Our home for six days in Hong Kong was the wonderfully luxurious five-star InterContinental at Tsim Sha Tsui. Situated right on the Kowloon waterfront, the hotel overlooks Victoria Harbour and towards the magnificent Hong Kong Island skyline with spectacular panoramic views. It was my first encounter with the city and I fell in love.
We were picked up at the airport by one of the hotel's Mercedes limousines, logged onto the in-car wifi to check our emails and before we knew it we were walking through the sleek marble and polished granite lobby and checking into a chic superior harbour view room, just in time for the nightly lights show across the water.
The 503 rooms and 87 suites feature stylish interiors, sumptuous fabrics and huge, comfortable beds. A selection of teas, daily fresh fruit, complimentary mineral water and a choice of morning newspapers delivered to your room are a nice little touch too.
All rooms are kitted out with massive Aquos LCD TVs and BOSE entertainment sound systems with iPod docks and a handyphone for free web searches, checking maps and making local calls when you're out and about (handy indeed - I hope it's rolled out across other countries soon).
The beautiful, spacious bathrooms are fitted in Italian marble with large sunken bathtubs, separate glass showers, his-and-hers sinks (#lifegoals), plush terrycloth bathrobes and fluffy towels with gorgeous Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries. I miss that bathroom...
There are excellent dining options with five restaurants and four Michelin stars between them - including Spoon by Alain Ducasse serving contemporary French cuisine, Japanese at NOBU and the 2 Michelin-starred Yan Toh Heen offering traditional Cantonese (we had a wonderful lunch there; more on that later) - four bars and lounges, a pool terrace for breakfast and all-day snacks and 24-hour room service (a 2am club sandwich hit the spot nicely).
The lobby lounge comes to life in the evening with a live band in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and kaleidoscopic skyline. Each morning we had breakfast in the Club InterContinental executive lounge, choosing from a dozen fresh juices (best kiwi juice ever) with a big choice of pastries, eggs, dim sum (when in Rome), usual buffet and lots of fresh fruit.
There's a slick outdoor terrace with a swimming pool, landscaped terrace and lily ponds, a waterfall feature, an infinity pool and jacuzzi with killer views overlooking the harbour.
I enjoyed a sublime treatment in the feng shui-inspired I-Spa, starting with 30 minutes in a private sauna, steam shower and jacuzzi before indulging with the relaxing 90 minute signature “Chi” balancing massage. Designed to restore a harmonious flow of energy and vitality using acupressure, hot compresses and Kerstin Florian warm oils to stimulate circulation and soothe muscles. I left feeling light, rejuvenated and totally jetlag-less.
The complimentary yoga and tai chi classes available all week are a nice little perk for guests - 8am outdoor yoga was a lovely way to wake up on a Sunday morning - and the fitness centre never closes, perfect for jetlagged guests, business travellers and seriously dedicated gym bunnies.
The team is lovely, with 750 attentive members of staff - you feel very looked after - and a helpful 24-hour concierge offering advice, booking taxis, sorting dinner reservations and just generally making your life easy. The 17-storey red granite hotel opened in 1980 and has won a list of awards as long as my arm over the years, including 5-Star award winner in the Forbes Travel Guide 2015, Condé Nast Traveler's Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's: World's Best 500 Hotels.
If you're looking for a luxury hotel in Hong Kong with stunning views, a convenient location, excellent service, a beautiful spa, contemporary décor and great food, this is the one for you.
Intercontinental, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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