Wow factor kicks in when one enters The HarbourView Place apartments
When Kowloon station began operating a decade ago it stirred a sense of pride among those on the 'less chic' side of the harbour at a time when the ICC Tower, presently taking shape as Hong Kong's tallest building, was but a mere sketch on a drawing board.
Now that long-awaited vision is bearing fruition. The final stages of construction may still be about two years away, but it is already an iconic addition to the Kowloon skyline.
An exclusive exit to the ICC 'megalopolis' from Kowloon station leads you straight to Elements. Billed as the largest luxury mall of its kind in the city, non-residents of The HarbourView Place may have to walk a little more to find an entrance, especially since it is so new that even regular shoppers have little clue where the ICC and The Cullinan towers are. Perhaps that's the genius of designing a 'megalopolis'. The casual visitor forgets that these gigantic constructions are soaring above them, yet those monoliths are the souls of discretion.
Spacious and upscale, the mall's myriad world-brand boutiques and upmarket restaurants are a pleasurable distraction while you search for The HarbourView Place. Before surrendering to a shopping spree, visitors can approach the reception desks and ask for directions. Surprisingly, the receptionists exude more than just politeness and, while still given a lift from such friendliness, more welcoming smiles from the bell captains await you at the entrance to The HarbourView Place.
Extending the elegance of the Four Seasons Place, high-flying luxury in The HarbourView Place begins with a super-smooth high-speed elevator ride to the 50th through to the 70th floors. Ambient lighting in the lift helps you wind down after a hectic day. In such a relaxed state, it is hard not to appreciate the three varying textures on the lift walls (if the panel TV above the door extolling the lifestyle amenities of The HarbourView Place, as you speed up through The CullinanII, is not enough to occupy you).