Celebrity Life

The Carlyle hotel-inspired bolthole -- slated to open on the uppermost floors of Rosewood Hong Kong later this year -- will offer a blueprint for the eponymous group's vision of "a new kind of international members' club". We venture north of the harbour to discover just what that entails...

Hitherto, the Hong Kong ecosystem of private members' clubs has been split broadly between two camps: at one end, you have venerable institutions catered to the needs of the city's professionals (the FCC) and those who surround them (the KCC); at the other, a burgeoning array of social haunts meant to profit from the growing number of Silicon Valley types -- hawkers of crypto, CBD cafes, and other speculative investment opportunities -- who reside here.

Call me Debbie Downer, but neither feels like an especially glam place to visit. After all, such clubs justify their patronage by way of mostly pragmatic considerations: a convenient location; access to business networking opportunities; affordable gym membership; and so forth. This, as Rosewood Hotels CEO Sonia Cheng well knows is where Carlyle & Co. can break the mould -- by conjuring a little glamour into Hong Kong's mostly comatose members' club scene.

Best thought of as a kind of pied-à-terre to the Rosewood Hong Kong (spanning the 54th-56th floor of the hotel) Carlyle & Co. is, in effect, Cheng's answer to the boutique members' clubs that have dominated pop culture these last 20 years. In Hong Kong -- where bureaucratic red tape is frequent; and decent-sized real estate scant -- her hotel group's latest venture feels especially impressive -- if for no other reason than the sheer audacity of it all.

In recent weeks, the first details of the club's leviathan 25,000 sq. ft. premises have begun to emerge, inspired in broad strokes by the "intriguing, inimitable and ultimately indefinable" style of The Carlyle in New York (incidentally also a brand owned by Rosewood Hotels). To orchestrate this vision of Hong Kong-via-Manhattan, Rosewood turned to British designer Ilse Crawford, whose approach has imbued the club's many rooms with a light, playful sensibility -- affording each a healthy dose of individual personality.

For fusty decadents like yours truly, the gentlemen's spaces -- including a barber, shoeshine, and capsule store by an award-winning haberdasher -- hold immense charm -- even though they espouse just one of many eclectic visual styles members will enjoy each time they navigate the club. The aforementioned differ significantly from spaces like the Cabaret Bar and Sitting Room, both of which employ the medium of painting (by artists Jean-Philippe Delhomme and Christina Zimpel respectively) to celebrate The Carlyle hotel's legendary Bemelmans murals.

Supper & Supping

In the spirit of its progenitor, the various dining venues at Carlyle & Co. seem to be accompanied by an august sense of occasion. The crux of the action happens at the brasserie, which (like any decent club restaurant in Hong Kong) serves a medley of Western, Chinese, and all-day delicacies. Here, the focus is on simply cooking the freshest produce the club can source -- various of the small plates are smoked, cured, or otherwise preserved in-house -- yet it's hardly the most theatrical outlet. That honour belongs to Café Carlyle, an intimate supper club intended as the local chapter of the eponymous tippling destination in New York. Members can expect this to be the repository of the club's live musical programming, which (consistent with the historic acts that have taken to the stage at the Carlyle hotel) will include an assortment of uniquely American artforms like jazz, funk, and blues.

Members craving a dose of sunshine can also take a selection of food and drink on the club's 55th-floor terrace, which (much like the Rosewood property at large) enjoys the sort of view that's conducive to sonnet writing or spontaneous tears of joy. Flanking one end of that terrace, you'll find the local chapter of Bemelmans Bar. Like its namesake, the menu here is split roughly equally between fine wines, punchbowls and classic cocktails; though, at the weekend, you can expect a certain frenetic atmosphere to take hold, as the space merges with the terrace for live DJ performances against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour.

Cosy quarters, brimming with personality

Though Carlyle & Co. members can easily book themselves into one of the 400-plus rooms at the surrounding Rosewood property, the entire 54th floor of the club is given over to eight themed suites -- all of which celebrate the history of The Carlyle hotel. More or less equal in size, each offers an inviting and distinctive interior personality. If you're retiring following an evening spent drinking (one too many) Martinis for instance, the 'Tommy' seems an apt choice -- named for and inspired by the legendary Bemelmans bartender Mr. Tommy Rowles. Other known personalities include Dorothy Draper, the original 'modern Baroque' decorator of The Carlyle's interiors; and Eartha Kitt, the renowned actress and Broadway musician. For dedicated students of café society, a stay in every single suite would seem like money well-spent.

A variety of membership packages are available at Carlyle & Co., with or without health club membership. To learn more about rates (or inquire about eligibility) visit Carlyle & Co. online.

The post Indulge in classic grooming rituals at the newly-opened Beau Barbershop appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Thankfully, Hong Kong is currently in a better position than most of the civilised world when it comes to lockdown restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to regular haircuts have become a privilege that many would have otherwise taken for granted.

