Where Is It: The up and coming district of Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
Why Go: It's a hip hotel with a great location.
Best For: Couples or business people seeking a trendy boutique hotel with a difference.
Three Things We Loved: The infinity pool, the rooftop bar, the styling.
The Ultimate Factor: The views and terrific amenities from the upper floors.
Overview:
Choosing where to stay in Hong Kong isn't an easy task. For one, your location is a major consideration, and even once you've decided where you will stay, among luxury hotels in particular you then have to consider if you want a hotel which is traditional, boutique, large, small, and what facilities on site you want during your stay and whether it's for a romantic getaway or just a city break.
On our last trip to Hong Kong, when we told the concierge at our hotel (in Kowloon) we were heading out to Wan Chai, his curious response was: "Why? There's nothing there for tourists." On a recent trip back to Hong Kong, we discovered that times have definitely changed. Wan Chai, one of Hong Kong's diverse and historic neighbourhoods, is now one of its up and coming areas, a hip and hot new zone for dining, designer boutiques, and as we discovered, hotel accommodation.
Right in the heart of the area, on Queen's Road East, is the new Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island. A dynamic addition to the character of Wan Chai, this is a boutique hotel which cleverly fuses tradition with the ultra-modern, possessing all of the necessary facilities which a business or leisure traveller could want in a home away from home. It's close to the subway, in the thick of the action, and is a hive of activity all of its own.
Where We Stayed:
There is a variety of standard guest room types, rooms with access to the Executive Club Level, and a range of suites. Our accommodation for two nights was a deluxe king, which enjoyed a spacious corner position on the 19th floor. Although it didn't have much in the way of a view, except for nearby skyscrapers, the two walls featuring floor to ceiling windows, equipped with translucent blinds for privacy by day, made the room bright and airy. One of the other walls was adorned with an elaborate mosaic in pearl and pink in a shell design, the emblem of the hotel, and the other was occupied by the bathroom and toilet - all frosted glass.
The room was open plan and very spacious with a warm wood polished floor. A king sized bed was the centrepiece in the middle of the room, and immediately behind it, and built into the head board, was a work station with a leather office chair. In one corner surrounded by windows was an orange sofa, with a flat screen TV wall mounted, which flowed into the bathroom area which had oversized cream floor tiles, and an open vanity area with a large sink. There was a huge walk-in shower behind frosted glass, with a rainforest shower head, and behind the other glass wall was the toilet. It wasn't especially private, but follows a trend in many Hong Kong hotel rooms in terms of design.
All amenities were provided including luxurious Organic Ba Yan Kala toiletries, cloth bath robes, a hairdryer, and plenty of fluffy towels. The room was also adorned with lovely Oriental touches, including a Chinese lacquered box for vanity items and stationery on the desk, a Chinese tea set, and a modern take on a traditional Chinese lantern. The couch was covered in brightly coloured cushions - very Shanghai Tan. The room also comes with a mini-bar, a Nespresso machine, complimentary bottled water and free Wi-Fi. As a guest, you also get use of a handy phone which has been pre-programmed with information including sightseeing, restaurant listings and useful apps including Instagram. You can make phone calls on it, both locally and internationally.
What Else Is There:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be enjoyed in the property's only restaurant, Cafe Post, a spacious and modern venue which is part al fresco and located on the second floor just up from the lobby. The menu is styled as "all day cafe", and smart casual. Breakfast is an elaborate buffet, with every conceivable option from fruits and yoghurt, to cereals and hot foods, with eggs made to order, and Chinese options including dim sum. The lobby is small yet welcoming, featuring lots of marble and purple, and beyond that, the Skybar located on the 29th floor is small and chic with a small outside terrace. There is a rooftop pool, but during our stay it hadn't yet opened due to licensing regulations, but we could see it would offer a cooling dip during the hotter months, and views across the city skyline in all directions.
The Verdict:
If you love boutique hotels, and the idea of exploring an emerging area such as Wan Chai, you will love this hotel. It is very modern, very young at heart with whimsical touches, but the service is five-star, and the rooms are spacious with everything a discerning traveller could need.
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