HONG KONG
Favourite hotel
THE MIRA in Kowloon
www.themirahotel.com
Loved this hotel which is a member of the Design group of Hotels.
We were collected from the airport in the Hotel’s Mercedes Limousine and upgraded to a double room on the 8th floor overlooking Kowloon park. It was a fantastic view to wake up to each morning watching the local Chinese practicing their Tai Chi.
Breakfast was an amazing International buffet consisting of everything from fresh fruit smoothies to full English cooked to order to Chinese, noodles or dim sum to Japanese sushi and French pastries.
Our favourite place in the Hotel was the chill-out style terrace on the 5th floor. A unexpected huge open-air terrace in the middle of the Hotel walls. A DJ, comfy sofas, water features, a bar and no tables too close to each other – Think a Nikki-beach style bar.
The hotel also had an amazing award winning design spa where we swam every morning before breakfast.
Kenji was our favourite man on the MIRA Concierge. He was so helpful and gave us the best advice on places to go and created a sightseeing itinerary for us.
FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS, as recommended by Kenji
HARLAN’s
The lastest cool bar and restaurant on the top floor of the brand new shopping centre-THE ONE, 100 Nathan rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
amazing views over the harbour. wonderful open air bar,but very expensive unmemorable food- go for the ambience and a drink- go elsewhere to eat.
The world famous grand-dame of a Hotel, The PENINSULA, has a great bar, The Felix bar on the top floor to have a drink and watch the light show in the harbour.
TIM HO WAN
is a tiny Michelin-star dim sum restaurant in a back street
shop 8, taui Yuen Mansion Phase 2.2. 20 kwong wa st, Mong Kok
The staff speak no English, it is full of Chinese locals. Get there early for lunch at 11 or be prepared to queue for an hour outside. To order you fill in an order page whilst you wait outside for your table. It’s a definite experience…
TOP DECK is the restaurant on the top of the famous Jumbo floating restaurant.
We went to our friends post-wedding buffet lunch there. It’s a great location at Aberdeen Harbour where you can watch the junks sailing past and the world going past.
SHOPPING
The markets at Mong Kok are still worth a look. The Ladies market, The Goldfish market, Temple St market at night. The “fakes” market is still very active – but there are fakes and fakes. Very cheap bad ones to very expensive copies. You will find that the best fakes are hidden away in shuttered rooms in apartment buildings down alleyways where you are taken away to discreetly view these illegal goods.
BEAUTY SALON
CHARMING BEAUTY AND SLIMMING
rmd 3/f WAHFAI BUILDING 38-40 GRANVILLE RD TSIM SHA TSUI
one of the best facials I have ever had, given to me by a Chinese lady who spoke minimal English. She also did a lifting treatment on my face and a slimming body wrap treatment all for the total sum of around £70. My skin glowed afterwards due to the face mask she concocted.
BEST TOURIST TRIP
the BIG BUS company
is the same company as in London and other Cities. This is a great way to see HK as you can get on and off at various landmarks and rejoin the bus later all in the same price. Pitstops include the Peak Tram, Stanley Market and more. Do be prepared to be sitting with tourists with funny hats, many cameras- the same tourists you see in London following that one umbrella….
HK STREET FASHION
shorts shorts and more shorts all worn over black tights of all descriptions. Opaque, distressed, stocking illusion style and more seem to be worn by all shapes and sizes.
Many of the younger fashions seem to be Japanese inspired with that prim collared girly sunday school-look. suits the petite Chinese figure too.
More cool young Chinese favour square-statement-style spectacles over contact lenses.
Brand new lifestyle shopping malls with everything from fashion to furniture are the To-go-to destinations where seriously stylish restaurants and bars with views and prices to match are the places to hang out. Prices are easily from £100 for a simple meal for 2.
Most Shops from low to High end are open from midday to 11pm at night. Imagine the same amount of crowds on Oxford Circus on the last Saturday lunchtime before Christmas and you’ve got the picture.