Madonna sneaks in: Superstar gives media the slip as she arrives for Hong Kong concerts
Pop diva checks into presidential suite at The Peninsula as journalists and fans wait in vain outside
Superstar Madonna gave waiting media the slip as she arrived in Hong Kong from Tokyo on Tuesday night to play two concerts as part of her spectacular Rebel Heart world tour.
The Grammy-winning pop queen landed at Hong Kong International Airport on a private jet with six private bodyguards, before settling in at a luxury presidential suite in The Peninsula in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Around 8pm, dozens of journalists and photographers gathered at the fountain in front of historic hotel, with only a few guards deployed at the door, but were disappointed not to catch a glimpse of the 57-year-old star.
Madonna was chauffeured from the airport to the hotel in a black Mercedes car around 9.30pm, but when the same vehicle drew up at the front of the hotel about 20 minutes later, she was nowhere to be seen.
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One waiting fan from mainland China, who only gave her name as Vivi, said she flew from Beijing to Hong Kong just to experience one concert by her idol.
“I took two days off work. Unfortunately, Madonna won’t come to mainland,” she said.
A presidential suite in The Peninsula with accesses to a private lift and helicopter service costs more than HK$80,000 per night, while a 15-minute private helicopter trip from the airport to the hotel’s roof top helipad costs HK$13,000.
The Oriental Daily quoted sources as saying that Madonna would travel to and from her concerts at Asiaworld Expo by helicopter, and that her extensive crew would stay in the luxury Intercontinental Hotel five minutes’ walk away from The Peninsula.
A lavish personal make-up room, private gym and a dining hall were being set up backstage for Madonna’s two concerts, according to reports. Her entourage included her troupe of dancers, a personal trainer and chef.
The concerts take place on Wednesday and Thursday nights, with ticket prices ranging from HK$688 for the cheapest seats all the way up to HK$11,888 for what organisers call the “ultimate front-row VIP package.” This includes tickets to the ice-breaking party, a VIP pass, souvenir, wine and snacks.
The pop diva will head to Macau on Saturday for two shows at Studio City.
