Background
Officially opened on Monday July 16, Hotel Vic on the Harbour is a new luxury lifestyle hotel situated on the harbourfront in Hong Kong’s North Point district. The North Point MTR station is just a two-minute walk away.
What's it like?
The philosophy of the hotel is very much geared towards millennials, with a focus on technology, modern conveniences and luxury lifestyle. The “VIC Loves” programme, for example, introduces guests to the North Point neighbourhood and reveals hidden gems such as the old Shanghainese Kiu Kwan Barbershop and local foodie havens.
Guests arrive at the ground floor lobby, before taking the elevator to the main arrival lobby on the second floor. The area has been created by international design studio ASFO with a theme of “urban reflections”, characterised by textured glass that refracts light like shimmering water and interlocking marble screens.
Scattered throughout the hotel are also a number of contemporary artworks: at the main arrival lobby, guests are welcomed by a sculpture from Mexican artist Aldo Chaparro hovering above the water, to again reinforce the theme of urban reflections.
In addition to a traditional staffed deck, there are four self check-in kiosks for the new generation of tech-savvy guests who prefer speed and convenience to human contact. The process is simple: after scanning the confirmation QR code or entering the four-digit code, the guest’s reservation is processed and room key cards are quickly dispensed.
The main lobby area also contains a Minority Report-style information point, where a massive touch screen will bring up a Google Map of the area and offer directions to points of interest.
The rooms
The newly-built property from Sun Hung Kai Properties offers 671 guestrooms and suites split across two towers, with every room offering spectacular harbour views. Entry-level rooms start from 31sqm – fairly generous for Hong Kong, and move up to the stunning Victoria Harbour suite, encased in glass windows and complete with living room, bedroom and a small balcony.
Room designs, by Hirsh Bedner Associates, reflect a vibrant, contemporary aesthetic with clean lines, neutral colour palette and funky details such as stylised headboards reflecting a Google Map etching of the local area.
Modern five-star amenities within the rooms include Handy smartphones (complimentary handheld devices equipped with free local calls and internet for guests to use out and about), complimentary minibar on arrival, and Nespresso coffee machines.
Leisure
All guests enjoy access to the wellness facilities on the top floor, which include a rooftop infinity pool overlooking the harbour, sauna and steam room and 24-hour gym equipped with an excellent range of equipment…
…including two virtual reality flying machines by ICAROS (appointment must be booked in advance).
Executive lounge
Premium guest rooms will also give access to executive lounge Club Vic. This is a smart, cosy space with plenty of seating, a dining area for breakfast and evening cocktails, iconic harbour views, and a decent-sized conference room.
Food and beverage
Food and restaurant outlets include the top floor Cruise restaurant – a lovely elegant space, again with the signature floor-to-ceiling harbour panorama, serving up quality European cuisine. This is attached to North Point’s only rooftop bar – a cool, stylish spot for sundowners.
All-day dining restaurant Farmhouse is located on the 2/F; this is an expansive space with buffet offering for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a live open kitchen section. There are multiple barn-like private dining areas, plus outdoor seating. There is also the Farmhouse Deli, offering snacks and coffee, open 24-hour a day to cater to jet lagged travellers.
The hotel is also directly connected to Harbour North – a brand new shopping and dining complex, due to open in the next few months.
Booking
To celebrate the opening, Hotel VIC has launched the Happy Piggy Bank offer, with a 20-25 per cent discount on standard rates (starting from HK$1,500 plus 10 per cent) for bookings made in advance.
