Celebrity Life
All the Dining News You Need to Know This October
In our city that never sleeps, there's always something new to eat, drink and explore.
From the arrival of iconic Japanese coffee specialist Koffee Mameya, to a fancy outdoor pop-up at one of our favourite hotels, the F&B scene is bustling with exciting openings and events worth checking out. Here are some of the most important dining news you need to know about this October.
The inaugural Macallan Room opens its doors
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The Macallan Room. (Image: The Macallan)[/caption]
The world's first Macallan Room has launched at K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui. Decked out in wood and gold tones, the intimate seven-seater whisky bar and concept store is the perfect spot to unwind over a dram or two. It's decorated with illuminated wall displays of the Speyside distiller's rare whiskies, making it an immersive experience for Macallan aficionados. The space will also be used for private events, whisky tastings and workshops. More details here.
Shop 507, Level 5, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
The Upper House hosts a cheese and wine pop-up
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An evening at C’est Cheese – The House Cheeserie. (Image: The Upper House)[/caption]
Nothing hits the spot better than some delicious artisanal cheese and wine, especially after a hectic work day. From now until December 30, stop by The Upper House and spend an indulgent evening at its C’est Cheese – The House Cheeserie pop-up. The cheese menu (HK$275 for three types, HK$475 for five, HK$675 for seven) changes weekly and showcases varieties from France, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands, which means there's always something new to look forward to even on your repeat visits. The hotel's chef-sommelier Leo Au is in charge of curating the wine repertoire, which alternates regularly.
The pop-up is held outdoors on The Lawn from Tuesdays to Sundays, 5pm to 11pm. Find out more here.
The Lawn, Level 6, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong
Japan's Koffee Mameya is now in Hong Kong
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There's a lot going on at K11 Musea lately. Famed coffee bean specialist Koffee Mameya has set up its first shop outside Japan at the mall today. The brand is founded by Eiichi Kunitomo, the man behind the iconic Tokyo café Omotesando Koffee, and will provide what it describes as the "Haute Couture Service of Coffee", where baristas will conduct one-on-one bespoke consultations with customers and recommend coffee beans suited to their preferences. Customers will also be taught how to prepare and brew the beans for optimum enjoyment. The store boasts a selection of 15 to 20 bean varieties, ranging from geishas to rare micro-lot coffees.
B217, B219, B2, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival goes virtual
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This year's Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival will go digital. (Image: Hong Kong Tourism Board)[/caption]
The 2020 edition of the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, originally slated to take place from 29 October to 1 November, will be held online for the first time. The event will be held over several weeks, featuring programmes such as virtual wine-tasting classes and cooking demonstrations by the city's top chefs. Merchants who initially signed up for the actual festival will get to participate in the digital iteration for free. The new dates have yet to be announced; watch this space for more details.
(Main and featured images: The Upper House)
The post All the Dining News You Need to Know This October appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Hotel Review: The Upper House Does Understated Luxury That Stays with You
As one of the city's favourite luxury boutique hotels, The Upper House hasn't aged a day.
The Upper House, which was the first Swire Hotels property in Hong Kong, has remained one of the city's stylish destinations for stays, events, food and drink, from the day it first opened its doors in October 2009. Featuring a total of 117 rooms, including 21 suites and 2 penthouses, the hotel reaches impressive heights (with 49 floors) in hospitality.
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Location: 10/10
Perched just above luxury shopping mall Pacific Place, The Upper House not only enjoys the connivence of the centrally-located Admiralty district, but it's also a mere lift ride down to a good collection of restaurants, bars and designer stores, as well as a cinema. What's more, nestled just behind Wan Chai (and walkable distance) is the neighbourly Starstreet precinct, a happening area with lifestyle stores, boutiques and eateries to explore. Plus if you're going to and from Central, then you can opt to walk, board a tram or a taxi.
Design: 10/10
The chic and contemporary hotel was designed by Hong Kong architect André Fu. It was the first hotel design project in which helped propel his career, making him one of Asia's most sought after design talents today. For The Upper House, his concept was to bring a relaxed and modern luxury to the interior, combining Asian influences with timeless design that hasn't aged, and gracefully resulted in a very calming atmosphere in a seriously good looking and refined space, filled with natural materials and subtle lighting.
