Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

In constant competition with the Peninsula over who is the city’s true grande dame, the Mandarin commands deserved attention from luxury lovers, foodies and business travelers. And its location, smack in the middle of Central, cannot be better.

• The double-height ceilinged lobby, a people-watching paradise
• Private gourmet dinners in The Krug Room, with seating for only a dozen
• A Shanghainese pedicure at the spa is Hong Kong’s ultimate feet treat

The tallest building on Hong Kong island when it opened in 1963, this was the only place in town where wealthy tourists and foreign bankers and investors would consider staying for years (and many loyal guests still follow in this trend). They loved the location, with its view of the harbor in the heart of the financial district, and the Chinese antiques and paintings everywhere. Bumping into friends from around the world in the lobby or bar was a rite of passage. Even today, it is still said that if you sit in the double-height lobby for a few hours, you will see everyone there is to know in Hong Kong.

The 502 rooms are  in two styles: Verandah, which are white with modern accents, and Taipan, which have an elegant Asian décor with warm woods, leather details and subtle touches such as Chinese silk pillows and antiques statues. Rooms overlooking Victoria Harbour are well worth the indulgence for couples.

The Captain’s Bar and Clipper Lounge are local favorites, as is Man Wah, the Cantonese eatery. Pierre from renowned French chef Pierre Gagnaire on the 25th floor and the Mandarin Grill have each earned Michelin stars. Single bookings for up to 12 people are the only reservations taken at the very private Krug Room, where the nightly menu is hand-written on smooth slate walls in chalk. Also notable is the hotel spa with its expansive relaxation area and Asian influenced treatments as well as a regular roster of renowned visiting healers, so it is well worth asking whose healing hands are in the house.

Fans of Old Hong Kong and anyone with iconic hotels on their bucket list; business travelers with the majority of their business on Hong Kong Island side; and shoppers who want to take advantage of the hotel’s strategic access to the boutiques in Central, SoHo, IFC Mall and Pacific Place.