The new hotel, which is set to open in Winter 2020, is the second hotel to open under the independent hospitality brand The Hari.
As Hong Kong’s hospitality scene gets excited at the prospect of welcoming a new hotel opening, others are, well, just a tad surprised as to why one would open during the current economic climate, a direct result of the global pandemic.
We took a moment for a quick chat with the man of the hour himself, Dr. Aron Harilela Chairman and CEO of Harilela Hotels Ltd., to find out why and what we can expect from the new hotel.
“Of course it is a difficult time to open right now,” says Harilela. “However, I am confident in Hong Kong. We will take this quiet period in the hospitality industry to get everything perfect in the hotel. It always takes time for training people into The Hari style, and it takes time to test all the equipment. We will be very ready when the market picks up again.”
Location
Situated in bustling Wan Chai, the hotel is in the middle of a metropolitan area filled with commercial and residential buildings, but sits on the somewhat quieter end of Lockhart Road. It is also in close proximity to a wealth of bars and restaurants that breathe life into the neighbour.
On his belief that Hong Kong will, no doubt, bounce back, Harilela is also confident in the foundations of his brand. “We have a very good team that has been in the hotel industry all their careers and have much experience spanning all aspects of the hotel — finance, operations, real estate and legal, he says. “I am also very confident in the location; we are walking distance from the convention centre which also is planned for expansion. With such foundations, I am confident we will do very well and am very much looking forward to opening.”
Rooms and Design
The Hari Hong Kong is the second hotel from the group, with the first being The Hari London, which opened in August 2016. And how do they differ? “In essence it is the same,” explains Harilela. “They have the same DNA, the same styling, the same threads that run through both of them… The personalisation of service is what characterises The Hari.”
For the hotel’s interior, Harilela brought in acclaimed British designer, Tara Bernerd, who has worked on a host of luxury hotels around the world including Four Seasons, Sixty Hotels and Equinox Hotels groups.
At The Hari Hong Kong, which comprises 210 guest rooms, three signature rooftop suites showcase a layered approach in design. It is an interior concept inspired by Harilela’s own layered tailoring and style, in which guests can expect a modern, but clean, aesthetic in the rooms where plush textures meet contemporary shapes over a warm, inviting colour palette, while luxurious marble bathrooms are fitted with walk-in rainforest showers.
“The only difference will be that The Hari Hong Kong will be a larger property.” (as The Hari London has 85 rooms).
Restaurants and Bars
With two restaurants, Italian and Japanese, and two bars including a large terrace bar, The Hari Hong Kong aims to be more than just a hotel, and rather a social space.
The Japanese restaurant, named Zoku (meaning clan in Japanese), will offer robata grilled dishes, tempura and sushi. Its dining area will be filled with angled booth seating, bar lounge seating and a terrace bar. Here, a soft palette of pink will give way to khaki velvet banquettes, patterned fabrics and sculptural furniture.
Meanwhile, Lucciola is made for comforting Italian cuisine in a relaxed yet refined space. Offering regional classics on the menu, the Italian restaurant will also feature a bright and bold palette of ambers and green, in which timber, polished plaster, and artwork, line the walls.
The Harilela Group
Established in 1959, The Harilela Group is a wholly owned company by the Hong Kong-based Harilela family. As the parent company of Harilela Hotels, the group owns a total of 15 properties across Hong Kong, China, Asia, Europe, and America.
All images are renderings provided by the The Hari Hong Kong.
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