Grand hotels on the harbour: where to stay in Hong Kong, the back story

About Grand hotels on the harbour: where to stay in Hong Kong, the back story

By the ULTIMATE Hong Kong Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Hong Kong’s great hotels face each other across Victoria Harbour. On the Kowloon side, The Peninsula, Rosewood and Regent line Salisbury Road, with The Ritz-Carlton a hundred floors up in West Kowloon; on the island, the Mandarin Oriental, the Four Seasons and The Landmark Mandarin Oriental sit in the heart of Central, and Pacific Place in Admiralty holds The Upper House, Island Shangri-La and the JW Marriott.

Two shores

The Star Ferry has linked Central and Tsim Sha Tsui since 1888 (starferry.com.hk), and the city’s grandest addresses still face each other across its route. From a Kowloon room you look at the island’s skyline and the Peak behind it; from Central you look back at the Kowloon waterfront and the hills beyond.

Central and Admiralty

The Mandarin Oriental stands at 5 Connaught Road Central, with Man Wah on the 25th floor; The Landmark Mandarin Oriental is part of the LANDMARK complex on Queen’s Road Central, home of Amber and Sushi Shikon; the Four Seasons, at 8 Finance Street beside IFC, holds Caprice, Lung King Heen and Noi. In Admiralty, Pacific Place on Queensway joins The Upper House, Island Shangri-La and the JW Marriott to a mall and to Hong Kong Park.

Stay in Kowloon for the view of the island; stay in Central to have the city, the Peak Tram and the ferries at your door.

Tsim Sha Tsui and West Kowloon

On Salisbury Road, The Peninsula has the Lobby’s afternoon tea, Gaddi’s and Spring Moon; Rosewood, at Victoria Dockside, has The Legacy House, Chaat and the live jazz of DarkSide; Regent has Lai Ching Heen. The Langham on Peking Road holds T’ang Court, with three MICHELIN stars. Across the reclaimed land of West Kowloon, The Ritz-Carlton occupies the top of the International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong’s tallest building, with Tin Lung Heen on the 102nd floor and Ozone on the 118th (HKTB).

Wan Chai and Causeway Bay

The St. Regis on Harbour Drive holds two two-starred restaurants, Rùn and L’Envol; in Causeway Bay, The Park Lane looks over Victoria Park, with SKYE on its roof.

Choosing

For a first visit, Tsim Sha Tsui gives you the famous view, the Star Ferry and the museums of the waterfront; Central gives you the MICHELIN tables, the Peak Tram and the ferries to the islands; Admiralty is the most convenient for both. The MTR, the Star Ferry and taxis make every one of them easy.

Our advice: ask for a harbour-view room, and book the hotel’s restaurants when you book the room.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Grand hotels on the harbour: where to stay in Hong Kong, the back story before you go.