Brought to life by local designer André Fu, St. Regis Hong Kong is a wonderful example of the international move towards bringing the feel of home into a hotel.
While London, Tokyo, and New York have long known the power of story-telling through boutique hotels, for many years, Hong Kong’s hotel scene has rested on its laurels and lived on a legacy of international brands who didn’t have to fight much for occupancy nor F&B reservations. But times they are a changing, and as travellers demand more from their accommodations the idea of what a hotel is has been flipped on its head. Embracing traditionally exceptional service with a more modern design aesthetic and layout, we went over to review St. Regis Hong Kong and fell in love (big time!)
While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Okay. Let’s start with the design because this is what really separates this spot from the rest. The project was completed by Hong Kong interior design maven André Fu, who is renowned for his work at The Upper House, The Kerry Hotel, and more recently K11 Artus.
First and foremost, the designer wanted to pay homage to the original St. Regis Hotel built by John Jacob Astor IV in New York in 1904.
St. Regis Hong Kong is tucked away in a corner of Wan Chai that makes it feel a bit like a hideaway, and this ambience carries into the moody embrace of the welcome experience where dark tones wait and an elevator whisks you up to where you check-in.
Exiting the elevator, the grand staircase and stunning large sculptural art pieces and water feature lead you through to the Great Room and check-in area. Further down, the space expands into The Drawing Room and The St. Regis Bar, giving the overall feel of being in a really, really, really fancy home or perhaps a mansion.
Says Fu on the design: “I wanted to go deeper than the stereotypical concept of lanterns, junks, and temples and tap into my own memories of the city.”
It’s not uncommon in hotel design for creators to reference design elements of the specific location to help give a sense of place, yet the way this has been accomplished at St. Regis Hong Kong is quite unique. Bronze screens are used throughout the property, a nod to the window frames that were typical of colonial architecture in Hong Kong, while a selection of lights reflect the old gas street lamps that can be found on Duddell Street.
Spectacular art pieces can be found throughout the halls of the hotel, including a bespoke Chandelier called The Skyline (a tribute to Hong Kong’s famed picture-perfect architecture), designed by Fu and realised by Czech glass house Lasvit.
This long-time hotel lover is pretty demanding when it comes to good service, and from check-in to check-out, everything at St. Regis Hong Kong was impeccable. Case in point, when I got to the room I wanted to have a bath in the luxe tub and tune out to some programming on the mirror TV, but the super soft Frette robe just wasn’t big enough for me to wallow in. One quick call to butler service, and a selection of robes were promptly brought up for me to find my perfect fit: delightful!
I’ve got to give some special mentions to the wonderful bar staff who whipped me up a signature St. Regis Hong Kong Canto Mary just before early-close and kept me company with good conversation and laughs, and the tea sommelier at Rùn who took me on a journey of tea with all my vegetarian dishes at lunch service. It’s evident that hospitality is truly the name of the game here, and it’s wonderful to see.
Well, I was lucky enough to stay in the Premier Room which offered not only harbour views but also a lovely vista of surrounding Wan Chai in all of its glory. The bed was huge and enveloping with loads of comfy pillows, and the only downfall (or maybe it was an upfall?) was the lack of person to share it with!
We all know that mini bars need to be explored and what I love about the offering at St. Regis Hong Kong is thoughtfully curated selection of locally-made products. Two Cities, the collaboration beer between the property and Young Master Ales is a must-try, and perfect for the end of a long day at the office or relaxing.
The thought that has gone into everything at this property is magnificent, and if you’re a sucker for story-telling, there’s no doubt you’ll also fall in love. At The St. Regis Bar, cocktails are infused with local ingredients and you can even sample a selection of Bloody Marys from other St. Regis properties across the globe (they did invent the drink after-all!) A beautiful mural of Hong Kong frames the bar and just visiting the secluded hangout takes you back to a different time.
Enjoy afternoon-tea served from trolleys at The Drawing Room. The morsels on offer are exquisite and regularly updated, plus we love the fact that they have vegan/vegetarian options too.
One-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Rùn serves as both the spot to have breakfast (so many choices, including Chinese, Japanese, and western options) and a popular haunt for the surrounding office workers during lunch and dinner service. Chef Hung Chi Kwong puts a twist on traditional Canto dishes, and the vegetarian set option that I tasted was absolutely sublime, the perfect way to end a faultless stay at St. Regis Hong Kong.
Find out more about St. Regis Hong Kong
Oh and if you’re staying in Hong Kong, take a look at our playlist of local tracks you need to know.
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