Peninsula Hong Kong

Story and photos by Nick Ross
Additional photos courtesy the Peninsula Hong Kong

Peninsula Hong Kong Lobby

Peninsula Hotel
Salisbury Road, Kowloon
Tel: (852) 23666251
Fax: (852) 27224170
http://hongkong.peninsula.com/

The Peninsula, Kowloon, the “Grand Dame of the Far East” is one of the world’s legendary hotels with an atmosphere of unmatched grandeur and timeless elegance. Completely renovated and refurbished, it has kept the elegance of a bygone era and the tradition of service excellence, and combined them with the most up-to-date technological innovations. In the Far East, it has been always considered one of the most prestigious addresses to stay.

The world-famous lobby; massive columns with gold leafed capitals and potted palm trees where breakfast and afternoon tea is served still shines in 1930s splendor; the suites overlook some of Hong Kong’s most spectacular views. The ambiance is still serene, no matter how crowded the hotel.

Gaddis Peninsula Hong Kong Beef Wellington

Gaddi’s, the Michelin-starred on-premises French restaurant, was unsurpassed as usual, serving a few classics such as Beef Wellington and now many more contemporary dishes.

Spring Moon Peninsula HK Baozi

This time, I also tried the hotel’s Spring Moon Chinese Restaurant, also Michelin-starred, and thought it very good. The dim sum offered the most elegant variety of exquisite little dishes, all classics of Cantonese cuisine. The service was professional and discreet and I like the way they handled the food until it was served in front of me.

On arrival, the floor butler presented us with gold embossed, personalized stationary and bilingual business cards as well as a selection of full-sized designer bath soaps. We had a personal fax in the suite and there were multiline multi-port telephones all over, plus internet access. The bathroom had full size bottles of shampoo, conditioner etc., not the miniature travel sizes offered in other hotels.

Peninsula HK Green Rolls Royce

The Peninsula has been using its signature green Rolls-Royce vehicles for more than 50 years, beginning with the hotel's first order for seven Silver Shadows in 1970. That purchase made history for being the largest ever single order for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and over the years, the Peninsula has set new records with each successive order, a trend that continues to this day.

Shopping Peninsula Arcade

The shopping arcades, in the galleries overlooking the lobby, are still brimming with authentic luxury merchandise and real antiques. One problem is prevalent in Hong Kong; too many knockoffs and outright fakes fill stores in the shopping district and, unless you know your merchandise, it is very easy to be taken.

The Peninsula, is our favorite Hong Kong hotel. The Kowloon location is extremely convenient, near the Star Ferry to Central, yet is somehow insulated from the din of the city. And we think that the addition of the pool and sundeck in the ‘90s, the refurbished spa and the modern helipad on the tower’s roof make a superb hotel even better, if that’s possible.

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