Winner of the Best Service Hotel award at the China Hotel Forum 2010-2011, and the Best Boutique Hotels in China at the China Hotel Forum 2008-2009, the micro-luxury 82-room Hotel Bonaparte by Rhombus is conveniently situated between Causeway Bay and Wanchai in Hong Kong.
Just around 6 minutes walking distance away from Causeway Bay MTR station and around 6 minutes walking distance to the much-loved Times Square shopping and entertainment complex, Hotel Bonaparte by Rhombus sits amid a vast collection of boutiques, open-air fish markets, office blocks, souvenir shops, restaurant and a myriad of bars and clubs. Each of the 82 guestrooms is designed to let the guest breath an air of cosiness, comfort, and upmost care when they are residing here. There are 51 rooms specifically catered for the business traveller while 25 rooms are classed as premium type, which offer more space and extra amenities such as designer branded toiletries. Though there are no phones in the rooms, but every guest can borrow a mobile phone and take it with them anywhere in the city during their stay. Of course, the guest is responsible for the bills, but the flexibility and accessibility of using the mobile phone anywhere is very convenient because guests can use the phone anywhere. This is an innovative and cost-effective process by Hotel Bonaparte that the guests prefer and is not implemented by many hotels around the world. Other world-class facilities include a self-service laundry service, foreign exchange service, complimentary use of the iphone and a boardroom which offers state-of-the-art meetings facilities and personalised business and concierge services. The ‘A Café x Lounge’ on the ground floor located right next to the front entrance is the ideal place to enjoy a homemade freshly brewed ‘Movenpick coffee’ along with some scrumptious cakes and pastries. You have to love that ‘R’ sign made onto the coffee lather to signify the ‘Rhombus’ signature. Just need a bit of chocolate dust to decorate it and off you go to enjoy your cuppa! Guests can simply press the ‘V Care’ button on their in-room telephone (or mobile phone that is provided at Hotel Bonaparte) to secure their seats in advance. It’s another innovative idea that makes the Hotel Bonaparte by Rhombus stick out from the rest in the market. ‘A Café x Lounge’ also offers complimentary internet facilities for guests as well as customers that purchase anything from the counter. Wireless facilities are also available. So, is it the location, the delicious food at the restaurant or the free mobile phones that make Hotel Bonaparte an absolute corker of a hotel to stay at? Located on the first floor of the modern boutique Hotel de EDGE by Rhombus on Connaught Road West, ‘glo restaurant + lounge is an intimate and contemporary eatery that caters to world travellers with a taste of diversity and a desire for gastronome excellence. Designed by award-winning Hong Kong architect Anthony Chan and overseen by Canadian chef, Robert Lockwood, glo restaurant + lounge presents a creative approach to culinary delights using the finest produce and classical techniques, blended in with artistic presentations.
In an open-style kitchen, chef Robert Lockwood and his team of culinary experts have put together an innovative and fashionable menu that goes hand-in-hand with the dashing style and experience provided by the boutique Hotel de EDGE. A fresh interpretation of traditional western and Chinese cuisine, glo restaurant + lounge uses only the finest seasonal ingredients to create a clever evolution of both traditional dishes as well as a few widely inventive examples of molecular gastronomy. ‘Molecular cooking is a relatively new concept in Hong Kong’, explains chef Robert Lockwood, who has worked at the likes of the Fairmont hotel in Vancouver and Lumiere restaurant in Vancouver among others before coming to work for the Rhombus group in Hong Kong. ‘It’s all about creativity, combining common food items to form elements. By exploring the physical and chemical changes that occur while cooking, we can offer dishes with more exotic tastes, flavours and textures.’ For those working in Sheung Wan and Central looking to squeeze in a quick, healthy yet innovative dish or even to host a lunch time meeting, then glo restaurant + lounge provides an array of choices. The innovative concept of having ‘glo.ING LUNCHES’ and ‘glo.ING BREAKFASTS’ has taken food presentation to new levels. Its fabulous creations such as the crispy pacific cod roll, and the chocolate bar that make lunchtime meetings even more special at the glo restaurant + lounge. The former is no ordinary cod fish roll but instead includes a healthy portion of melted onion blended in with a few shoots of leek and asparagus; while the latter dessert is an art of a chocolate dish because rarely you have a lovely mix of chocolate and salt in one. As you take a bite of the chocolate bar, the upper side of your mouth expresses an interest in the sea salt while the tongue dances in delight to the taste of the sweetness of the thick chocolate. This kind of dish is so priceless that every mouthful will make you smile no matter how rough your day as been (really). The true test of any chef’s skills comes in when the preparation of the best meal of the day is in question; that is to say how well is the breakfast cooked. Effectively it has to be said that breakfast presented at the glo restaurant is not just your ordinary breakfast. It certainly is not the standard ‘milk with cereal’ and so on, but has a clear innovation touch applied to it by chef Lockwood. There are at least eight different healthy dishes to indulge