Glued to the view from my 28th-floor window at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong, I wondered how much better it could possibly be on the 13 floors above me.
Sipping whisky sours at Le 188° answered my question, with floor-to-ceiling windows showing off Hong Kong's city skyline in all its splendour. Nightcaps don't come much better than this.
Soak in the views from Le 188° at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong (Image: HGHK)
The 5-star Harbour Grand Hong Kong impresses from the moment you set foot in the lobby: a cavernous, white marbled space draped with chandeliers and staffed by courteous bellhops in their starched uniforms.
On arrival, there's a harpist gently strumming in the corner. The Harbour Grand Hong Kong sets the bar high for accommodation in the Pearl of the Orient.
The opulent lobby of the Harbour Grand Hong Kong (Image: HGHK)
The 828-room Harbour Grand Hong Kong belongs to a family of 10 properties in Hong Kong. One key reason this particular hotel stands out among its siblings is that every room is awarded a view of the iconic Victoria Harbour, after which the city was named (Hong Kong roughly translates to 'fragrant harbour').
If you're lucky enough to be staying in an Executive Harbour View or Premier Harbour View Suite, all the better: these corner-dwelling rooms embrace panoramic views of Central on one side of the harbour and Kowloon on the other.
The rooms of the Harbour Grand Hong Kong are dressed in two styles: 'old' with sepia-toned images of rickshaws and junk boats and warm tones of cream, coffee and chocolate, and 'new' with vivid blue imagery of the cityscape, dark wood furnishings and splashes of gold.
A Superior Harbour View Room at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong (Image: HGHK)
The powder rooms in Harbour View Rooms are especially artful in their design, with glass walls that give the illusion of added space and an electronic curtain for privacy.
Dual shower options – including a rain shower head pouring from the heavens – and a spa bath you could almost swim laps in are added luxuries if you stay in the Premier Harbour View Room and are just the ticket after a day pounding the pavement in 'Honkers'.
Speaking of luxuries, room service breakfast in bed is always a good idea, particularly if you've already hit the buffet at the Harbour Grand Cafe. Dumplings for breakfast? Don't mind if I do.
Freshly squeezed orange juice and warm croissants? Yes please! (Image: Ashton Rigg)
In what is always a mark of distinction, this flagship Harbour Grand property is also the preferred hotel for both Qantas and British Airways staff.
If you know what you're looking for, across the harbour from the Harbour Grand Hong Kong you can spy its sister property: the Harbour Grand Kowloon.
Two hotels, two sides of the harbour, two different yet equally stylish experiences.
Another 5-star property just steps from the waterfront, the Harbour Grand Kowloon has been operating for 25 years and the seamless service shows.
While the Harbour Grand Hong Kong has a distinct modern edge at just six years young, the Harbour Grand Kowloon is all about embracing tradition.
Both hotels are adept at hosting weddings, functions, business lunches, family getaways and romantic escapes, with grand ballrooms, salons and more than 1,300 rooms and suites between them.
The lavish lobby of the Harbour Grand Kowloon. What a first impression! (Image: HGK)
Views from the Harbour Grand Kowloon vary from Victoria Harbour stretching towards the South China Sea, to the city districts of Wan Chai and Whampoa.
The rooms here are comfortable and functional, while suites provide extra space to work, rest and cook, if the mood strikes. Cooking at home isn't the done thing in Hong Kong, however. In a city with more than 10,000 restaurants, you'll never have to lift a spatula.
A simple, elegant Harbourview Room at the Harbour Grand Kowloon (Image: HGK)
A great way to initiate yourself at the Harbour Grand Kowloon is by dining on site at Hoi Yat Heen. Prep your tastebuds for Cantonese cuisine and go beyond traditional dim sum with mains like almond-encrusted chicken in lemon sauce or squid ink vermicelli with king prawns, and tiny egg custards for dessert.
Once you've indulged and slept off your first feast in Hong Kong (and trust me, it won't be the last), grab the cosy robe from your hotel room cupboard and head up to the rooftop pool.
Good morning Hong Kong, from the rooftop of the Harbour Grand Kowloon (Image: Ashton Rigg)
You'll likely have the place to yourself if you're up for an early morning swim when the pool opens at at 7am – Hong Kong is a city that's late to bed and late to rise.
Watching the morning light stream in over the high-rises before ravaging the breakfast buffet is an ideal way to start the day in Hong Kong, while a stroll along the promenade as the city sparkles to life is the perfect way to end it.
Luckily, you can do just that at both Harbour Grand properties in Hong Kong.
Visit your local Flight Centre store or call 131 600 for more advice and the latest deals on travelling to Hong Kong.
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