SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
Something Old, Something New - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Something Old, Something New | |||||
| By: Merry Kirkwood, Issue 30 - Autumn 2007 | |||||
| (Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, China) | |||||
| AS DYNAMIC AS THE CITY IN WHICH IT SITS, THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL HONG KONG HAS RECENTLY FLUNG OPEN ITS DOORS TO REVEAL ITS FABULOUS NEW LOOK. | |||||
| Perched on a stool at the oversized square table in the hotel’s elegant cake shop, it’s hard to imagine a better spot to indulge in a spot of ‘people watching’. Across the room there are row upon row of beautifully presented cakes, pastries, breads, and delicately shaped luncheon selections tucked behind generous glass cabinets. That they are delicious seems beyond doubt: this is, after all, a hotel that does nothing by halves. On one side, the entrance to Café Causette is buzzing with a variety of lunch guests all queuing to see the new layout and sample the fresh menus. Neatly dressed and coiffed, they exude a discipline and patience that perfectly reflects the hotel’s philosophy over its nine month recent renovation: good things come to those who wait. Most would agree that the US $140million update of the Mandarin Hotel is not about commerce alone; rather it has more to do with a belief that this hotel has a heart and soul – making it worthy of a fresh face. In the competitive world of first class hotels, only a small number of hotels (and brands) are constantly talked of in respectful whispers. Hong Kong’s Mandarin Oriental, flagship of the 21-hotel-strong Mandarin group would be one of them. Host to a string of world leaders and celebrities, a visual landmark rising from the shores of spectacular Victoria Harbour since first opening in 1963, and celebrated in novels as a place to see and be seen, this hotel has been an Asian oasis for over 40 years. For those who remember the hotel as it was, three particular things spring to mind: the service (of course); the restaurants and bars; and strangely, the original balconies off the guest rooms. Happily, for the record, the service continues to be superlative: it’s as simple as that. Many of the staff have a new spring in their ever-helpful step: a sense of pride in this ‘rebirth’. And as for the balconies (somewhat redundant areas in the original design), they have been cleverly incorporated into the new room design, bringing a new sense of space and light to the sleek ‘everything at your fingertip’ guest rooms. All 502 rooms and suites have been rejuvenated with a special focus on quality and individual detail (none of the 68 suites are alike). There is a strong sense of luxury: from the pure linen bed sheets, to the inclusion of iPod docking systems, and the maintenance of the clever in-room service cupboards, this is five star, Mandarin style. And as for the rest: personal favourites abound. Among the string of watering holes and places to share a meal I would include the drama and harbour views from Pierre (the contemporary French restaurant that matches 25th floor views with creative fine food inspired by 3-star Michelin chef Pierre Gagnaire). The fresh clean décor of the famous Mandarin Grill and Bar also appeals. It has been updated by Sir Terence Conran and his team who have ‘thrown open’ previously hidden windows. I also like the distinctly Asian feel to Man Wah restaurant and the rich purple hues of the M Bar’s cosy yet contemporary setting. Hotel stalwarts may debate which changes they prefer, (or dislike), but the crowds already flooding the Mandarin aren’t here for discussions, they have come to enjoy. Perhaps the icing on the cake is the spacious new Mandarin Spa, a creatively developed area for guests to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the streets of Central outside. Incorporating eight treatment suites, a gymnasium and work-out space, and a Chinese herbal steam room, a zen tea room, vitality pool area and dry sauna within the male spa area, and a kneipp massage pool in the female spa area, the whole Spa area is serenity personified with a decorative Shanghai style. At least that is my impression after a ‘four hand’ Oriental Harmony treatment specially selected from the huge range across the Zen, Traditional Chinese, and Ayurvedic menus. (But to be honest, once pampered, it is hard to fully focus my mind.) When guests step beyond the hotel’s doors, Hong Kong continues to excite with its eclectic mix of traditional and modern distractions. Worth a trip is the new Ngong Ping 360, a cable car experience that takes visitors to the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, the world’s largest seated outdoor Buddha. On a ride taking approximately 25 minutes through North Lantau Country Park, you can drink in Hong Kong’s hilly topography and extensive green parkland – the ‘other’ Hong Kong beyond its recognizable skyline. Just like the nightly light show that floods this cityscape with a drama-filled mix of patterns and colours, there is an ongoing mood of celebration washing over Hong Kong that pays respect to its wonderfully rich past, while looking with enthusiasm to the future. Much like the mood in the Mandarin Oriental itself.  | |||||
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