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One Perfect Day: Hong Kong
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By: Leah Greengarten and Michael Shaw, Issue 42 – Autumn 2010
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(Hong Kong, China)
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WITH JUST ONE DAY TO SAMPLE HONG KONG’S LATEST LUXURIES, LEAH GREENGARTEN AND MICHAEL SHAW SET THEIR PRIORITIES.
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For an urban escape in a boutique luxury hotel Hong Kong’s newest digs, The Upper House, is a great choice. Launched late last year, this peaceful gem has over 100 sun-filled rooms with panoramic views. It is in the heart of a shopaholic’s paradise, Pacific Place. The sexy walk-in rain showers, deep baths and separate dressing rooms are Zen luxuries and the use of natural materials (limestone baths) and cyclical sculptures has a surprisingly calming effect. All the bathrooms are decked out with Swedish beauty products, plasma screens and sensational harbour views. You can call upon the services of the Guest Experience team around the clock and they’ll do anything from book a traditional Chinese therapy to organise a House car (the new Hybrid Lexus) to pick you up after a big night out. Take time to explore the hotel and discover the secret garden, an oasis of calm and serenity. Pull up a chair or sink into one of the comfy beanbags and relax while the rest of Hong Kong goes about its business. www.upperhouse.com
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Spa
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The newest treatment at the famous Chuan Spa in the Landmark Hotel takes two hours. It begins with a facial clay peel followed by a warm honey exfoliating mask, hydrating massage, body polish, warm wrap, hot-stone muscle relaxer and ends with a scalp massage. The best part is having golden honey smeared on your face. The honey is made from the flowers of the Manuka bush, a native of New Zealand. Researchers at Waikato University in New Zealand have found that this honey assists the renewing process of skin cells. When it’s all over and you’re floating on a relaxation cloud, wander into the relaxation room to chill out and read the magazines while gazing at the vista of Hong Kong. Everything will seem peaceful. www.chuanspa.com
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Lunch
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Tim Ho Wan is a steamy hole-in-the-wall dumpling house with a difference – it’s the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in the world. Awarded the coveted star late last year, it’s been busier than normal ever since. The dim sum is made by the former chef of the Four Seasons, Pui Gor, while diners watch on. Wonder down Kwong Wah Street, near the Ladies Markets and you’ll know you’ve found it when you see the line. The queuing system is basic: put your name down, get a number (on a post-it) and return two hours later. It’s a long wait, but with so many places nearby to explore, it flies by. Once you enter the dim sum kingdom, with only 19 other diners, you’ll find the atmosphere is electric, with waiters screaming at each other in Cantonese, locals talking over one-another, sensational smells leaving the kitchen and a cloud of steam forming on the ceiling. Diners spend an average of $10 AUD each. Tim Ho Wan: Shop 8, Taui Yuen Mansion Phase 2, 2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, tel +852 2332 2896
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Dinner
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From the entry at street level to the dining rooms themselves Cépage is all understated elegance. The clean lined modernity paired with a century-old European chandelier sets a striking tone. Chef Thomas Mayr creates dishes with sometimes lusty subtlety, and sometimes with ripeness and strength but always with respect for the produce and never alienating to the senses. It would take too long to retell the menu at Cépage (it’s available online), but to end your perfect day we can recommend one dish: a layer of tomato jellee with a serve of osetra caviar and over that a savory tulle surmounted by perfect tuna-belly tartare and a spoon of avocado mousse. Extraordinary. The menu at Cepage is neither fusion nor classic nor alienatingly modern, Cépage is a must for the passionate gourmand. 23 Wing Fung Street ph (852)2810 0532
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Drinks
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Salon de Ning at the Peninsula Hotel combines opulence with eccentricity themed as it is on the private residence of the factious Shanghai socialite Madame Ning. Set in the 1930s when Shanghai was known as “Paris of the East” the bar is art deco in style and has four separate themed drinking areas. The themes include: L’Afrique, a tent-like room with dim lighting, leopard print rugs, brown leather couches and taxidermy art; The Ski Room is themed as a rustic Swiss Chalet with a cosy fireplace and ski sleds; The Boudoir is Madame’s own dressing room with vintage hats on perfume bottles. Each room is framed giving the illusion of stepping into a photograph or taking a trip in time. This is the place to be if you’re in town for one night only. The bar is located in the basement of the Peninsula Hotel so it’s a little tricky to find, but what gems aren’t. www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong
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