kong is much more than just a place to lay your head.
Getting There:
With Cathay Pacific’s longest flight, passengers these days zip from New York over the Polar route, down Russia and on to Hong Kong, making a 15-hour journey in a Boeing 777-300ER Business Class fast and relaxing. With a mid-afternoon arrival in Hong Kong, you’re set to go.
As veteran travelers to Hong Kong well know, upon departure you conveniently check in your bags in the city at the Airport Express train which whisks you to Hong Kong International Airport on Chek Lap Kok island in no time.
Arrive early. One of four Cathy lounges, The Pier may be located at the far end of security, but it is oh so worth the journey alone. Both the First Class and Business Class sections were recently renovated in stages, with the latter's long space broken into room after room of one taste treat after another, from a teahouse to a noodle bar and much more. And, of course, it has the requisite showers and quiet relaxation rooms.
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