into such as, for example, granola parfait which is a neat layer of Greek yogurt on top of which you have a generous layer of berry compote. A fabulous display of crisp granola is sprinkled on the top to create a fine tasting and looking breakfast delight. All breakfast dishes come standard with a cup of Movepick coffee Ronnefedlt tea or a glass of juice of your choice. Located right in the heart of Hong Kong’s Central business district, Lan Kwai Fong, alas also the most happening place in this part of the city, is the smartly decorated Hotel LKF. With its chic interior décor and personalized service, the internationally award-winning Hotel LKF with its 95 purpose built rooms and suites has developed a stunning reputation in recent years as being the most sought after hotel for business persons because of the number of advantages that it offers. The prime location gives the guest instant access to the myriad of bistros, al fresco bars and nightclubs, designer art galleries, western styled pubs, restaurants and easy access to all kinds of public transport including taxies, MTR metro station (‘Central’), airport express and ferries to all parts of Hong Kong..
The success of Hotel LKF, which is part of the Rhombus International Hotel Group, was demonstrated in 2009 when the hotel picked up five international awards including Best Business Hotel 2009’ in China’s 2009 Best Design Hotel awards, and also Best Boutique Hotel in the Asia-Pacific region’ by Business Traveller Magazine. The designer experience commences from the moment you check-in at the front desk. Now, Hong Kong can be hard work for those that are not used to the immense heat, humidity and the endless amounts of narrow lanes that have a steep rise, which means having to walk a lot. So, for this reason alone it would be a relief for you to know that if you are residing at Hotel LKF the first thing you’ll be welcomed with is a relaxing ambiance consisting of luxury suede sofas in various shades of ivory and wood in the rather spacious and air-conditioned lobby. You can never get lost or feel as if you are not looked after at the Hotel LKF. The staff are exceedingly hospitable, and you can be reassure that the first thing that greets you is a smile and lovely words of ‘Welcome to the Hotel LKF, how can I help you sir, madam?’. The pleasant air of relaxation is complemented by photographic masterpieces and architecturally awakening touches that make your welcome even more special. While Hong Kong is tiny and property developers aim to make the most of the every square inch they can get their hands onto, the beauty of Hotel LKF is that each one of the 95 rooms and suites are generously balanced, with 50 square metres to 90 square metres of space. The luxury of having a hotel in the heart of the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong is such that one can just pop into their room after a long day of sight-seeing or at the office and just put their feet up and relax with a nice drink. The unique contemporary design of the rooms is neatly blended in well with luxurious 100% cotton bed linen and soft goose down pillows. The vast majority of the guests at Hotel LKF are business travellers, and so with the business guest in mind Hotel LKF has kept few things specifically to make the business stay even more comfortable such as wireless internet and a unique ‘V Care’ button, which provides access to personalized service 24 hours a day. It is also a relief to know that minor but important things in life such as foreign exchange facilities, shoe shining, limousine service, and a 4-in-1 business assistant is also available. Excellent detail to attention is paid to all the comfortable guest rooms that all have automatic controls to manage the curtains and the master switch (which is exceedingly handy at night-time and saves you having to get up and switch everything off one-by-one). All the executive suite rooms come complimentary with a designer Italian coffee making machine (Illy freshly ground coffee is provided), designer washroom toiletries by Molton Brown and a bathtub along with a shower. The latter is an important feature because many hotels in Hong Kong only have a shower instead of a bathtub because of the lack of space. The top two floors of Hotel LKF are dominated by the internationally award winning Azure Restaurant Slash Bar. Azure was ranked 7th by the UK Sunday Times in the world’s top 20 sky bars list and the best restaurant in Hong Kong for two years in a row by the Hong Kong Tatler. As well as providing an award-winning cuisine, the Azure also provides stunning views across the metropolis and has in time become one of Hong Kong’s premier nightspots’. If you were after a hotel in this busy part of Hong Kong that provides an exquisite design and spacious rooms along with deluxe amenities to make your stay as comfortable as possible, then Hotel LKF would be the sensible choice. Seeing is believing at the award-winning Azure. The contemporary Azure Restaurant Slash Bar is ideally situated on the top two floor of the five-star boutique Hotel LKF right in the heart of Lan Kawi Fong in Hong Kong’s Central Business District. As well as providing mouth-watering dishes from which you will practically be left licking your fingers clean, the Azure provides postcard-perfect views across this part of the city that comes alive at night-time with all the neon lights around. The Azure has, with time, become one of Hong Kong’s crème de la crème nightspots where those who prefer the finer things in life can while away their evenings surrounded with good company and a classy ‘colonial-greets-contemporary’ style ambiance.
