We check in to the Rosewood Hong Kong, the newest luxury hotel on the harbourfront

Rosewood Hong Kong is the newest luxury hotel on the harbourfront. The 65-storey building is located within Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui known for its artsy, design and conceptual retail district, and towers over the renovated Avenue of the Stars. As you drive up a cobbled driveway towards the main entrance, Victoria Harbour comes into sight – taking you from city to escape. True to the Rosewood signature “A Sense of Place”, the hotel’s 322 rooms, 92 suites on 43 of the 65 floors, and 18 signature suites have been tastefully designed to nurture the feeling that you are getting away from it all. Eighty per cent of the rooms have sea views. André Fu embraces Thai spirit to weave his spell on Waldorf Astoria Bangkok Harbour House will be Rosewood’s presidential suite on the 57th floor (when it is completed later in the year). It will have its own pool and private garden. There are also four duplexes on top of the tower. Nothing says luxury more than a dedicated team of butlers, and Rosewood Hong Kong will be the first hotelier in the city to provide butler services, with a team of 20. Swiss-born Marc Brugger, managing director of Rosewood Hong Kong, says Rosewood aims to return to its roots with the new hotel by creating a “family estate” focus, that goes beyond simply building a hotel. “If you look at how we connect to the harbour, we are practically a foot in the water. We also have a lot of external spaces – most of the restaurants in the hotel have alfresco dining,” Brugger says. “It’s about being outdoors and indoors at the same time.” Would you stay in a hotel with ‘self-cleaning rooms’? “Another way the hotel connects to Hong Kong is the skyline. When you look at the photography in the rooms, you have this amazing, relaxing feeling – Hong Kong is a hugely busy city and the hotel feels like a retreat away from the [hectic lifestyle].” Food and beverages are key components of Rosewood’s DNA. “We have eight restaurants and bars,” he says. The Chinese tea house Holt’s Cafe, The Legacy House’s Cantonese cuisine, and the discreet bar, DarkSide are all available at its launch. The hotel will host the first urban outpost of Asaya, Rosewood’s signature integrative wellness offering that is said to dedicate to “specific individual wellness goals, supported by alternative therapies and rituals, enriching fitness and lifestyle activities, healthy eating plans.” Why is ‘Europe’s best hotel’, La Réserve Paris, called a palace? “We have an amazing facility called Asaya which is over two floors of the hotel – a true wellness destination,” Brugger says. “It’s truly a 360-degree approach to health and wellness.” Rosewood views sustainability in a serious light. “[Sustainability] sits at the very base of it all,” Brugger says. “The hotel is classed as an ‘elite platinum’ building – that’s where it all starts. We avoid any single-use plastic as much as possible. We only use glass [bottles] for offering water in our rooms, we don’t use plastic. And when you think of a property of this scale, that involves thousands of bottles. That simple little change makes a big impact. And, of course like other hotels, we have moved away from plastic straws and plastic containers.” Rosewood’s “Partners in Provenance” programme sees the hotel work with local suppliers as part of its sustainability approach. “We actually have our own farm as well [in Hong Kong],” says Brugger. “We cultivate our own vegetables and it’s a short distance from the hotel. Our chef is very passionate about this farm.” 8 of England’s most stunning heritage hotels Sandro Gamba, Rosewood Hong Kong’s director of culinary operations, has devised amenities such as The Manor Club, an executive lounge for guests in suites where they can play pool or chess to pass the time, or simply enjoy magnificent views over the harbour. The property is introducing 186 spacious luxury accommodation units designed for long-term stays in the Rosewood Residences which have a separate private entrance and dedicated club facilities on the 53rd floor. True to its “family estate” focus, the Residences will accommodate four-legged family members with trusted care options. The hotel opened on March 17, with a grand opening planned for the following day. Video by Jeff Chan Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

We check in to the Rosewood Hong Kong, the newest luxury hotel on the harbourfront

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Family estate’ focus helps hotelier return to its roots

‘Family estate’ focus helps hotelier return to its roots