The Langham Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s legal relationship with the United Kingdom was severed over twenty years ago, but culturally, they remain intertwined — and the Langham, new though it may be, feels like a throwback to the early days of British rule. (It opened in 1989, and was thoroughly renovated in 2014.) Inside its public spaces, in fact, it feels like something straight out of Art Deco London, and it’s only when you step outside onto the busy streets of Tsim Sha Tsui that you’re confronted with the urban bustle of Hong Kong in all its glory.

The rooms and suites are similarly Deco-influenced, but their throwback aesthetics don’t stand in the way of their ultra-modern luxuries, from efficient-yet-lavish bathrooms to the latest entertainment technology. As impressive as the creature comforts may be, a hotel like the Langham depends on one thing that hasn’t changed much in 150 years: the exacting standard of service.

In the Palm Court there’s a tea service, featuring custom Langham Rose china, that feels like something straight out of Victorian London, while the flagship restaurant, the modern Cantonese T’ang Court, is the recipient of no fewer than three Michelin stars. There may be no more competitive a luxury-hotel market in the world than Hong Kong, and the Langham deserves its place in the highest league.