Repulse Bay through the ages, from Hemingway to the present day
William Holden romanced Jennifer Jones there in Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, and writers and screen stars stayed in its hotel. We chart the history of this playground of the rich
1920s-1950s
The Repulse Bay stands exactly where the old hotel was between 1920 and 1982. The 84-room hotel hosted a number of special guests, including American actors William Holden and Marlon Brando, as well as writer Ernest Hemingway. Although the main buildings were bulldozed, the replica today still features details like the original 1930s stained glass in the Bamboo Bar.
The only surviving structure from the hotel's glory days is its former garage on the other side of Repulse Bay Road (currently occupied by a luxury-car dealer) and what used to be staff quarters behind it. Both exteriors are kept pretty much as they were, down to the curved orange tiles on the roof.
For a taste of history, The Verandah, which opened in 1986, serves some dishes that date back to the '20s, such as the black pepper steak flambé. Operations manager Ronnie Mok Wai-man prepared the dish tableside for many guests during his time at the restaurant. Signature desserts include soufflé and the baked Alaska.