If you’re a minimalist, Rosewood Hong Kong may not be the hotel for you. Otherwise, and if three years of near-isolation from the rest of the world has left your senses starved for stimulation, any amount of time spent here will do much to satisfy you. The octagon motif throughout the hotel is inspired by the auspicious meaning given to the number eight in Chinese culture; it also serves as the guiding principle behind this Rosewood’s interior design. As such, you will find the shape everywhere, from inside the elevators to the lobby’s ceiling. The motif, as well as the pattern-on-pattern aesthetic, is carried over from the public to the private spaces. In my Harbour View Room, this was most prominent in the bathroom where there are double washbasins, twin walk-in showers, a plush vanity, and a giant rectangular free-standing bathtub. The floor is tiled like a chessboard, a scheme echoed on the walls, which are black and white marble, and the many mirrors make the bathroom feel like the inside of a kaleidoscope. (The automated and heated bidet toilet is in its own little space at the end of the walk-in dressing room to the side of the bathroom.)

Compared to the busy bathroom, the room is far more toned-down and zen, with plenty of neutral tones and furniture in warm woods. The sapphire blue velvet couch by the window and navy blue cushions on the two-seater at the end of the bed echo the blue of Victoria Harbour below.

Aside from the standard well-stocked mini bar and 24-hour in-room dining, there is also a Nespresso machine, 55-inch HDTV ready for casting straight from your mobile or laptop, and an extensive linens and pillows menu. Even if you’re like this writer who, due to a packed schedule, couldn’t call down for a memory foam neck-support pillow until after 11pm, don’t hesitate to place your order; mine arrived, with a polite knock on the door, just ten minutes later.

The only time the magic faltered during my stay was when I returned on my second night to find that one blackberry in the complimentary fruit bowl had grown fuzzy with mould. Not a sight one would expect at a Rosewood property, but also not a disaster.

To experience true pampering, try the 90-minute Aroma Atelier by Asaya Experience. After being introduced to your massage therapist, who will guide you through customising the oil blend that will be used during your massage, you will be led through a tranquil garden to your treatment room. The space is comfortably lit for maximum cosiness and has a dressing room and shower, and the massage bed is plush and heated. Pair that with the massage therapist’s soothing voice and unerring ability to know which areas of your body need more or less pressure, and it’s honestly a challenge to stay awake to enjoy the treatment. Whether you manage to or not, you will leave Asaya feeling deeply relaxed both in mind and body.

If you need a further stretch after your treatment, there is also an indoor hydrotherapy pool, as well as a fitness centre for those who prioritise an exercise routine even when travelling. And the outdoor infinity pool overlooking Victoria Harbour is certainly worth swinging by, at least to check out the view.

Rosewood Hong Kong boasts 11 food and beverage venues, and BluHouse with its authentic Italian cuisine is its newest. Some of the other options inslude The Legacy house for Cantonese cuisine; Chaat for reinterpreted Indian street food; Holt’s Café for an upscale interpretation of Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng; Butterfly Patisserie, where the design is inspired by a jewellery store; Bayfare Social, for the fanciest food court you’ve ever seen; Henry for American steakhouse fare; and Darkside for a sneaky drink or two, live jazz and cool vibes.

On the first evening of my stay, I was treated to an eight-course dinner at The Dining Room by BluHouse, which is tucked just behind the restaurant and offers a more private and refined experience. The standouts were the Risotto in Salsa Verde Lingua e Pecorino, which was somehow both light and indulgently creamy at the same time; and the Mediterranean sea bass, which was so delicate and sweet it was hard to believe it was any kind of animal protein at all.

The next day, lunch was at Chaat; we highly recommend you go hungry and order the Tandoori Wagyu Beef Cheek, which is so tender you barely have to chew at all; the Chicken Tikka Masala that is juicy and full of flavour; and the Dal Narkel, which is wonderfully aromatic and the perfect partner for the naan. However, with everything else able to inspire awe and delight with every bite, the Prawn Pulao was a little underwhelming and was left almost untouched by the table.

My final meal at Rosewood Hong Kong was a four-hands dinner by 2020 Michelin Young Chef awardee Peter Situ of Lingnan House at Rosewood Guangzhou, and The Legacy House’s own Chef Li Chi-Wai. The most memorable dishes of the eight-course meal, a combination of the chefs’ signature dishes and contemporary Cantonese cooking techniques, were the broth with double-boiled pigeon, which was warming and delicately flavoured; steamed crab claw with rice noodles and garlic, which was tender and the sweetest crab meat I’d ever tasted; and braised angel hair noodles with lobster and peppercorn, which perfectly balanced the creaminess with the spice, and honestly the first time I’d had lobster at a Chinese restaurant and didn’t find it too heavy or overpowering.

All too soon, my stay at Rosewood Hong Kong was over and just like leaving Disneyland to go home, I was a little sad to leave. Yes, partly because it was so lovely to be pampered and have my every whim catered to promptly and with a smile, but more than that, it was such a pleasure to have every sense stimulated.

That’s probably what sets Rosewood properties apart from other luxury hotels, all of which are wonderful treats to help those harried and stretched thin to relax. What Rosewood manages to do, however, is to rejuvenate its guests by engaging all their senses. Wherever you go in the vertical estate there is a fragrance drawing you in and inviting you to linger for a while longer; beautiful designs you can’t get tired of looking at, or thought-provoking works of art placed strategically in areas where you might wait—like by the elevators—that are changed periodically; textiles throughout the interior design and gorgeous flower arrangements you want to reach out and touch; comfortable background music carefully selected to complement whichever space you’re in; and, of course, delicious meals you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve checked out.

Every facility and restaurant at Rosewood Hong Kong is popular, so be sure to book any treatments or meals in advance of your stay. Another thing to plan is your mattress preference: they have a variety available, so call ahead for details and book the one that will guarantee a perfect night’s sleep.

NOW READ

5 luxurious underwater suites around the world for the perfect marine getaway

7 luxury hotels and resorts in Asia that offer sleep packages to help you rest better

International destinations in K-dramas that will inspire your travel bug