ISABEL GARCÍA Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Updated Monday, April 8, 2024-02:16
Tourism Two-way frenzy in Hong Kong, the true city that never sleeps
Luxury Porsche seats, the best entertainment in the world on a plane and beers to drink at 10,000 meters high: flying like this, yes
It is number one in Hong Kong and fourth in the entire planet. With these endorsements in mind,
The Upper House
hotel is presented , a five-star hotel with views
of the mountains and the bay
of the Asian metropolis, one of the most fascinating on Earth, in case you need more excuses to plan a trip to it. . Well, its
avant-garde design,
its sculptural installations (it houses more than 400 works of art inside), its
haute cuisine
and its personalized attention have made it appear fourth on the prestigious annual list of
The World's 50 Best Hotels,
considered a a sort of
Bible
of premium hospitality at an international level.
It is not the first time that it appears in the classification, since since its inauguration in October 2009 it has been receiving awards that always place it among the
most exclusive
and desired complexes in the world from the most prestigious publications in the sector.
Avant-garde design inside.
Located in the attractive (and wealthy) area of Admiralty, The Upper House was conceived by
local architect and interior designer André Fu
, one of the most influential in the world, as an urban oasis retreat that seeks harmony and pleasure of the guest following the guidelines of
feng shui,
like almost everything here. It could not be otherwise in a place
halfway between East and West
by showing, on the one hand, its British legacy (it belonged to the United Kingdom for more than 150 years, from 1842 to 1997) and, on the other, to China, which is part as a "special administrative region", like Macau.
Hence it has its own flag, passport, currency, parliament and... exquisite taste. Not in vain, it is among the cities in the world with the most luxury hotels per square meter. The same goes for the number of
Rolls Royces
and other high-end cars and even skyscrapers. Exact figure: 7,864. And The Upper House is one of them, starting its rooms (it has 117,
21 suites,
including André Fu's, and a penthouse) on the 38th floor (and going up to the 49th) of the
Pacific Place
building (in which it also there are restaurants, cafes and shops), belonging to the
Swire group
, as well as the hotel itself.
One of the 117 rooms.
Not in vain, this
business giant
is one of the most powerful in Hong Kong (and in all of Asia) as it has among its ranks properties, ships, food industries, more hotels or the Coca-Cola franchise in part of Asia and
the United States. Joined
. It would be missing its jewel in the crown, Cathay Pacific, the leading airline and the eighth best in the world, as well as the first in terms of
entertainment on board its flights
, offering more than 1,000 titles, including movies, series, television programs. and channels of all kinds. Word of the World Airline Awards, promoted every year by the British consultancy Skytrax, in charge of the world rating of air transport
.
But let's return to the hotel, with views of
Victoria Harbor
and the mountains, since what André Fu planned was an "upward journey" above the hustle and bustle of the frenetic and always awake metropolis, since it is located on the heights, among clouds and lush slopes—be careful, Hong Kong is very green; Not everything was going to be
neon and asphalt
— which strategically sneak through the facilities.
Sculptural work guided by feng shui.
What the architect was looking for was for the guest
to feel at home
, a five-star house, of course. And this is how he expressed it: "My intention was to create a luxury boutique hotel that the client would experience as if it were their private residence. To do this, I opted to develop the so-called
Asian sensation
, that tranquility that is achieved through design and a calm atmosphere. ".
The latter has a holistic, sustainable and artistic character (we already said that it has more than
400 works of art
in the form of paintings, sculptures or decorative elements, the hall, the restaurants, the garden, the rooms...).
Yoga class in the garden.
We must add careful details that everyone will fall in love with, such as the
free maxibar
(with wine, beer, nuts, snacks...) that everyone will find in their
peaceful and bright room
(among the most spacious in all of Hong Kong, as it has a minimum of 70 square meters, a luxury in such a densely populated city), where it is also possible to receive a
massage upon prior request.
Just like in the garden, where yoga and tai chi classes are offered free of charge every day.
"We have everything to make the customer happy
," summarizes Kristina Snaith-Lense, general manager of this five-star restaurant that also stands out for its cuisine.
And the gastronomic chapter deserves separate mention. Starting with the
Mediterranean design bistro Salisterra
, located on the top floor, the 49th, and commanded by chef Jun Tanaka, awarded with a
Michelin star
and who offers his diners a culinary journey along the coasts of Spain, France and Italy.
Space for cooking classes or private dinners.
For this reason, in its open kitchen you can see how the chefs prepare dishes such as
sweet potato soup with white truffle,
tomato and ricotta salad,
wild sea bass
with grilled vegetables or, for the more daring, beef tongue. crispy sautéed with mushrooms, olives, sweet garlic or confit tomato.
Without forgetting the oysters as a preview of all this. And for dessert, why not?, a delicious
Catalan cream
. At Salisterra, they also serve
à la carte breakfasts
, where eggs Benedict are all the rage every morning along with their freshly made tropical juices. It is also the setting for
afternoon
tea
, reminiscent of Britain's past. All that remains is to head towards the
Sky Lounge
, with a central fireplace included, to enjoy a signature cocktail with the best views of this exciting city to which one always wants to return.
The Salisterra restaurant, with Mediterranean cuisine.
PRACTICAL GUIDE
HOW TO GET
Cathay Pacific
(www.cathaypacific.com) is the only airline with direct flights to Hong Kong from Madrid and Barcelona (as of June 17), with
three weekly frequencies
on both routes. With three categories, its award-winning Business class offers total comfort and intimacy through the design of the seats, becoming a 100% flat bed. Cathay Pacific has been Hong Kong's flag carrier
for 78 years
. It is characterized by avant-garde and quality, in addition to its sustainable nature by promising net zero carbon emissions by 2050. For all these reasons, it is considered the eighth best airline in the world and
number one in in-flight entertainment
, with more than 1,000 titles available. Without forgetting its Business class, also in the 'top ten' for details such as the design of its seats, with handmade covers in an aquamarine blue tone and beers (Betsy) created 'ad hoc' to be savored at 10,000 meters above sea level.
MORE INFORMATION
THE UPPER HOUSE.
Pacific Place, 88, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong. From 400 euros. Web: www.thehousecollective.com
One of the 400 works of art.
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