A collective sigh of relief can be heard around the fragrant harbour that many call home, knowing that a fresh cut is still on the cards. Though most men would not like to admit that regular visits to the barber are crucial in maintaining sanity and composure, there is an abundance of truth to that statement. The process of receiving a trim will inevitably require a level of hand-to-face contact, so stay vigilant and refrain from removing your face mask if possible during the grooming session.

Handsome Factory Barbershop

[caption id="attachment_206922" align="alignnone" width="1665"] You can always count on head barber Ball to sharpen your look[/caption]

Best feature: convenience

Originating in the hip Haven Street in the busy Causeway Bay area, this black and white tiled shop has been serving customers for years.  With a legion of loyal clients and a plethora of services available, the next logical step would be to expand the empire.  With a whopping five locations in Hong Kong, including the enviable pop up space inside Lane Crawford IFC, it seems there is no slowing down this train.  If one happens to wander over to Haven Street to satisfy a sweets craving, pop in to request a haircut with the very competent head barber Ball.  With a roster of experienced barbers in each location, dependable skin fades and beard trims usually aren’t far away.

HK$180 for a beard trim; HK$380 for a haircut

Handsome Factory Barbershop, 27 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, +852 2320 9976; additional branches here; click here to make an appointment

Hair House Barbershop by Adam Chan

[caption id="attachment_206921" align="alignnone" width="1440"] Adam Chan in action[/caption]

Best feature: ambiance

Started in 2013 by -- you guessed it -- a chap by the name of Adam Chan, this rustic shop quickly became a favourite amongst well dressed men in Hong Kong.  The second shop is nestled in an urban oasis in the Admiralty area, and is hard to stumble across without knowing of its existence.  What this offers is a chance to step away from the surrounding skyscrapers without venturing too far.  The venue exudes a charming old Hong Kong atmosphere sparingly blended with modern sensibilities. Not one to rest on his ongoing successes, Chan also introduced a line of products under the brand ‘Fade Jai’ ranging from pomades to cold brew coffee, which for lucky customers is sometimes served whilst waiting their turn.

HK$170 for a beard trim; HK$340 for a haircut

Hair House Barbershop by Adam Chan, 28 Sau Wa Fong, Admiralty, +852 5595 3976; click here to make an appointment

The Mandarin Barber

[caption id="attachment_206924" align="alignnone" width="2000"] A grand entrance at The Mandarin Barber[/caption]

Best feature: luxury

The year is 2020 and no one should be ashamed to admit to enjoying a bit of pampering every once in a while.  For those looking to truly enjoy the experience of getting a haircut or wet shave, look no further than the Art Deco drenched clubhouse situated in the historic Mandarain Oriental Hotel.  Sit back and relax, and feel free to splurge on the special treatments on offer like the Shanghainese pedicure or reflexology to melt away the stress of the day. Patrons can expect flawless barbering skills from the masters at the Mandarin Barber, many of whom have even mentored up and coming barbers who have gone on to open up their own shops.

HK$440 for a wet shave; HK$460 for a haircut

The Mandarin Barber, 2/F, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, +852 2825 4088

Homies Barbershop

[caption id="attachment_206923" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Jayme working her magic[/caption]

Best feature: value

This cosy shop does not receive the attention it deserves.  Tucked away on the first floor of a nondescript building near Kau U Fong, the quaint barbershop has everything it needs -- namely three very capable hair wizards.  Resident barber Jayme has a confident but gentle touch when it comes to trimming beards with a razor, and is able to create soft angles to enhance the jawlines of customers.  Given the central location of the store, it is perhaps surprising that very reasonable prices are offered.  Come for the haircut and shave, but stay for the old school arcade game stationed next to the door.

HK$200 for a beard trim with razor; HK$320 for a haircut

Homies Barbershop, 166 Wellington Street, Wellington Street, Central, +852 2797 9288; click here to make an appointment

Too Far East Barber & Co.

[caption id="attachment_206920" align="alignnone" width="1680"] Too Far East Barber & Co. in motion[/caption]

Best feature: service

Walking into Too Far East Barber & Co. is an experience unlike any other.  Customers are greeted with a choice of beer or bottled highballs.  The friendly atmosphere is welcoming and feels like a place where people from all walks of life -- from besuited bankers to tattooed artists -- can come to hang out (and get a haircut).  The furnishings are simple yet impactful, with much of the decor paying tribute to the bygone era of Shanghainese-style traditional barbers.  Of course, the services here are also excellent.  Cuts strike a pleasing middleground between hyper stylised rockabilly pompadours and timeless military inspired fades rooted in functionality.

HK$260 for a beard trim; HK$380 for a haircut

Too Far East Barber & Co., Unit 15C, 4/F, 15 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 9337 9868; click here to make an appointment

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