The Eco Holiday: Hotel Madera

12pm. Check in at Hotel Madera (1 Cheong Lok St., Jordan, 2121-9888): the first thing you’ll see is the self-watering green wall behind the lobby, one of a whole bunch of high-tech eco-friendly features at the hotel. They encourage you to BYOT (toothbrush), and hotel facilities feature sensor-activated lights to keep wastage to a minimum. Every room has a “pillow menu” for those who are allergic to down or just downright picky. But that’s for later. For now, drop off your bags, flop on your bed, “oh-my-god” at the bathroom, and head out for brunch.

1pm. Sam’s Cook (Shop 3B, Fortune Terrace, 4-10 Tak Shing St., Jordan, 3580-0727) is our quaint, healthy all-day breakfast place of choice: Sam’s provides healthier and rarer organic options instead of your usual fry-up. For true clean-eaters, the vermicelli with organic tofu and egg whites is just the thing. Pair with zesty organic lemongrass tea, and it’ll feel like Koh Samui, not Kowloon.

2pm. Sweat out the toxins of your sedentary day job at the YMCA King’s Park Centenary Centre (22 Gascoigne Rd., Yau Ma Tei, 2782-6682) which is just an eight-minute walk from the hotel. Rock climbing veterans will love the 18-meter-high outdoor climbing wall—the tallest in Hong Kong. A session on the wall is $80 for as long as you want, outside of peak hours ($110). Scared of heights? There’s also a top-notch inline skating rink with all the necessary gear for hire.

4.30pm. Head back to the hotel and book the ”GamExpert” gaming room. Equipped with full steering wheel seat controllers, you’ll be zipping through “Gran Turismo 5” and screaming at your rival across the room. Best of all, it’s greener than actually driving a car.

7pm. Grab dinner at the newly opened Czech vegetarian private kitchen Mantranz (13D, Wai Hang Building, 3-5 Kwun Chung St., Jordan, 5597-7806), where owner, chef and server Vita Tomanek will cook up delicious and beautifully presented Central European vegetarian fare: $200 for four courses; $245 with wine.

10pm. Time for a nightcap. Make your way to the hotel’s Horizonte Lounge rooftop bar, where you can take in a 270-degree panorama of Kowloon and the Harbour.