Where
Hong Kong is a 426 square mile area in the south-east corner of China. Though physically and politically it is a part of People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy in most matters. It had been ceded to the United Kingdom as per a 99-year lease and it was only in 1997 that it was ‘returned’ to China. This unique history is what has given Hong Kong a distinct East-West culture.
When
Summers are hot and sunny and typhoons are likely to occur around this time. Winters are mostly mild except when interrupted by cooling winds blowing in from the north. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit when the climate is temperate and the probability of rainfall is low.
Why
Hong Kong is best described as a modern 21st century city anchored firmly to its ethnic Chinese roots. Feng Shui Bagua mirrors and other Chinese beliefs are as much a part of the region’s skyline as the glass and steel skyscrapers. Low taxation and free trade have powered the city to become a leading financial centre.
Uniquely Hong Kong
Founder Deo Young’s vision for the Hullet House was quite clear – by Hong Kong, for Hong Kong, we give you old Hong Kong. The colonial white stucco building, erstwhile headquarters of the Marine Police forms the shell of Aqua Group’s boutique hotel, the Hullet House. The concept of the hotel is drawn from Hong Kong’s rich history, a blend of Chinese and British influence.
The Hullet House Hotel with its ten luxury suites takes up the top floor of the House. Every suite has a private terrace and faces either the hotel courtyard of the famous Hong Kong harbour. Each suite has a bespoke design and is named after one of Hong Kong’s bays.
The Tsing Lung suite has a pagoda bed and red murals to create the atmosphere of Imperial China, plush furnishings and gold trim on the light green walls make up the D’Aguilar suite, the Poi O suite with its stained glass screens is all art deco, the walls of the Stanley suite painted with a bamboo trellis and songbirds transport the visitor to an English countryside – walls, ceilings, furnishings and artefacts are all in sync with the particular theme of the room.
The five restaurants in the House are all unique in the experience they bring to the diner’s table, be it the dramatic bar of the Parlour with carved Chinese dragons, or, the fine-dining restaurant St. George done up like an old English Gentlemen’s Club, or, the casual Stables Grill with its restored wood and warm tones.
Vibrant yet elegant, at times subtle yet often dramatic, the Hullet House represents a culture that has blended traditions of two societies without diluting either.
Answer Your Calling
You gaze up, into the sun. Your eyes follow the 240-steps climb to the top and you gulp in an extra portion of air. You didn’t need it though, his eyes connect with yours and his smile coaxes you towards the next step.
The 34-metre bronze statue of Tian Tan Buddha was completed in 1993 and has since been attracting thousands of tourists every year. One of the chambers beneath the statue has a relic of Gautam Buddha, believed to contain some of his remains.
China Of Yore
An earthy colour scheme makes up the interiors of the Oriental restaurant, Hutong. The darker elm wood of the furniture compared to the muddy-toned walls and floors create subtle shifts in the palette.
The restaurant is modelled along the ancient courtyard neighbourhoods that made up Peking. Carved wooden screens and furniture, sculptures of Chinese warriors and red paper lanterns complement the design concept. But, it is the Victoria harbour skyline that occupies centre stage as it pours in through the glass facade.
Beyond Twilight
The sun goes down. Office-goers send their last emails. High street shops ring in their final sales. It’s time for the Temple Street Night Market to start its day.
Trinkets, clothes, jade artefacts, antiques, electronics woo the buyers into haggling with the traders. Opera singers and fortune tellers mingle with the shoppers. Seafood, noodles and other specialties help fuel the shopping. Colours, shapes, sounds and smells entwine into a chaos characteristic of a Chinese market.
Text By Himali Kothari
