2 of the best luxury hotels on both sides of Victoria Harbor

is the place to be and we still have the same opinion. No other hotel is equally well located when it comes to being close to major sights as well as dining and shopping opportunities. It is also hard to beat regarding facilities and service, and views from the 45th floor (club level) are amazing.

I will not go into further details as I have already made a review about the Four Seasons Hotel. Check it out if you want to know more about it.
   

When booking their Chairman Suite, sized 125 square meters, consisting of two bedrooms, three bathrooms and a living room, for the three of us, we got two free nights. In addition, the suite comes with full club privileges meaning breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails & canapes are included in the rate. And above all, the Chairman Suite was recently updated in the most elegant way, we loved every minute we spent there! 

The hotel is well located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui (costal area of Kowloon) in a shopping district and within easy reach of the Star Ferry (less than five minutes by foot). The Langham underwent major renovations works and its interiors are now furnished in a timeless elegant style.

The facilities and the service are top-notch, we were very satisfied with almost everything. The only downsides are that there is no view and the fact that the windows have been excluded from the refurbishment (not soundproofed enough), but that is it! A more detailed hotel review will follow in due time on this blog.

Out of the restaurants we dined at in Hong Kong, I selected following 9 eateries meeting my expectations as to offering delicious, well-prepared food in a pleasant, modern setting. I categorized the restaurants as follows: Chinese fine dining, high-end western Asian fare, upscale western cuisine and casual fine dining. All the restaurants are in the Central District with two exceptions (Above & Beyond in Tsim Sha Tsui/Kowloon and Catch on Catchick in Kennedy Town).

 

Please note that this list does not contain any traditional Chinese restaurants, as the ones we visited did not impress us. It starts with the least modern one and ends with the most contemporary one.

The restaurant serves modern Cantonese cuisine in a setting that is hard to beat. It is not only a very stylish place, but you also have stunning views of the Hong Kong skyline from the 28^th floor of the Hotel Icon.

Food is well done, nicely arranged and tasty although without the wow factor. We wanted to splurge a bit because it was my husband’s birthday and ordered the chef’s recommendation set dinner together with the wine pairing. We enjoyed it although the main course, fried rice with minced Wagyu beef, had very little meat in it. Another faux pas was that they served the two desserts, announced in two courses, all on one plate without telling us. When we asked after the second dessert, they told us only then. Service was friendly enough, however not very knowledgeable. All in all, we had a good time there but in the light of the quite high prices we expected more. Give it a try when you fancy modern Chinese food with a view – apropos ask in any case for a table by the window.

 

This eatery in the basement of the Standard Chartered Bank building is named after the address of the first Chinese grocery store in New York and this shows. It is a mix of old NYC and classic Chinese decor, rather eclectic but original.

They serve contemporary Chinese food, mainly Cantonese one but also some dishes form other regions. Food is expertly prepared and flavors are great. The dim sum we had as starter was tasty and not the usual one you get everywhere, but I am not an expert in this field. The Peking Duck (preorder necessary) was excellent but only served as a mid course and not in two to three courses as expected so that we needed to order a Peking Duck second course add on. When all set, we were very satisfied with the offered. Desserts are also very good, give the fantastic pannacotta a shot. Service is kind, informative and prompt. Prices are competitive compared to other restaurants in the area and given the quality. Mott 32 is my best tip for modern Chinese cuisine in a cool location.

 

This small, contemporarily styled restaurant is located on the 8^th floor of an office building. The chef, Sandy Keung, a former chief financial officer and a self taught cook, is a lovely lady who usually visits the guests at their table and gives them advice. This was only the case when we were there two years ago, but not when we revisited the place a short time ago, never mind. A specialty here is the depurated seafood that is cleaned before preparation. Pasta and meat dishes are also on the menu. She calls her cuisine an ingredient based one meaning all the goods are prepared the way that suits them best, may it be French, Spanish, Japanese or Korean. All dishes we had were immaculately prepared, nicely arranged and tasty creations. If you are into creative cuisine at adequate prices than this is the dining-spot for you to go.

 

When having dinner here, you are up to a special culinary experience. On the 26^th floor of an office building with great views of Central you are part of a 26-seat arrangement around an open show kitchen where you can watch the chef and his team in action and have the chance to interact with them. An excellent 8-course menu is served featuring a western-Asian fusion cuisine. On the occasion of our dinner, all the dishes were beautifully presented and full of taste. This experience does not come cheap but it is sound value for what you get. The chef (Vicky Cheng) has left since we were there and has now his own (quite expensive) restaurant (VEA Restaurant and Lounge). Now, chef Chris Keung is in charge at Twenty Six by Liberty. He gets good reviews at TripAdvisor and the concept seems more or less unchanged. If you fancy the kitchen team performing in front of you, this is your choice.

