You know you’re somewhere special when pillbox-hatted pageboys politely whisk open double-front doors to reveal an airy lobby with soaring ceilings. And so it is at The Peninsula Hong Kong, the city’s oldest hotel (opened in 1928).
Affectionately called "the Pen" by locals, the place drips with colonial decadence, from the palm-filled lobby where guests nibble on petit fours at teatime to the string quartet in the gallery. Perhaps the ultimate sign of the hotel’s classic pedigree is Gaddi’s, a local legend of a French restaurant and The Verandah (which is as gorgeous and otherworldly as it sounds). Still, the hotel manages to balance its Old World inclinations with modern touches, like the Philippe Starck-designed restaurant, Felix, which serves contemporary European cuisine in a super-slick skyline setting.
This blend of Asian and European styles carries through the place, from high-tech and antiques-bedecked rooms to an impressive spa to the immaculate service, which quietly whispers that, yes, you have indeed arrived.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- An indulgent daily affair served from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Hong Kong hotel’s famous neo-classical lobby, afternoon tea draws legions of locals and tourists alike.
- The hotel offers eight different bars and restaurants — not including 24-hour room service — many of which are widely considered some of the best in Hong Kong.
- The guest rooms were the first to champion fully customised interactive digital bedside control tablets, preset with 11 languages. These innovative upgrades also include in-room IPTV with wireless streaming support, Chromecast projection functionality, LED touch-screen panels for full control of in-room facilities and wireless charging stations for most major handheld devices.
- Styled like an ancient Roman bath, complete with authentic friezes, fresco-style ceiling and big, bold columns fashioned to appear as if they’re crumbling, The Peninsula Hong Kong’s 60-foot pool has the feel of an oasis for the gods.
- Bring your workout clothes. The Peninsula Hong Kong’s bright, airy gym is outfitted with an array of modern Life Fitness and Insignia equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes with personal television sets.
Things to Know
- The hotel’s justifiably famous afternoon tea, served daily in the neo-classical style lobby from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., attracts considerable lines so be sure to arrive early to claim your spot.
- Arrive in style by booking an airport transfer in one of the hotel’s extended wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms. Though at HK$2,500 each way, or the Bentley Bentayga’s at HK$1,900 each way, this is one luxury that doesn’t come cheaply.
The Rooms
- The contemporary, fully remodeled guest rooms and suites at The Peninsula Hong Kong in Kowloon feature modern high-tech conveniences, luxurious Italian designer furniture and a pleasing neutral color scheme of light grays, whites and cream-colored upholstery.
- Modern amenities abound, including touchscreen LED wall panels, 3D Samsung flat-screen televisions and tablets with controls for nearly everything in the room, from the television to the lighting and temperature.
- Rooms at The Peninsula Hong Kong are also thoughtfully equipped with convenient amenities such as an area-jogging map, Nespresso machine, umbrellas and a bedside charging station.
- Offering plenty of room for two people to use comfortably at the same time, the bathrooms feature his-and-her vanity areas and a separate bathtub with a large flat-screen television and an LED touchscreen panel that controls the cable channels and bathroom lighting.
The Restaurants
- The Five-Star hotel has long been a pioneer: its flagship fine-dining eatery, Gaddi’s, was Hong Kong’s first traditional French restaurant and remains at the top of the culinary scene.
- Chesa was the first (and is one of only two) classic Swiss restaurants, a surreal escape of timber-framed Alpine “cabin” serving raclette and fondue.
- The Verandah is immensely popular for all three meals, but its breakfast buffet is especially impressive with a full array of Eastern, Western and European dishes, including omelet, waffle and cooked-to-order noodle stations.
- The acclaimed Spring Moon has drawn fans of classic, refined Cantonese cuisine for decades, offering a range of elaborate dishes, while Imasa specializes in modern Japanese.
- On the highest floor is Felix, the Philippe Stark-designed contemporary European eatery, a big draw for its glitz, glamour and views as well as for its excellent food.
Amenities
24-hour room service 
Babysitting services
Bar
House car
Indoor pool
Meeting rooms
Restaurants
Spa
Getting There
Stories
