There are few better places to watch Hong Kong's history unfold than from the prime waterfront lot in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the classic Grand Stanford Inter-Continental stands.
Built on the edge of Victoria Harbour 25 years ago in the cubist style that was the trend of the time, the hotel has witnessed tremendous change in Hong Kong's urban and political landscape.
Just ask hotel general manager Gerhard Hecker, who joined the property in 1983. It was then known as the Holiday Inn Harbour View. It was a pivotal moment in Hong Kong's history. The then-British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, was negotiating the terms of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty. Apprehension over what might go wrong seemed to be on everyone's mind.
'There was general fear and uncertainty, people were very concerned about what would happen,' Mr Hecker recalls.
Perhaps seeing to the needs of guests - especially the movers and shakers who abounded in the territory in those roaring days - gave a special insight into human nature and the seasonal nature of attitudes.
It is no small irony, Mr Hecker points out, that the attitude towards China has significantly changed over the past two decades. Once perceived as a communist threat, the mainland is now viewed as an economic saviour.