 

We dined three times at this trendy eatery in a hip SoHo location. Not only is the food – modern British – a treat, we also loved the cool vibes of the place. We opted for dining upstairs, which is slightly more formal than the casual restaurant downstairs, but there is still a laid-back atmosphere.

Everything we tried from the rather small menu was immaculately prepared, good looking and tasty. The desserts are a highlight because they are a bit different from the usual stuff, think for example of Eton mess. Service is friendly and relaxed – a little less so last time we went, maybe we had a newbie. Price wise it is no bargain but you get good value for money. Put this restaurant on your to-do list if you care for modern food in stylish surroundings.

 

The name of this restaurant stems from the street name, the ambiance and the style of the place. The contemporary styled restaurant with its semi-open kitchen has creative French cuisine with Asian influences on offer. Service is kind, helpful and competent. Prices are not inexpensive but not steep either, they are at a level you would expect from such a place. The chef has left since we dined at Upper Modern Bistro and a new one from France replaced him. Judging by the reviews at TripAdvisor, he seems to do a good job. Opt for this eatery if you are a lover of modern French Asian-inspired food and especially if you love French cheese, there is a wide variety available.

This hip, vibrant Thai restaurant takes no reservations. Be prepared to queue, as we had to do it twice – recently and two years ago.

But it is worth the wait, they serve spicy Issan food from northeastern Thailand, which is perfectly prepared and very tasty. The place is usually packed and very casual, staff is friendly and efficient and dinner does not cost you a fortune. If you like delicious Thai food in a cool, relaxed atmosphere, go for it.

 

What is your favorite restaurant in Hong Kong?

Date of stay: April 2017

 

Another possibility to escape from the buzz of the city is to tour the outlying islands. Hong Kong is blessed with an amazing island life, there are hundreds of them! But most of them will stay secret islands to tourists as those normally only go to a handful of nearby places.

Another contrast can be found between Hong Kong Island’s “loud” side in the north and its quiet south side in Aberdeen or Stanley that is worth exploring to get the full picture.

 

Central is the place where Hong Kong’s story started and certainly the city’s hub of activity. But there is no reason to spend all your time here. Push Central’s boundaries toward the west side by taking the Hollywood Road and the Queen’s Road West to the neighborhood of Sai Ying Pun. At Centre Street there is another escalator system that helps you explore the area without climbing the hills. Although a construction boom is in progress, this locality still retains the feel of a traditional residential area with a vivid market life.

To the east of Central there is the Wan Chai quarter that experienced the city’s most drastic changes in the train of urban renewal. But there are still some spots resisting modernity around Wan Chai Market such as Blue House, Old Wan Chai Post Office or Pak Tai Temple. Take a stroll down Wan Chai Heritage Trail to experience some of Hong Kong’s culture.

The variety of parks giving you the chance to escape the buzz of the city is quite large. The most popular ones are certainly Hong Kong Park and Kowloon Park. Hong Kong Park in the heart of the central business district is a much-needed tranquil enclave featuring beautiful gardens surrounded by looming skyscrapers. Kowloon Park is located in the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood catering to various interest groups as it features a swimming pool, a fitness trail, a maze and other things. If you look for some relaxation, go to the idyllic Chinese Garden.

Other green spots on Hong Kong Island around the financial district are Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens as well as Hollywood Road Park. Whereas the latter is a small oasis of tranquility built in traditional Chinese architecture, the former is one of the oldest zoological and botanical parks worldwide and the perfect place for lovers of flora and fauna.

The parks to follow are a bit further away from the Central District and the Kowloon coastal area but still within easy reach. The first of those, Nan Lian Garden, can be found in New Kowloon. This jewel of a park is a rather new one and built in a typical traditional Chinese garden style featuring the elements of rocks, water, plants and architecture to create a perfect balance of nature and surroundings.

There is another park, however quite a different one, nearby, Kowloon Walled City Park. This attractive park is the site of a lawless enclave in the 20^th century, abandoned by the British and Chinese government, where 40,000 people lived crammed into only a few blocks until it was demolished in the 1990s. Visitors to this park may enjoy its tranquility but can also learn about its infamous yet fascinating past.

