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The revitalised Tai O Heritage Hotel sits on a hillside overlooking the South China Sea. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Unesco-awarded Tai O Heritage Hotel in the ‘Venice of Hong Kong’ unveils facelift in push for eco-tourism and community ties

  • Boutique hotel was formerly a police station built in 1902 to guard against pirates
  • Nine-room colonial-style establishment celebrates 10th anniversary after five months of renovations

A boutique hotel converted from an abandoned, 120-year-old police station has undergone its biggest facelift in a decade in a bid to boost eco-tourism and closer ties within a historic fishing village dubbed the “Venice of Hong Kong”.

The Unesco-recognised Tai O Heritage Hotel, located on a hillside of fishing village Tai O on Lantau Island and overlooking the South China Sea, recently unveiled its new facade and upgraded rooms after five months of renovations.

The nine-room hotel has become a popular attraction alongside Tai O’s signature leisure activities such as sunset viewing and watching Chinese white dolphins, especially with overseas travel crippled by pandemic curbs.

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the hotel. We hope the heritage and collective memories will be passed on to future generations,” said Daryl Ng Win-kong, director of non-profit entity Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation, which manages the venue. Ng is also deputy chairman of developer Sino Group.

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The colonial-style hotel still retains its French wooden casement windows and fireplaces, elements originating from a marine police station built in 1902 for guarding against pirates.

The hotel boasts nine revamped rooms. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

In 2008, the hotel became one of the first batch of buildings included in the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, a heritage conservation policy Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had pushed through when she was overseeing the Development Bureau.

Lam attended the hotel’s 10th anniversary ceremony on Saturday.

(From left) Karl Law, hotel manager, photographer Hung Wai-lan and artist Stanley Wong. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

The heritage site received a grade 2 historic building status from the Antiquities Advisory Board in 2009, meaning it is of special merit and warrants selective preservation efforts. In 2012, the hotel received its first customers and in the following year was bestowed Unesco’s Award of Merit for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Hotel manager Karl Law Ka-ho said he hoped the revitalised premises would raise more awareness about Tai O for tourists.

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“Many of my guests are here for the first time, and heard of the former Tai O police station from old movies, so it is a good chance for them to visit. But I still hope more local and overseas people will see the place,” Law said.

Melanie Kwok, assistant general manager of sustainability from the foundation, said the hotel was accountable to the government on its operations in this field. For example, the hotel is committed to having half of its workforce from Tai O and Lantau areas. Such residents now account for more than half of its 23 employees.

A view of the South China Sea from the hotel. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Tai O, nicknamed “the Venice of Hong Kong”, is known for its waterways, seafood, stilt houses and fishing culture. Some residents there still work at the sea for a living, despite the local fishing industry declining over the years.

Kwok said there were some challenges in balancing building preservation and guest demands.

“There are often visitors who ask why we don’t have a swimming pool or spa in the hotel, we have to explain to them that this is a heritage building,” she said, pointing out that limited changes depending on government approval were allowed on heritage sites.

“Although we are not running like city hotels ... we compensate by offering different kinds of cultural tours,” she added.

Melanie Kwok, assistant general manager of sustainability at the hotel. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

As part of sustainable tourism development, Kwok is aware of concerns over overcrowding on peak days.

“During the pandemic, locals have nowhere to go, and Tai O is very popular ... There are times when there is large visitor traffic. It’s important that we listen to villagers’ views. When we promote the hotel as a destination, we don’t want to jeopardise their lives,” she said.

She added that the hotel had educated tourists on proper etiquette when visiting the area, such as not to enter residents’ stilt houses without permission.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam with Daryl Ng, director of the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation. Photo: Handout

The hotel’s efforts at preservation and how it operates has gained support from villagers there.

Tai O Rural Committee chairman Ho Siu-kei estimates some 5,000 to 8,000 people visit the fishing village on weekends, where about 3,000 residents live. A week ago when the Dragon Boat Festival took place amid rainy weather, there were at least 1,000 revellers gathered along the esplanade of the Tai O typhoon shelter for boat races.

“Indeed it is true the hotel has attracted many people,” Ho said, adding the hotel had also organised charitable events for the community.

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Indigenous resident Hung Wai-lan, an 88-year-old hobbyist photographer who has snapped many pictures of the village and the former police station in her younger days, said the hotel renovation was good as it kept many original elements of the building.

She encouraged visitors to take as many photos of the village as they could to capture its distinctive local culture.

Stanley Wong Chi-chuen, an artist who grew up in Tai O and has produced sketches of the area, said: “I grew up here, if there are opportunities to change the place for historical and cultural development, I think we should give that a chance.”

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