Located in the heart of Central and just an escalator skip and a hop to IFC mall, the Four Seasons Hotel has the best location in all of Hong Kong — including Kowloon. Not only does it make it as easy as pie to travel to and fro the airport via the Airport Express train below the mall, the property is just a short walk to nearby attractions like Lan Kwai Fong, Soho and Central Promenade; where one can enjoy impressive views of Victoria Harbour.
When you first step in through the doors of the massive glass foyer, the space can feel overwhelming and be a bit noisy when it gets busy. But as long as you know where you’re headed, it’s no issue.
Apart from the reception and concierge on the ground floor, there’s the Blue Bar and The Lounge restaurant — both of which offer breakfast — the latter of which I preferred because it’s quieter. Other in-house restaurants include the hotel’s Michelin two-star French restaurant, Caprice; Lung King Heen, the world’s first Chinese restaurant to earn three Michelin stars — an honour it currently holds — and a pool terrace that offers casual all-day dining. There’s also a Nail Bar and spa, where guests without treatment bookings can still make use of the vitality pools, sauna and steam facilities. A little known fact, I was told.
“The Four Seasons Hotel has the best location in all of Hong Kong — including Kowloon.”
Along with the standard meeting and business facilities, there’s a 24-hour Fitness Centre — tai chi classes included — four pools and a range of off-site activities that the hotel concierge would happily help you arrange. Access to an Executive Club on the 45th floor, where I dropped by on my last day, also offers guests express check-in and check-out, a complimentary garment pressing service and all-day refreshments.
For my recent stay, I was booked in the Deluxe Harbour View Room. The accommodation is the second highest tier of 345 rooms, which come in below four types of suites, the best of which out of 54 of them is the Presidential Suite. At 484 sq ft, the room is bigger than an average hotel room and can comfortably accommodate up to three adults.
With the majority of its rooms offering unobstructed harbour views, the property certainly makes the most of its vantage point. On the 27th floor, I was afforded a day view as far as the eye can see, and a night-time view of Kowloon’s neon and silver lights, as well as junks and ferries swelling the water.
The space itself features large windows high enough for one to step on a perch (that seems to have been designed for you to do just that) and press your nose against the glass to watch the moving scenery — something I did a few times during my stay. With lacquered panels everywhere you turn, plush carpeting and fabrics, and a neutral palette, it’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you can potter around or preen in the bathroom for hours.
“With the majority of its rooms offering unobstructed harbour views, the property certainly makes the most of its vantage point.”
Along with a generous work area, a lounge chair, coffee- and tea-making facilities, a Bose wireless Bluetooth sound system, an extra-wide plasma TV and Oriental touches, the highlight of the room is, in my humble opinion, the bed. It could be the mattress topper or the sheets, but the Four Seasons’ beds are the most comfortable and luxuriating I’ve ever slept in. Even so, apart from the standard set-up, guests can peruse a pillow and mattress topper menu, and choose from eight different pillow types — including a maternity one — and four kinds of toppers.
The bathroom is a whole other marble furnishings and glass panels story. Scanning from left to right, each enclosure is spread out across the space, from a walk-in rain shower, to a deep soaking tub with a small flatscreen TV on the wall, to a double vanity area, and finally into a toilet with its own telephone. L’Occitane amenities are provided, but as a nice touch, the housekeeping staff left Bulgari beauty and bath products for me to use from my first night.
“The Four Seasons’ beds are the most comfortable and luxuriating I’ve ever slept in.”
The service alone is worth booking a room on the premises alone — from opening every door you walk through before you even anticipate, to the complimentary car service to the Airport Express, right down to the housekeeping efficiency. If you’re looking for a centrally located, five-star experience that consistently impresses, the Four Seasons Hotel is your winner bar none.
Where: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
8 Finance St, Central, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3196 8888
Note: The critic was invited by Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong but all the opinions expressed herewith are her own
