Adventures in Hong Kong: Luxe Stays and Cultural Delights

Upper House:

The entrance to Upper House is through a sculptural ‘Stone Curtain’ façade by Thomas Heatherwick that sets the scene for an upward journey through tranquil spaces that are dotted with smooth monolithic sculptures and artwork. 117 rooms designed to perfection by the amazing André Fu. The place is a total zen zone, with its lush surroundings and modern flair. I also love that every guest gets to do an in-room check-in. The whole architecture of the rooms and common areas was stunning and don’t even get me started on those killer city and mountain views. I had a view of the city and Hong Kong Kowloon side.

Can we talk about the fancy Bamford goodies? Bamford is a brand from England and their body lotion, oil and soap are some of my absolute favorites. I was in heaven with the in-room massage — talk about a luxe treat! Plus, their eco-friendly game is strong. They have their own branded flasks which you can take home, and there are filtered water faucets in every room to fill the flask, which I absolutely love and really satisfies my sense of sustainability. Upper House also offers other wellness experiences, including a hyperbaric chamber, oxygen therapy and red light and near infrared LED light therapy in the building next door, called Wellness Residences.

The Peninsula:

The original Peninsula, which is also the FIRST 5-star hotel ever in Hong Kong and is the ONLY hotel in all of Hong Kong with a helipad... it doesn’t get any more old-school exclusive than a helipad! I was greeted and taken care of by two concierges even before getting whisked away in their Rolls Royce and headed to the hotel. The whole experience was pure luxury!

Their welcome amenities were amazing as well. From an octopus card for public transportation (already topped up for immediate use and in the shape of their bellboy hats, so fun!) to the welcome letter, the snacks on the coffee table and even the cutest bag filled with water, sanitizing wipes and a sunglass cleaning cloth to use for the day when I explored the city. Even though it is an older hotel, they are definitely up to date on their electronics. I could do everything from the iPad in my room, from ordering more water to in-room dining or booking a spa appointment.

The attention to detail just got more and more amazing each day... They would quietly note my personal preferences as we would casually talk, and then, voila! There in my room would be something I had just mentioned, like when I said I loved dim sum, and then dessert dim sums were in my room when I got back from dinner one night. They even put a folder under my door daily with new yoga exercises! Namaste to that.