Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is on a roll. Over the past few years, the Hong Kong-based company has opened new properties in tempting destinations like Paris; Bangkok; Sanya; Luang Prabang, Laos; and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. And in March, the group sent shock waves across Hong Kong when it debuted its first hotel in its hometown.
Meticulously designed by New York-based Tony Chi and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the ultra-luxe Rosewood Hong Kong marks a new era for East Tsim Sha Tsui. Once the site of Holt’s Wharf (and later, the New World Centre, an iconic retail and lifestyle hub that thrived in the 1970s and ’80s), the area has transformed into Victoria Dockside. With the sleek, new hotel at the center of it all, the 3-million-square-foot arts and design district brings together experimental architecture, multi-disciplinary performances, creative work spaces and gorgeous outdoor venues overlooking the harbor.
Set in this enviable ecosystem, the 65-story hotel embraces this commitment to creativity with a highly ambitious art program, artisanal dining and meaningful design elements in every corner. From the rooms to the rooftops, here’s a shortlist of reasons why we love Rosewood Hong Kong.
The Views
As you wind up the cobblestone driveway toward the entrance of Rosewood Hong Kong, you can feel the frenetic city streets fading into the rearview. A sense of quiet and intimacy greets you at the topiary-lined arrival courtyard, which seems to hover over the city’s storied harbor.
The incredible views don’t end at first impressions — more than 80 percent of guest rooms and suites overlook the famous waterway. Nearly every venue at the hotel promises sweeping panoramas, which are particularly stunning from the 40th-floor Manor Club executive lounge (where 360-degree views wrap around the entire floor), The Legacy House Chinese restaurant, DarkSide cocktail bar, the outdoor infinity pool and the state-of-the-art fitness center.
The Rooms
Some of the largest in the city, Rosewood Hong Kong’s 413 accommodations start at 570 square feet. Each exudes a homey vibe with immense glass windows that frame the water, tasteful checked curtains and wooden blinds, a spacious living area and a cocktail trolley that includes complimentary pre-mixed libations.
A large marble bathroom is outfitted with dual copper sinks, a freestanding tub and walk-in rain showers. Keeping with the artistic atmosphere, the rooms feature specially made art books, paintings, vintage collectables and calligraphy instruments that celebrate Hong Kong’s heritage.
The suites, which range from 1,270 to 1,873 square feet, continue the residential feel with a warm mix of colors and textures, including highly tactile cashmere wallpaper by Italian clothing brand Loro Piana. These palatial units provide more living space for lounging or entertaining, and luxurious perks such as butler service, Manor Club access, and monogrammed pillowcases and robes that you can take home with you.
No matter which room you’re staying in, set your watch for 5 p.m. daily, when a dedicated Negroni trolley makes its way through the hotel’s salons. These dedicated areas on every guest-room floor offer a pleasant, lounge-like ambiance just outside your door.
Traveling with a four-legged friend? You’ve picked the right address. Rosewood Hong Kong not only welcomes pets, but also has an entire menu of dining and pampering services to ensure your cat or pooch is well cared for.
The Cuisine
Across the property, there are eight delicious dining spaces — each with a distinct personality that pays tribute to Hong Kong’s East-meets-West history or surrounding regions.
On the ground floor, just around the corner from the reception salon, you’ll discover The Butterfly Room. A pastel-hued sanctuary studded with Damien Hirst artwork and gorgeous scalloped chairs, The Butterfly Room is all about afternoon tea and artisanal desserts — a sampling of which you can admire at the adjacent Butterfly Patisserie, where beautiful glass display cases showcase respected pastry chef Holger Deh’s signature Butterfly Kisses (fruit- and marshmallow-filled chocolates), delicate cakes, exclusive confections (don’t miss the “ruby” chocolate), ice cream and more.
Next door, the Tea Conservatory mixes up the scenery with towering cabinets and white lacquer tables full of premium, whole-leaf Chinese teas.
Meanwhile, Holt’s Café has become synonymous with upscale cha chaan teng diner cuisine — think wonton noodle soup, dim sum, barbecued meats and Hong Kong-style milk tea — in chic, brasserie-style surrounds where rose-colored velvet banquettes and striking, rhinestone-studded peacock sculptures by Colombian artist Clarita Brinkerhoff add some glamour.
Upstairs, the menu at The Legacy House traverses much of China with essentials like Peking duck, suckling pig and xiao long bao soup dumplings. But the heart of the menu revolves around Shunde cuisine — a subset of Cantonese food from southern China — that reflects the roots of the Cheng family, owners of Rosewood Hotel Group. Among the many Shunde dishes, don’t miss the handmade noodles, ultra-fresh seafood, and impossibly airy scrambled milk with crab meat and bird’s nest.
Last but certainly not least, DarkSide bar’s nightly live jazz performances set the tone while avant-garde artwork and spinning hourglasses installations add to the atmosphere. The lounge lures tipplers with interesting cocktails (try The Yamen, with cognac, wax, raw honey, bee pollen, osmanthus flowers and frankincense), vintage spirits (like an 1863 single-harvest tawny port) and an extensive terrace where you can savor harbor views and cigars.
The Art
Within the first few moments of arriving at Rosewood Hong Kong, it becomes apparent that this hotel is a true patron of the arts. In the entrance courtyard, Three Piece Reclining Figure: Draped 1975, a sinuous bronze masterpiece by late British sculptor Henry Moore, explores the beauty of the human figure.
Inside, you’ll find colorful geometric canvases by American artist Joe Bradley; a landmark ink painting by Taiwan’s Liu Guosong; an emotive, life-sized elephant sculpture by contemporary Indian artist Bharti Kher; and a series of six Zodiac paintings by Britain’s Damien Hirst.
Even in the rooms, there are tiny touches made especially for Rosewood Hong Kong. Notable works by creatives like local ink artist Wilson Shieh, Chinese contemporary sculptor Wang Keping and Brooklyn-based glass blower Lisa Stimpson line the walls, while desks are stocked with custom stationery designed by Chloe Ho and Yeachin Tsai. Look out for a specially crafted book (dubbed Whimsical Tales of Hong Kong) that features colorful Hong Kong city scenes by New York-based painter William Low.
The Infinity Pool
The upcoming spa and wellness concept — which will be the brand’s first urban location when it opens this fall — is destined to raise the bar. Meaning “setting an intention or hope” in Sanskrit, the 40,000-square-foot Asaya will take a holistic approach with treatments and practices for both the mind and body. Rounding out the services, there will be a dedicated Asaya Social Suite for larger groups and a refined nail salon.
In the meantime, find a sense of serenity at the striking infinity pool. Located on the sixth floor, this 25-meter-long beauty seems to spill into the harbor and, thanks to its eastern-facing position, provides an ideal spot for meditative mornings or tranquil sundowners.
