Suck it and see
As the smoking ban forces Hong Kong's puffers out of bars and restaurants and onto the streets, the newly opened Cigar Room, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, offers the opportunity to savour a stogie in style. The space consists of a tasting room and a retail outlet, stocked with a variety of cigars and related accessories from brands such as Siglo, Porsche Design, Dunhill and Elie Bleu.
Keith Massey, the Grand Hyatt's executive assistant manager for food and beverage, says the hotel is expect- ing to see increasing demand for such services as the number of cigar aficionados grows.
'In Hong Kong, the luxury market caters to a large segment of consumers, with the focus on items such as food and wine. It was only a matter of time before cigars also became popular among connoisseurs,' Massey says.
As the ideal temperature for storing cigars is between 16 and 18 degree Celsius, with 65 to 70 per cent humidity, the Cigar Room is equipped with a 24-hour environment-controlled humidor. There is also a lockable cigar cabinet available, in which guests may store and age their stogies.
Prices start at HK$75 for a single cigar and, upon purchase, guests are free to fire up in the tasting room.
The Cigar Room at the Grand Hyatt Hotel - located at 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai - is open from 4pm to midnight from Monday to Saturday. For more information, call 2584 7722.
