Hong Kong’s harbourfront is set to get another brand new high-end accommodation this year with the opening of the K11 Artus serviced residence in the third quarter of 2019 right next door to the newly opened Rosewood Hong Kong.
The new 14-storey, 287-unit development is being billed as an “ultra-private luxury residential development” in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Victoria Dockside art and design district, and is the first of its kind from the K11 Group, which also operates the K11 Hong Kong Art Mall on Tsim Sha Tsui’s Hanoi Road.
Both K11 Artus and the Rosewood Hong Kong are owned by New World Development, which is also developing a series of offices under the moniker K11 Atelier and a shopping centre, K11 Musea, at the Victoria Dockside district on the site of the former New World Centre shopping mall.
Adrian Cheng, founder of K11, and executive vice-chairman and general manager of New World Development said: “After the successful opening of Rosewood Hong Kong, I’m excited about the launch of K11 Artus, my luxury residence concept that is part of the 10-year harbourfront redevelopment project Victoria Dockside.
“This is an artisanal home and a new living standard built for tomorrow’s creatives who prioritise bespoke design, a seamless online-offline experience as well as art and cultural experiences that bring together like-minded individuals.”
While K11 is billing the property as a high-end residential complex, it’s important to note that these will actually operate more like serviced apartments than solely as fully fledged homes. In a press release, the group said the property is “designed to convey the comforts and conveniences of a private home while accommodating guests’ individual needs and offering flexibility for short- or long-term stays”.
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific was given a tour of the site last month and while there is still a significant amount of construction work ongoing, there are some parts of the property that are close to completion.
Of particular note is the size of the units, which for Hong Kong are especially spacious. The 287 residences come in some 70 different layouts with 80 per cent described as “large-sized” suites. Balconies are also common in a large number of residences, some of which extend all the way around a unit providing panoramic views of the harbour.
Speaking to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific at the opening of the Rosewood Hong Kong last month about the differences between the serviced residences at K11 Artus and those at the its neighbour, Rosewood Hong Kong managing director, Marc Brugger, said: “If you look at both, they are two very strong visions. In terms of the residential units, there is a certain amount of – I wouldn’t say overlap – but there is competition between the two. We do discuss overall strategies, and we see them complement each other rather than being competition.
“If you look at the residential offering, especially on this side on Kowloon, there really is not much of high quality. We follow the style seen in the hotel side and that extends to the residences – very large rooms, the square meterage is quite significant. It is maybe more geared towards a small family, an individual or couple. Whereas K11 has a use of space that is, if you want, more efficient allowing potentially a larger number of people for the same square meterage.”
On the guest experience side, the hotel will be introducing a digital concierge service alongside its personalised butler services. Guests can also dine at the K11 Musea’s restaurants or get room-service from these dining options.
K11 Artus does also lean into its art background with its offerings, including introducing a year-long Artus Salon series that will debut in May. This series is aimed at bringing together individuals with similar interests to share insights, experiences and ideas, with the first edition focusing on poetry and penmanship.
Unfortunately, guests at K11 Artus won’t be able to use all the facilities at the adjacent Rosewood Hong Kong. “There’s no plan for being able to cross-utilise – I think it would take away from the experience one way or the other,” said Brugger.
For an in-depth overview of the Rosewood Hong Kong and its facilities, read our first look of the property here.
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