Ambience: 9/10
Owing mostly to the calming design concept, the serene ambience at The Upper House is supremely zen. The upward journey from the entrance's escalators, towards The Lawn and lounge area, creates a sense of what's to come. The hotel is tempered with repose, setting a peaceful tone as if to make breathing space away from the hustle and bustle of the city below. During our stay, we saw mostly young couples and individuals, while the restaurant during breakfast was occupied by more business folk.
Rooms: 10/10
The rooms, separated into four different categories, range from Studio 70, Studio 80, Upper Suites and Penthouse Suites. Our room, a Studio 70, offered stunning harbour views that seem to slow time down. The spacious studio, about 730 sq. ft. (68 sq. metres), features a comfortable king-size bed which lays low enough for you to continue cloud watching even when horizontal. Over in the spa-inspired bathroom, a gorgeous limestone-clad bathtub makes the room extra special. While a walk-in rain shower, dressing area and amenities add touches of luxury also.
Service & Facilities: 9/10
The luxury service begins the moment a House BMW comes to pick you up from your designated pick up point. Upon entering the hotel, no paper forms need to be filled out and check-in is completed in record timing, before you're escorted to your room to relax, where thoughtfully prepared gifts (such as a leather garment bag and magazines) are laid out for you to discover. Moreover, a selection of chocolates, snacks and fresh popcorn (which they will bring to your room) is available while you watch movies on demand. Other facilities and services at the hotel include a well-equipped gym (not open during our stay), a lawn area for yoga classes, and in room spa treatments.
Food & Drink: 9/10
There may only be one restaurant at The Upper House, but with great modern European dining, and champagne and cocktails available at Café Gray Deluxe, there's almost no reason to leave the hotel at all. There's also The Upper House's grassy lawn area which is a fantastic spot for a picnic and drinks in good weather. During our stay, it's also a great space to take your coffee and cookies, courtesy of the Cookie DPT's pop up, to enjoy. In the evening, however, is when you'll be able to dine at The Nightery, an elevated and intimate in-room dining experience that transforms one of the Upper Suites and services it with a dinner by Chef de Cuisine Krzysztof Czerwinski and drinks with full service. This experience was one of the highlights during our staycation, and one I would like very much like to experience again.
Rates: start from HK$3,900/night for a Studio 70 room with island view and HK$4,500 with harbour view, to HK$18,000/night for the Upper Suite with harbour view. Prices for penthouse options require a quote depending on dates. The price may vary depending on availability and season. Current room packages can be found here.
Rating: 9.5/10
Perfect for: a staycation in understated luxury with thoughtful service that makes you feel at home.
The post Hotel Review: The Upper House Does Understated Luxury That Stays with You appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
5 New Hong Kong Cafés to Get Your Coffee
Wake up and smell the coffee.
Hong Kong's enthusiasm for coffee shows absolutely no signs of slowing down and has resulted in more coffee shops and café concepts to pop up around the city. As an individual whose brain will only start working with coffee, I made it a point to visit the newest and check out what they pouring. So, here it is, a curated list of five of Hong Kong's new cafés worth visiting to get your caffeine fix.
Cookie DPT Pop-up at The Upper House
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Image: Cookie DPT Facebook[/caption]
Located inside the luxury hotel, Cookie DPT has set up shop -- a pop-up one that is -- on the sixth floor. The space, which utilises the lobby area and grassy lawn is an excellent spot to indulge in one of their insta-famous cookies (I recommend the classic chocolate chip or the brownie-filled cookie), or other treats, along with an iced latte. The lawn is great if you want to bring along your pup(s) too and enjoy the sunshine.
Open: 1 May to 30 August from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
The Upper House, Level 6, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Blue Bottle Coffee
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Image: Blue Bottle Coffee Hong Kong Instagram[/caption]
Californian coffee brand Blue Bottle officially launched in Hong Kong last month in Central. In order to practice safe social distancing practices, the café currently only opens for takeout orders, but that didn't stop the long queues. Since then, the lines for Blue Bottle Coffee have finally died down so now is the time to grab one of their pour-overs or "New Orleans-style" iced coffee.