Last but not least of this list of recommended parks in Hong Kong is Victoria Peak Garden, most certainly the less known of all the places mentioned. Just a 15-minutes walk from the Peak Lookout you will transition into a world completely different from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s concrete jungle. Its grounds are well manicured and stunning views over the city are offered here.

3. Tour the outlying islands

Lamma Island, the third largest island in Hong Kong, is an oasis of calm with an abundance of natural scenery and can be reached by fast boat in about half an a hour. Many people come here to do the Family Trail – takes about an hour – connecting the two villages of Yang Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan, from which the latter is the more picturesque place.

The small island of Cheung Chau has a quaint harbor, always bustling with activity, is car-free and has some of the best hiking in Hong Kong. There are trails along the coast that allow you to walk around the island more or less (it is dumbbell-shaped), what takes about two and half hours. The most scenic section is the one on the south side with stunning views of the sea and other islands. To get to this island from Hong Kong Island you need to ride the fast ferry for about forty minutes.

Apart from these well-known and often visited island there is a hidden side of Hong Kong’s island life with islands such as the rugged Tung Lung Chau or the Grass Island of Tap Mun, yet to be explored, also by me.

4. Visit temples

Also in Kowloon you find the Chi Lin Nunnery, a large temple complex of a beautiful architecture with Buddhist relicts and serene lotus ponds. It originally dates from the 1930s and was rebuilt completely of wood in the late 1990s.

In the New Territories there is a fascinating Buddhist temple named Ten Thousand Buddha’s Monastery, which is not exactly an off-the-beaten-track attraction but not as crowded as the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. Despite its name, there are more than 10,000 Buddha statues on display, estimated 13,000 pieces, and they are all different from each other. They flank the steep steps leading to the complex where are no practicing monks on site.

Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island is famed for the huge bronze Tian Tan Buddha statue, which can be seen for kilometers around. The place is a huge tourist attraction and almost always very busy. A popular way to get there is by taking the Ngong Ping 360 gondola lift but make sure to buy tickets in advance to avoid long queues.

 

5. Immerse in traditional neighborhoods

In my first post I mentioned that no trip to Hong Kong is complete without seeing a typical Chinese neighborhood. For this purpose, I suggested that either Yau Ma Tei or Mong Kok in Kowloon should be visited.

There is a place providing an even bigger contrast to the glitz and glam of the Central skyscrapers and this is the district of Sham Shui Poeven farther in the north of the Kowloon Peninsula than Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok. This colorful locality is one of the poorest districts in Hong Kong and known for its street market for electronic devices. There are other goods for sale as well. Each street specializes in different things. Apliu Street is known for electronics, Ki Lung Street for fresh food and Cheung Sha Wan Road for clothes. Visit the area in the afternoon or early evening to see daily life in full swing.

 

6. Go to Hong Kong’s quiet south

The southern side of Hong Kong had for many years the reputation of being the wrong side of the hills. At the time, it was simply too sunny and too exposed to rains and storms. Nowadays, it is a popular residential area and a tourist location. Less than an hour from the city center there are nice beaches. Most popular options are in Shek O, Stanley and Repulse Bay. Due to the absence of the MTR you have to take the bus to get there. On a sunny day, the south side is a good possibility to leave the bustling city behind you.

 

7. Make a side trip to Macau

Macau, a former Portuguese enclave, is an astounding mix of a gambling metropolis and a colonial settlement. Less than one hour away from Hong Kong by fast boat it is a destination well worth visiting for a day trip. There is quite a lot to see: beautiful colonial architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage city center, Chinese temples, a modern skyline and the glitzy Cotai Strip with its mega casinos. It is a really intriguing city of blended cultures.

After having a closer look to seven must-do activities for first-timer to the city of Hong Kong in my last post and seven things to do in this fascinating city that not everybody does in the current post, I will go into details regarding luxury accommodations and restaurants for foodies in my next post. Come back later and check out my tips for where to stay and where to eat as a discerning traveler.

What activities do you recommend that are probably not on the agenda of every visitor to Hong Kong?

Date of stay: April 2017

Another bustling neighborhood is Mong Kok. This working-class district is one of the most populated residential areas in the world. You find there themed street markets such as the Flower Market, the Bird Garden and the Goldfish Market. Best time to go to Mong Kok is also when people are out in the streets after work to go shopping or have dinner.

 

What do you like best about Hong Kong?