The Azure was ranked seventh in the UK Sunday Times list of the world’s 20 best sky bars, and was officially voted the Best Restaurant by the Hong Kong Tatler for two consecutive years. In actual fact I would even go on to say that the presentation of the food on the plates is so good that one is afraid to ruin it (really, I had to refrain my knife going anywhere near the scrumptious gravlax salmon and alaska crab leg!). Azure is an innovative restaurant, lounge, and bar that creatively blends the best of view, venue, and menu. Inside the restaurant, inviting semicircle couches wrap around the tables enticing diners to laidback lunches during the day and distinguished dinars as darkness falls. Hong Kong people love seafood. According to the World Widelife Fund, Hong Kong’s per capita consumption of seafood is 3.6 times more than the global average. With this fact in mind it is no surprise, that one of the most popular dishes at the Azure is the pan-roasted salmon. For a crowd pleaser, Azure’s fresh Boston lobster salad is bound to please anyone even if they do not have a pinch for seafood. Most of the lobster meat is flown in fresh and alive from the USA or Canada (in this case it is, of course, from Boston). The Azure’s chef, Joe Chu, has put a lot of thought and innovation behind the creation of these dishes. Apart from the priceless views and the multicultural set of diners, the key things that make the Azure a pleasant and sophisticated setting for either lunch or dinner is it’s perfect comfortable environment, a beautifully toned scent that is not overdone and lovely music in the background. Without any of these fine ingredients, any top class restaurant is bound to fail. However, it goes without saying that the manager of the Azure has done their homework and has developed a fine recipe for success in all manners connected with the Azure brand. The jewels of any gastronomic adventure are the rich flavours that are demonstrated in the desserts. Try tucking into the ‘house-made ice cream’ where two scoops of chocolate ice cream blended in well with a dash of baileys are accompanied with fresh berries and crushed nuts. An equally to-die-for dessert has to be the chocolate trio. This dish contains chocolate presented in three different styles: a small scoop of white chocolate ice cream in a spoon, a triangle of chocolate delight filled with a hazelnut at the core and a cup containing a blend of dark and white chocolate mousse decorated with a slice of strawberry. The ‘Wow!’ factor of the restaurant comes around when you are right at the top veranda and admiring the splendid night-time views while drowning yourself with a glass of the signature cocktail, Liqueur gold- a lovely blend of mango juice and Bacardi accompanied with a dash of a fresh orange slice. You just cannot argue when it comes to first-class culinary innovations at an exceedingly good restaurant such as the Azure. Hong Kong is widely recognized as an art deco city with increasing numbers of travellers’ with a passion for art, architecture, and social history. It is understood that some of the rooms in the globally award-winning JIA Hong Kong are perhaps the most luxurious for a boutique hotel in China. The world's most well-known architects are flocking to Hong Kong, where they are building the world's biggest skyscrapers and up-market hotels, including boutique hotels, such as the JIA Hong Kong, which has been in operation since 2004.
