HOTEL

A former government building in Hong Kong – a relic of a bygone era – is making waves as one of the most exciting new hotel openings of the year. françois oosthuizen checks in to THE MURRAY

New Beginnings

one of the first guests at The Murray, complete with an entourage of his children and grandchildren in tow, was Ron Phillips, the 90-something-year-old British architect who designed what was to become a landmark building for Hong Kong’s Public Works Department and other Hong Kong government departments in 1969. At the time, the building stood out for its height – towering 27 stories – and characterised by the distinctive pattern of its white façade, which is made up of a grid of square windows, lifted on majestic three-storey arches.

The Modernist tower, located on the southern edge of Central with panoramic views of The Peak and the gardens to the south, was originally designed by Phillips in direct response to the climate of Hong Kong, with windows that are recessed and carefully orientated to avoid the harsh tropical sunlight, gaining it an Energy Efficient Building Award in 1994.

As one of eight historic landmarks under the Conserving Central initiative introduced by the Hong Kong government in 2013, the building is hailed as an inspiring and visionary piece of architecture. Some 50 years later, following a high-profile preservation project led by renowned architects Foster + Partners, The Murray is celebrated as a pioneering example of sustainability; its ground-breaking energy efficiency concept is still applauded decades after it was built. The recessed windows have been enlarged and now create a magnificent picture frame of the city skylines and garden vistas, thus allowing the hotel to continue its ecoconscious heritage.

In its new incarnation, the hotel – officially known as The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel – boasts 336 elegant suites and guestrooms

spanning 25 floors, offering some of the city’s most spacious accommodation choices. Interiors are embellished with natural fabrics, leather and stone finishes, creating a contemporary chic sanctuary of understated sophistication.

For gourmands, The Murray offers five restaurants and bars led by a world-class culinary and mixology team: The Tai Pan is a modern European restaurant; there’s the Garden Lounge; Murray Lane is a Wall Street-inspired bar; a rooftop bar and restaurant, Popinjays; and the wellestablished Michelin-star Cantonese restaurant, Guo Fu Lou.

Foster + Partners has honoured the building’s rich history by retaining its signature features, including the former driveway that circled the building beneath the property’s massive arches. The one-of-a-kind space now transforms into a semi-alfresco events venue named The Arches, hosting up to 350 guests, overlooking Hong Kong Park, and St. John’s Cathedral.

There’s no doubting the fact that heritage structures converted into hotels exert an allure all their own, and The Murray is a prime example. While the building itself comes with such an interesting story, the interiors throughout tells a tale of contemporary taste – very good taste, that is. On the one hand, the transformation was respectful of the original building’s architectural integrity and ingenuity – even improving on it with the windows that had been enlarged – but once you step inside the design credo is clear: sleek and stylish. Clean lines, black and white, subtle gold accents are warmed by earthy tones and plush rugs in the guestrooms.

The Murray is indeed an exercise of refined taste, and backing all this up is the kind of service one would expect from a five-star luxury hotel. But what is most impressive is how this prime example of 1970s Hong Kong architecture has been able to reconnect an important civic landmark with the city – breathing new life into this classic Hong Kong building with a unique hotel and leisure destination.

It’s little wonder then that Phillips, the original architect, was spotted proudly walking around the building, inspecting every nook and cranny with a big smile on his face.