Open: Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Blue Bottle Coffee, G/F and 1/F, 38-42 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong
DeTour (Sheung Wan)
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Image: DeTour Coffee Instagram[/caption]
The neighbourhood favourite DeTour in Sai Ying Pun opened its second venue in Sheung Wan last month. Here, the café remains a petite space which offers breakfast and coffee in a bright, relaxing atmosphere, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Another sliding take-away window allows for quick pick-ups too, if you plan to swing by.
Open: Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm; Saturday 8:15 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday 8:15 am to 4:00 pm
DeTour, G/F, 379 Queen's Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Knockbox Coffee Company (Central)
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Image: Knockbox Coffee Facebook[/caption]
The original Knockbox Coffee Company café in Mong Kok may be a little hidden but it still managed to garner an impressive following thanks to their incredible beans freshly roasted in-house. Now with their second location in Central, bean heads can now visit and sip on one of their espresso-based or specialty coffees, or even pick up some single-origin grounds, on the Island.
Open: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 6:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm
Knockbox Coffee Company, Shop B, G/F, World Trust Tower, Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong
Doubleshot by Cupping Room
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Image: Doubleshot by Cupping Room Instagram[/caption]
This new all-day drinking (yes, all day) and dining concept by Cupping Room Coffee Roasters is perched on the corner overlooking Hollywood Road. Light and airy, the space is a great place to relax in the afternoon over a brew or recline with a cocktail in the evening. The coffee itself uses beans that are traceable to a farm, estate, processing mill, or growing region and change frequently, depending on the region's peak seasonality.
Open: Monday to Wednesday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm; Thursday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
Doubleshot by Cupping Room, 1F, Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
The post 5 New Hong Kong Cafés to Get Your Coffee appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Celebrate the New Prestige Online with 7 Days of Luxurious Giveaways
Hi there, notice anything different about us? For months now, we've been working tirelessly behind the scenes -- and behind our screens! -- to give Prestige Online a head-to-toe makeover. Now that we've unveiled our new look -- featuring a refreshed layout and more dynamic visuals -- we'd like to celebrate by giving you, our valued readers, a full week of exclusive, luxurious giveaways.
From 6–12 March, we'll be giving away seven amazing prizes that are collectively valued at more than HK$80,000. One lucky winner will be selected each day and will be announced 24 hours after each giveaway prize is posted. We'll reveal one prize per day -- so check back daily to see what you could win!
Here’s how to win:
- Follow Prestige Hong Kong on Facebook.
- Subscribe to Prestige Online's weekly newsletters in the form below.
St. Regis Hong Kong
The prize: Two night weekend stay with afternoon tea, welcome drinks, and butler service (valued at HK$20,000)
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Suite, St. Regis[/caption]
Set to open in April 2019, The St. Regis Hong Kong is one of the city’s most anticipated hotel openings of the year. So you’ll be one of the first guests in the world with this prize — the Rituals Suite Experience. Stay at the luxurious hotel for 2 nights and enjoy a whole host of activities including afternoon tea, welcome drinks and champagne. Not to mention their signature butler service so you can be looked after at any time of the day during your stay.
The Murray
The prize: One night stay at the Signature Suite and continental breakfast for two (valued at HK$8,800)
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Located in the iconic architectural Murray Building, The Murray reopened last year as a luxury landmark hotel in the heart of the city. And now you can win the chance to stay there in their Signature Suite, a contemporary and chic room furnished with a large bed, marble-floored bathroom and seamless technology. Followed by an intimate breakfast for just the two of you.
Arcane
The prize: Dinner and wine pairing for two (valued at $4,000)
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If you haven’t been living under a rock and watched popular Netflix show ‘The Final Table’ then you’ll already be well acquainted with Michelin-starred restaurant Arcane and multi-award-winning Chef Shane Osborn. Serving modern European cuisine, the restaurant offers exceptional dishes led by the seasons. The lucky winner and a guest will dine on a special tasting menu, paired with some great wines.
