This high-rise hotel brings a splash of locally inspired luxury to the buzzing neighborhood of Wan Chai.
A bespoke mural adorns The St. Regis Bar. (All photos courtesy of The St. Regis Hong Kong)
Why You Should Go
A somewhat low-key presence amid the office blocks crowding the Wan Chai waterfront, The St. Regis Hong Kong occupies a slender 27-story tower with sublime interiors by famed local designer André Fu. The overall look, which takes its cues from Hong Kong’s East-meets-West culture, is discreet and sophisticated. Plush furnishings, modern Lasvit chandeliers, gray Italian marble, and art deco–esque bronze elements predominate in the second-floor lobby; the colorful bespoke mural at the intimate St. Regis Bar celebrates the history of Wan Chai and Hong Kong’s natural landscape.
Gourmands have much to savor on the property. The St. Regis opened only in early 2019, and by the end of the year two of its three dining venues had already made it into Hong Kong’s Michelin Guide. At two-Michelin-starred French restaurant L’Envol, the talented Olivier Elzer turns out inventive, artfully plated dishes like roasted John Dory from Brittany with aubergine confit and red-wine sauce; frog legs cromesquis (croquettes); and the signature Hokkaido sea urchin box, which sees briny, buttery uni layered on top of gamberoni prawn tartare and fennel. Cantonese fine-diner Rùn, meanwhile, has bagged its own Michelin star: chef Hung Chi-Kwong, formerly of Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental, puts premium ingredients such as lobster, ibérico pork, and foie gras into his contemporary creations. Rùn’s dim sum has been garnering rave reviews too. Aside from classics like har gow, make sure you try the charcoal and butter pastry puffs filled with bite-size wagyu beef in black pepper sauce.
Left to right: The exterior of The St. Regis Hong Kong; double-boiled abalone soup at Rùn.
Inside the main dining room at Rùn, the hotel’s one-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant.
The signature Hokkaido sea urchin box at two-Michelin-starred L’Envol.
A Deluxe room at The St. Regis Hong Kong.
The living room of the 240-square-meter Presidential suite.
The Rooms
Upstairs, the hotel’s 129 rooms and suites have been kitted out in a soothing color palette and stylish design details, with bedside lamps inspired by Chinese lanterns, oak dividers recalling Hong Kong’s traditional shop windows, and rich lacquer paneling. Accommodations are generously sized: entry-level Deluxe rooms measure in at 50 square meters, which is impressive not just for space-starved Hong Kong but arguably any major city. Some rooms enjoy partial vistas over Victoria Harbour, while others look out over the skyscrapers of Wan Chai and the forested hillsides beyond. If it’s uninterrupted harbor views you’re after, you’ll have to book either the Governor’s Suite or Presidential Suite; both have their own spacious living rooms and dining tables seating at least eight people, while the latter also features a study.
The marble-clad bathrooms across all room categories come with double sinks and deep-soaking Claybrook tubs. As for the luxurious in-room amenities, these include Frette linens, robes, and slippers; toiletries from Remède; and a minibar stocked with fresh fruit juices as well as St. Regis–branded gin, flavored vodka, and rum. Hotel guests can take advantage of the St. Regis brand’s trademark 24-hour butler service via an in-room phone or the Marriott Mobile App.
St. Regis Butlers can be enlisted to pack or unpack luggage.
A Canto Mary flight at The St. Regis Bar.
The Drawing Room serves up freshly baked pastries for afternoon tea.
Inside a treatment room at The Athletic Club & Spa.
The hotel’s cabana-lined outdoor pool.
Things You Can Do
Every St. Regis hotel does its own spin on the Bloody Mary, which was first invented at the flagship New York property. A must-try in the Hong Kong outpost is the Canto Mary, which incorporates dried tangerine peel, Chinese five spice, and soy sauce into three different versions of the drink. Other signature cocktails at The St. Regis Bar were inspired by the antiquated New York subway and Hong Kong Island’s century-old tram line. Afternoon tea is served in The Drawing Room, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant; the space also hosts the St. Regis champagne sabering ritual at 5:30 p.m. every evening (guests receive a complimentary glass of bubbly) and live jazz sessions by night. Recreational facilities elsewhere on the property include a temperature-controlled outdoor pool lined with cabanas, a small but excellent spa, and an expansive gym with the latest fitness equipment.
The hotel’s proximity to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will suit those attending trade fairs and big-ticket events like Art Basel Hong Kong, while leisure travelers can reach the Wan Chai Ferry Pier (for the scenic crossing to Kowloon on a Star Ferry) in 10 minutes on foot. Meanwhile, a network of pedestrian bridges brings guests right into the bustling heart of Wan Chai, with its rambling wet markets, beautifully restored pre-war tong lau (tenement buildings), and incense-wreathed temples.
