We asked Hong Kong’s top concierges to share their personal recommendations for the perfect day
LOUIS BALEROS
The Perfect VIP Day
Morning
Board the iconic Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island.
From there, take a taxi to the western end of Hollywood Road, take a look inside the Man Mo temple then stroll eastwards down Hollywood Road, stopping off in the antique shops and art galleries along the way. Hollywood Road then intersects with the Mid- Levels Escalator, which connects the Mid- Levels residential area to the Central Business District. Stroll along the escalator path and check out the little boutiques and local market on Graham Street and Peel Street, as well as Staunton Street. Make your way to Wyndham Street, which is filled with trendy restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and art galleries. Continue to Queen’s Road Central, where you’ll find upscale shopping at The Landmark and the quaintly restored Pedder Building. If you start to get hungry, stop off at Dragon-i for a dim sum lunch. In the late evening, Dragon-i becomes one of the city’s hippest clubbing venues.
Afternoon
Return to Kowloon by the Star Ferry and stroll down Canton Road, where you will find many designer megastores as well as Harbor City, the largest shopping mall in Hong Kong.
Before leaving the vicinity, go across the street to check out ‘1881 Heritage’, a beautifully restored colonial building, formerly the Marine Police Headquarters and now home to luxury brand boutiques and top jewelers. Take a taxi to the jade market, where you will find a vast assortment of semi-precious carvings, trinkets and souvenirs. Don’t forget to negotiate! eVening Relax with a 45-minute pre-dinner cocktail cruise on board Aqua Luna, a beautiful authentic Chinese junk. If you take the 7.30pm cruise, you can enjoy the nightly ‘Symphony of Lights’, which starts at 8pm each evening and lasts for 13 minutes. It’s also a fabulous way to view Victoria Harbor and the amazing skyline, especially at night before setting off for dinner at one of many recommended restaurants. Afterwards, return to InterContinental Hong Kong for a nightcap and one of the signature ‘Nine Dragon Cocktails’ in the Lobby Lounge, which offers dramatic views of Victoria Harbor and the Hong Kong Island skyline along with live music by guest jazz artists.
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Best restaurants
1) Yan Toh Heen, featuring Michelin-starred Cantonese cuisine in an understated, elegant ambiance with exquisite hand-carved jade place settings and a panoramic view of Victoria
Harbor and Hong Kong Island.
InterContinental Hotel, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
2) For an authentic local dining experience, try the seafront Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant
in Sai Kung. Go to the fish tanks to select your meal and minutes later your freshly-cooked
seafood appears in front of you.
87-89 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung
3) For a Chinese private kitchen dining experience, Da Ping Huo offers a nightly 12- course set menu, using authentic and familystyle Sichuan recipes. After the meal, the owner’s wife will sing excerpts from a Chinese opera for you.
Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road, Central
4) For a romantic setting select Spoon by Alain Ducasse, showcasing contemporary French
cuisine with a stylish ambiance and stunning harbor views.
InterContinental Hotel, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
5) For a more Asian experience, Nobu InterContinental Hong Kong showcases world famous Nobu Matsuhisa’s innovative new style Japanese cuisine.
InterContinental Hotel, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
MARYANN ABOO
Highlights of Hong Kong
Begin with an early morning Tai Chi lesson, learning the graceful movements from an experienced master, beside the outdoor pool of the Island Shangri-La.
Take the Mass Transit Railway to Kowloon to visit the Hong Kong Museum of History and Planetarium. For lunch, try the newly-opened Xiao Nan Guo Premier at One Peking Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, which offers incredible Shanghainese dumplings. In the afternoon, visit the jade market, a haven for jade lovers and collectors with over 450 small stalls displaying everything from rare carvings to inexpensive trinkets. Then take the Star Ferry back to Hong Kong Island. In the evening take the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak, which climbs so steeply that the buildings look like they’re leaning at a 45 degree angle! At the top, you’ll be amazed by the spectacular view of the surrounding city skyline.
Best restaurant
Restaurant Petrus at Island Shangri-La commands breathtaking views of Victoria Harbor and serves the highest standard of excellence in French cuisine. It has one of Asia’s largest wine cellars with over 12,000 bottles and features a premium Petrus collection and extensive vintages from other famous châteaux. See page 15
Best shoPPing
Vivienne Tam, Barney Cheng, Walter Ma, Ruby Li and Lu Lu Cheung are some of the best local designers. Both Barney Cheng and Lu Lu Cheung’s stores are located in Central, Ruby Li’s store is in Causeway Bay, Walter Ma’s store is in Tsim Sha Tsui and one of Vivienne Tam’s is in Pacific Place.
Best to Do
Find curios and unique souvenirs at Stanley Market on Hong Kong Island, Temple Street Night Market in Jordan and the Ladies’ Market in Mongkok.
GIOVANNI VALENTI
24 hours in hong Kong
8:00
Breakfast in the Mandarin Grill and Bar, Clipper Lounge or Café Causette at the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
10:00
Take the Peak Tram to The Peak, with a stunning view overlooking Victoria Harbor.
12:30
Lunch at Top Deck on the floating Jumbo in Aberdeen, which offers fresh seafood with a sea breeze.
15:00
Do some shopping at Harbor City, the biggest shopping mall in Hong Kong. 18:00 Take a ride on the Star Ferry across the Victoria Harbor.
20:00
Don’t miss ‘A Symphony of Lights’, named the ‘world’s largest permanent light and sound show’ by Guinness World Records.
21:00
Choose any restaurant on One Peking Road or sample restaurants and bars along Knutsford Terrace.
Best Restaurants
Peking Garden, Maxim’s City Hall and Otto e Mezzo.
Best Shopping
The Landmark, Harbor City, Cat Street on Hollywood Road (for antiques) and Lane Crawford.
KRISTINA SNAITH
ConCierge Manager, LanDMarK ManDarin orientaL
+852 2132 0188
For an intriguing glimpse of the cosmopolitan glamour Hong Kong has to offer, start the day with breakfast in the chic comfort of the MO Bar.
To follow, work your way through the back streets of Central and Soho to experience the city’s most authentic street scenes. Head to the stalls and shops on Li Yuen Street East and West, then up the paved cobblestone steps of Pottinger Street onto Lyndhurst terrace to visit the variety of shops selling ancient art pieces, paintings and authentic artifacts from early Chinese dynasties. Venture west along Hollywood Road for myriad curio and antique stores before visiting the Man Mo Temple, one of the first traditional-style temples built during the colonial era. Retrace your steps back to the heart of Central for lunch at the two-Michelin-starred Amber and revel in the delectable French flavors concocted by Chef Richard Ekkebus. In the afternoon, experience the breathtaking views of The Peak, then on your return stop at the shoppers’ paradise that is The Landmark, which features the world’s most luxurious brands.
In the evening, amble down to the Star Ferry Pier for a visit to Kowloon, a must for any visitor and local alike and the most traditional way of crossing the harbor. Cocktail hour should be spent on the terrace of Zuma, followed by a banquet at the China Club to taste delicious local flavors. After dinner, make your way back to the MO Bar for exquisite rose petal martinis, then onto Kee Club for dancing into the night.
Best Relaxation
Indulge in the tranquil atmosphere of The Oriental Spa and Mandarin Oriental’s signature spa therapies for utter pampering bliss.
Best Shopping
Harvey Nichols, Lane Crawford, Swank and Joyce Boutique.