Mandarin Oriental
The prize: Two night weekend stay at the Harbour View Roomwith breakfast for two, and dinner for two at Mandarin Grill + Bar (valued at HK$21,000)
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Harbour View Room, Mandarin Oriental[/caption]
As big fans of this luxurious hotel, we thought what better way to celebrate the Prestige Online relaunch than with a stay at the flagship. The winner can indulge in the five-star room and enjoy world-class facilities and amenities. But what’s more is the prize includes not only breakfast for two but also dinner for two at Michelin-starred restaurant Mandarin Grill + Bar — where only the finest ingredients have been used for classic grill dishes with a contemporary touch.
Arbor
The prize: A Seasonal Tasting Dinner with wine pairing for two (valued at HK$4,550)
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If you enjoy innovative French cuisine, then you’ll want to win this special tasting meal at Michelin-starred restaurant Arbor. Created and crafted by Chef de Cuisine Eric Räty, the 6-course tasting menu will reflect the changing seasons and best produce that comes with it. Bringing together French techniques and premium ingredients from Japan, this dinner will be an evening to remember.
Grand Hyatt
The prize: A spa experience and afternoon tea for two (valued at HK$2,200)
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Treat yourself and a friend to spa and afternoon tea at the Grand Hyatt and you’ll get brownie points for sure. Start with a 60-minute massageat the award-winning spa Plateau along with a 30-minute radiance facial treatment, and finish the day with an indulgent afternoon tea set at Tiffin. The winner will also receive a spa day-pass to the enjoy the pool, fitness studio and sauna.
The Upper House
The prize: A one-night weekend stay in an Upper Suite and breakfast for two at Café Gray Deluxe (valued at HK$20,000).
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For our first prize, we want you to rise high above Hong Kong and enjoy the view from a spacious, 1,230-square-foot Upper Suite at The Upper House. Relax in luxury with a drink in hand (compliments of the mini bar) and admire the stunning harbour views from your living room, bed or limestone bathtub before waking up to a blissful breakfast for two at the hotel’s European contemporary restaurant, Café Gray Deluxe.
Terms & Conditions:
- By entering this Prestige Online giveaway, you will be bound by these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you satisfy all eligibility requirements.
- This contest is open to Hong Kong residents only, and entrants must be over the age of 18 [eighteen].
- Entrants must subscribe to Prestige Online and follow our Facebook page for their entry to be valid. They must therefore maintain a public profile setting at all relevant times.
- Every email entry will be entered in for the daily prize for the entire giveaway period.
- Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash, credit and are non-transferrable to third parties.
- Prestige Online reserves the right to cancel, re-draw or otherwise modify this giveaway at any time with immediate effect and without giving prior notice.
- Entrants are limited to one giveaway prize per person each calendar year.
- Winners will be contacted for prize redemption. Winners must respond within 24 hours of announcement, otherwise prize will be forfeited.
- Photos are for reference only.
The post Celebrate the New Prestige Online with 7 Days of Luxurious Giveaways appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Where to stay in Shanghai: The Middle House
Swire Hotels adds its brand of cultured chic to China's most vibrant city.
The post Where to stay in Shanghai: The Middle House appeared first on The Peak Magazine.
Where to stay in Shanghai: The Middle House
Swire Hotels adds its brand of cultured chic to China's most vibrant city.
For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.
The Upper House, Hong Kong: Top of the World
Hong Kong may be one of the busiest cities in the world, but a world away awaits when staying at The Upper House, where luxury and comfort meet.
The post The Upper House, Hong Kong: Top of the World appeared first on LUXUO.
Exclusive Hong Kong gateway at The Upper House
Hong Kong has a high density of five-star hotels but only a few are able to provide a cosy, chic and trendy atmosphere. The Upper House is one of them, a stunning place for a luxury retreat located on the top of Pacific Place luxury mall. Settled on the top of Pacific Place shopping mall in Hong Kong Central together with…
The post Exclusive Hong Kong gateway at The Upper House appeared first on The Luxe Insider.
Interior decor tips from local agency Creative Mind Design
Unique interiors for your home inspired by Hong Kong's The Upper House.
The post Interior decor tips from local agency Creative Mind Design appeared first on The Peak Magazine.
Interior decor tips from local agency Creative Mind Design
Unique interiors for your home inspired by Hong Kong's The Upper House.
For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.