Hotel Stage

Kowloon’s historic center is ordinarily where you’d go for a trip back in time, for a taste of the traditional markets, architecture, and atmosphere, and for something a bit more dark and mysterious than ultra-modern Hong Kong Island. It’s against this backdrop that a hotel like Hotel Stage provides a sharp and welcome contrast.

The interiors are modern, minimalist, highly polished, decorated in a neutral palette that makes the most of the natural light that streams in through the oversized windows. Look closer, however, and you’ll see that, for all its modernist simplicity, this isn’t an example of a blank international style, oblivious to its setting — Hotel Stage is full of works by local artists and craftspeople.

Kitchen Savvy, the all-day restaurant, specializes in Italian cuisine, served in a sunny open-plan space with a pronounced European accent. Meanwhile Muse, the library and lounge, is a wine bar in a dark and clubby setting, serving European vintages surrounded by Hong Kong arts and crafts. And for a stronger dose of local flavor, you need only venture outside; Hotel Stage’s location in historic Kowloon places it close by to Tin Hau Temple, the Temple Street Night Market, and the Jade Market.