With Causeway Bay MTR and Victoria Park, just a few minutes’ walk away as well as having a myriad of street markets and shopping malls just a stone throws away, you could not have a better location for a luxury boutique hotel than this. The only challenge may be in trying to spot where the hotel is as there are no visible signs on the exterior of the building except a number and the name of the road that signify that it’s definitely the JIA Hong Kong. With 25 floors offering exceptionally spacious 54 guestrooms and suites (including two penthouses) averaging 400 sq. ft, the accommodation is designed as quietly theatrical, warm, and appealing spaces for the modern, design-conscious traveller. There are officially three types of accommodation available: studio 1 and studio 2 (both 380 square feet, where studio 1 is of a square configuration and studio 2 is of a rectangular configuration), suite (780 square feet) and the penthouse (upper & lower floors at 1570 square feet total). If you have been to JIA Shanghai, which is exceedingly luxurious beyond the set standards because it’s just perfect and hideously impressive, then you would expect even higher standards from the JIA Hong Kong. This is not because it’s known as the flagship of the two boutique hotels that have created by the Singaporean founder and owner of the JIA brand, Ms. Yenn Wong, but because the JIA Hong Kong is the first Philippe Starck-designed boutique hotel in Asia. One always ends up having a high above average expectation from a design guru like Starck. The first two words that would probably strike your mind when you enter the hotel’s premises are ‘fashion’ and ‘art’. Like the Colonial residence of a stylish tea tycoon, it has high ceilings, smooth marble floors, and cute touches such as those minute Chinese lampshades. There are large painting and mirrors that extend from the floor to the ceiling, as well as multi-coloured and multi-shaped furniture in the lobby. Richly purple coloured fabrics adorn the walls and door openings. From the moment you enter your room, you will feel the grandeur envelope you closely and draw you into a world of space, luxury, and comfort. JIA Hong Kong likes to pamper their guests and nothing exudes luxury more than the first class facilities that this gem of a boutique hotel offers. You may enjoy complimentary continental breakfast in the luxury of your room or at the pantry table in the lobby. Furthermore, there are a myriad of traditional cafeterias around the hotel that may serve up your favourites- eastern or western cuisines are available. Along with this, it would be nice to know that all-day beverages are available at the reception. There's also complimentary evening wine served in the lobby along with a lovely cheese selection. A lovely touch to any stay is the provision of complimentary unlimited laundry for all the guests. Located on the second floor next to the open-air veranda and sundeck are two washing machines and two tumble dryers that come complete with washing up liquid and conditioner. All the rooms have a small kitchenette that is no less impressive, adorned with luxury Arabescato cor marble and with state-of-the-art tools it is a superb showcase of uncompromising quality. All the cutlery is ‘royal porcelain’ by the Kingdom of Thailand while exclusive furniture and design of the chairs and tables is a must try for any newcomer to the JIA Hong Kong. You have to love the boutique JIA lotus & white tea branded toiletries that can (almost) get people confused if they don’t read the label carefully: ‘Soap Star’ (hand soap), ‘Freshen Up’ (shower gel), ‘Head Start’ (shampoo), ‘Head Smoothie’ (head conditioner), and ‘Smooth Operator’ (body lotion). The gem of the JIA Hong Kong has to be the two penthouses spread over the top two floors. Both the penthouses come with their own washing machine cum tumble dryers, a fully planned self-catering purpose built kitchen with state-of-the-art facilities, and a dining area for four persons complete with Thai porcelain cutlery. Further more there are power showers, a large living room with all the creature comforts that you may want to have, and designer furniture that you just will not find anywhere else. Its so good that you may as well call it your home away from home. Above all else, if you are looking for a bit of calm within the craziness of Hong Kong’s bustling life and if you prefer to stay at a place that is not exactly a normal hotel and not exactly a residence, then the JIA Hong Kong may just be the place for you. Oh, and before you leave your room, don’t forget to put up your very own cheesy room sign: ‘seriously messed up’ or ‘seriously need sleep’. Give it a go, you’ll love it. Studio room starts from HK$2,800 A one-bedroom suite starts from HK$ 3,600 Duplex Penthouse HK$6,000 |
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