Situated next to the Tai Tam Country Park, Hong Kong Parkview serviced apartments attract a large number of expatriates. The attractions, apart from the countryside neighbourhood, include easy access to several international schools and a pre-school kindergarten on the premises. Central is 15 minutes away by car. Although the developer prefers not to categorise its apartments as home-away-from-home or hotel-like, the complex does retain a resort-like atmosphere. A large open lobby with deep sofas adjoins an open cafe, and the corridors leading to the apartments are long and wide. There is a shop that sells Asian home furnishings, and Parkview's own brand of sportswear. The complex provides hotel-like services, such as daily maid and room service, same-day laundry and toiletries in the bathrooms, in this case, Bulgari. Hong Kong Parkview houses 200 serviced apartments, plus one presidential suite, serving the needs of short- and long-stay business executives. Apartments are split into business studios, business suites, executive and family suites ranging from 770 square feet to 1,320 square feet. A business studio is HK$44,000 a month; a family suite with one master bedroom, one twin-room and two bathrooms begins at HK$63,000. Maid service and linen supplies, daily newspaper delivery and club membership are available. Each apartment has broadband Internet access. The communal pool is shared by all Hong Kong Parkview residents, and club membership provides access to the Oasis pool (in a setting of palm trees and rocky waterfalls, with rows of sun loungers) and the indoor Roman baths (with Jacuzzi, solarium, sauna and steam rooms). Large pillars prop up the high ceiling, and oval, floor-to-ceiling mirrors hang on the walls between large paintings. A three-storey gym has three personal trainers on hand, with the top floor reserved for women. Next door is a juice bar, with computer terminals providing free Internet access. Other sporting facilities include tennis, squash and racquetball courts, an aerobics studio and a table-tennis room. The club has eight restaurants, a ballroom, two children's playrooms, a reading room, hair and beauty salon, karaoke lounge with private VIP rooms, and an art gallery. Art features prominently in the decor at Hong Kong Parkview. The Taiwanese owner is a collector, and the gallery displays original Chinese scripts and prints, artefacts and displays of the works of famous artists. The ongoing display includes Renoir, Chagall and Dufy. The entrance to the karaoke lounge is hung with original posters of pop icons, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Madonna and Elvis Presley. A collection of Russian sculpture is also on view at the complex. The VIP karaoke rooms evoke fantasy-land. Themes include a 1930s Shanghai-style bride's room, a rainforest with leopard statues and marble dance floor, a motor-racing room with a car front jutting out of one wall, and a north African Casablanca-style 'tent'. The Versace room, the largest of the karaoke rooms, has an en-suite toilet. A statue of a naked woman serves as the toilet bowl. Excessive, perhaps, but still an excuse to de-stress with panache. Hong Kong Parkview extends its services to the local population and visitors can book 24-hours in advance of arrival. A weekend package will be launched shortly.
