Rosewood Hong Kong

A new luxury hotel opening in Hong Kong is a major event, given the quality of the competition. And this is more than just an everyday opening — Hong Kong is the Rosewood group’s home, which means this brand-new 65-story skyscraper on the Kowloon waterfront is the brand’s new global flagship. If you want a picture of the state of the luxury hotelier’s art circa 2020, then look no further.

First thing: the views are absolutely extraordinary, looking straight across Victoria Harbour at the Hong Kong skyline. The majority of the 400+ oversized rooms and suites look out over the water, and they’re all decorated in an understated contemporary style by the New York-based Taiwanese designer Tony Chi. In a hotel like this you can take for granted that every conceivable comfort is accounted for; the X factor here is the successful marriage of a very modern luxury hotel with a pervasive echo of old-world glamour.

The Asaya wellness facility is a substantial upgrade over the ordinary urban hotel spa, with a program imported from the Rosewood Phuket, as well as a pool and an expansive fitness center. And in keeping with its maximalist ethos, the Rosewood Hong Kong features no fewer than eight food and beverage venues, from the upscale Legacy House to the Butterfly Patisserie and the chic Darkside, a nightspot featuring live jazz and aged spirits, playfully named for Kowloon’s local nickname.