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.

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During a recent video shoot at Mont Rouge, Candice and Leonard Chao reveal to us what a typical day in their household is like.

What was your first home together?

It was an apartment in Columbus circle in New York. We had a beautiful view of Central Park and it was completely monotone. Everything was black and white.

Describe your dream home.

We have similar tastes in interior decoration and design, and are very fond of indoor-outdoor living spaces. We appreciate nature and the outdoors and would ultimately like to integrate them into our living spaces. We imagine our dream home to have a spacious indoor-outdoor living room that can open up in the summer for us to soak up and enjoy the sun, while also being able to warm up to a cosy fireplace while admiring the snow-covered trees in winter.

What’s the best thing that happened to you this month?

Our oldest son turned eight this month. We’re blessed to have three
healthy, happy children, keeping us busy at all times.

What’s one thing you’ve kept with you from your childhood?

A journal full of sketches and drawings, and wood carved stamps that I collected during my travels when I was a kid.

Which new hobby did you pick up in the past year?

We’ve started hiking as a family on weekends.

What’s your favourite thing to do at home?

Relax and spend time with the children. We like to catch up with all three of them to see what fun and exciting stories and experiences they have to share with us.

We appreciate nature and the outdoors and would like to integrate them into our living spaces

Leonard and Candice Chao

Which is your favourite room in your home?

The living room, where you can hear the birds singing in the morning when the windows are open.

Describe a typical evening at home.

We have a sit-down dinner every night together with the kids. Afterwards, we get the children ready for bed, read bedtime stories and tuck everyone in. Once the kids have fallen asleep, we like to catch up with each other, play an online board game or watch a movie.

You’re throwing a party at home. What do you prepare?

Korean barbecue on tabletop charcoal grills.

If you could invite anyone over for dinner, who would it be?

JK Rowling. The kids have been fascinated with Harry Potter lately
and I’m sure she’d have a few interesting stories to share with them.

What do you bring to a house party?

Champagne or cheesecake.

What’s your favourite cocktail?

C: Gin and tonic.
L: Vodka soda.

Where and how do you relax?

On our roof terrace, listening to music and tending to the plants and flowers.

Which TV show would you recommend?

We really enjoyed the Black Mirror series. Although certain episodes were a bit dark, it really touches on many social aspects worthy of thought.

Describe your perfect weekend.

Taking a ferry to an outer island and digging our toes into the sand while watching the children play on the beach, followed by a simple seafood dinner by the water.

If you could renovate your home, what would you change about it?

If we were to make any changes, it would most likely just be to upgrade some furniture. You’d be surprised by the wear and tear that three children can cause.

Where do you see yourself living in 10 years’ time?

It would definitely still be in Hong Kong. Nowhere else beats the convenience and efficiency of our city.

STYLING CHERYL YAM AND SU CHIU
HAIR KIDD YUEN
MAKE-UP SHIRLEY WONG @ NARS
LOCATION MONT ROUGE, KERRY PROPERTIES

Follow Leonard on Instagram here

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Nestled in the exclusive Beacon Hill District of Kowloon on one of the most elevated residential locations in the area, Kerry Properties’ Mont Rouge encapsulates luxury living at its best

Immersed in Greenery, located high above the city and offering unobstructed panoramas of the entire Kowloon Peninsula and the mountainous ridge of Hong Kong Island, Mont Rouge blends comfort and elegant design in an exclusive residential complex. The development, which comprises two seven-storey towers housing 26 apartments, as well as 14 two-storey houses and five villas, provides its fortunate residents with the all-too-rare rare experience of low-density living.

The spacious villas, which range in size from 5,128 to 7,171 square feet, are spread across three storeys, with a private roof and gardens at the front and back. Making the most of natural light, the villas boast full-height windows and an impressive eight-metre-tall ceiling in the living room. The master bedroom, a focal point of luxury homes, fills an entire floor and features that most sought-after of amenities: a large walk-in closet.

The two-storey houses, which boast expansive areas of 2,846 to 2,876 square feet, and the luxury apartments, are also designed to make the most of the sizeable space, and allow residents to maximise their potential and unleash their creativity through imaginative interior concepts and personalisation.

Contemporary luxury living is all about powerful and meticulous designs that celebrate and take inspiration from their surroundings. At Mont Rouge, this concept is elevated with precious and innovative materials and building techniques, and a touch of effortless elegance, which give the complex a cosmopolitan and yet comfortable ambience.

Thanks to the expertise of Kerry Properties, a world-class property developer and a leader in the ultra-luxury sector, Mont Rouge represents desirable, sustainable, convenient and easeful community living at its best, while being a tribute to timeless beauty. Blessed with unobstructed sunshine and mountain breezes, this collection of homes is a masterful example of a secluded residential enclave where exterior space blends with beautiful interiors to create a peaceful and serene escape.

With its proximity to bustling Kowloon Tong and Hong Kong’s main transport links, Mont Rouge offers the best of both worlds: tranquillity as well as easy access to the city. For those looking to make an urban oasis their next home, Kerry Properties’ latest development is a dream come true.

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