The St. Regis Hong Kong

The St. Regis Hong Kong makes its longawaited debut with all the glitz and glamour for which the hospitality brand is renowned. petula s kincaid checks in

John Jacob Astor IV, thought to be the wealthiest man in America and among the richest in the world in his time, founded the St. Regis New York in 1904. Described by the New York Times as “the finest hotel in America”, the popular gathering place for the city’s luminaries was so advanced for its day that it had a telephone in every room.

Astor was aboard the Titanic when it sank in 1912, but only after helping his pregnant wife into the last lifeboat. His legacy now lives on at more than 40 St. Regis properties around the world, the newest, of course, being right here in Hong Kong. Following a ribbon-cutting on the morning of April 11, the St. Regis Hong Kong celebrated its grand opening in the tradition set by the famed Gilded Age doyenne and pioneer of high society, Astor’s mother Caroline.

The Midnight Supper, styled after Caroline Astor’s legendary afterparties, welcomed an intimate group of Hong Kong’s own high society with special guest Gemma Chan ‒ of Crazy Rich Asians and Captain Marvel fame ‒ adding her star power. A five-course menu prepared by the culinary director of the hotel’s French fine-dining restaurant L’Envol, Olivier Elzer, was paired with wines by chief sommelier Tristan Pommier.

L’Envol is one of three dining outlets at the St. Regis, which also include Cantonese restaurant Rùn, headed by award-winning chef Hung Chi-kwong, and The Drawing Room, which offers international fare and an indulgent afternoon tea in its stunning space as well as on the adjoining Astor Terrace.

Perhaps even more inviting, and likely to become a favourite gathering place for locals, is the St. Regis Bar and its colourful mural depicting Victoria Harbour, landmark buildings, mountains and even a nod to the Astor legacy with a Pepsi sign that once stood near one of its New York hotels. The bar offers a craft cocktail menu in addition to more than 800 wine labels and 100 champagnes. If that wasn’t enough reason to visit, there’s the hotel’s signature cocktail since 1934: the Bloody Mary. Here, it’s been given a Cantonese twist with dried tangerine peel, five spices and Kowloon soy sauce, and you can enjoy it with live jazz in the bar every evening.

It’s at the bar and in fact throughout the hotel that one feels the blend of the St. Regis’s Gilded Age heritage with modern luxury and style. Acclaimed Hong Kong architect and designer André Fu has created the interiors of the 27-storey hotel using his vision to combine a classic style with contemporary elegance. The result is an understated luxury that feels timeless, with pops of colour and signature design elements to reflect the diversity of the city.

The St. Regis Hong Kong offers a total of 129 rooms ‒ 112 guest rooms and 17 signature suites to be exact ‒ that range from 538 to 2,583 square feet, all with wood flooring, sumptuous textures, and marble bathrooms in a bright and relaxing space. What’s more, in-room checkin is available for all rooms and suites.

And it wouldn’t be a St. Regis without complimentary butler service, which comes standard with every room. We’re talking about personalised service that’s available 24 hours a day, from unpacking and pressing suits to delivering tea and cupcakes to packing everything up before checkout. The Hong Kong flagship will also introduce eButler chat ‒ where guests can contact their butler through an app or dedicated line, e-mail, WhatsApp and WeChat.

For those who can tear themselves away from their room, there’s one more must-experience St. Regis tradition: the nightly sabrage, a ceremony using a sabre to open a bottle of champagne, that dates back to the battles of Napoleon. Who are we to argue ‒ cheers!

Acclaimed Hong Kong designer André Fu has used his vision to combine a classic style with contemporary elegance