To create a new 5 star luxury hotel in what were once government offices for many decades may seem like a tough task. The Wharf Hotels group took on a challenge to embrace historical architecture as well as preserving the only registered gigantic Old and Valuable Tree (O.V.T) of its species in Hong Kong, the Cassia javanica var. Indochinensis and created a superb luxury lodging in a unique city location between the bustling financial business district of Central and the leisure Admiralty shopping areas on a hilly slope of Cotton Tree Drive. This luxury bolthole is now known as The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, and sets a new standard in understated luxury hospitality. mylifestylenews writes.
The Niccolo hotel brand was created to celebrate a new level of luxury within the Wharf Hotels group and to blend heritage architecture into contemporary chic is no small feat, but The Murray, Hong Kong ‘rose from the ashes’ of an empty office building that seemingly wasn’t very well loved by the locals, but what is not to love about this hotel?
The cosmopolitan and metropolitan of Hong Kong vibrant lifestyle is here to find, a trendy and elegant space to enjoy the sophisticated vibe.
Towering 26 floors, this renowned contemporary urban sanctuary features 336 tasteful and elegant spacious suites and guest rooms across 25-storeys for luxury accommodation alongside with unique dining experiences, wellness and celebrated events.
The original building was opened in 1969, with the façade remaining untouched but elevated as well as its dramatic and arched colonnades which was an award-winning design triumph that shields the rooms from the heat of the sun.
The latest incarnation has been re-designed by Sir Norman Foster and his team at Foster+Partners bringing this iconic landmark and magnificent building to life as a celebration of the past and present. It is an arresting building, but the exterior belies the chic luxury within.
The hotel’s terraces around the arches, an architectural signature of the building also showcases views of the city, Hong Kong Park and Hong Kong Zoological and Botanic Gardens.
Connectivity in Hong Kong is some of the best in the world and the parkside location of The Murray, Hong Kong is right in the heart of almost everything as walking in Hong Kong is always an eye-opener and the hotel is in the thick of it. No matter which direction you take you will always find something interesting to marvel at, not to mention all the skyscrapers architecture.
You can take a pleasant walk into Central or Admiralty, hop on a Ding Ding (the ubiquitous double-decker trolley cars that traverse the island from one end to the other), ride the metro lines branches out to even crossing the China border just like an octopus and is just minutes walk away to any destination you desire or hop on The Peak Tram with the terminus station right next door to the hotel.
The airport express rail is the fastest and easiest way to get you into Central and The Murray, Hong Kong offers the scheduled shuttle bus services from Hong Kong Station back and forth, hence our mode of transport.
Our check-in process was smooth as silk, greeted and handled promptly with formalities over in no time and then we were escorted up to our 50sqm N3 Grand Deluxe Room.
The sleek apartment-like posh designed room is spacious, well adorned and prettified in an elegantly understated interior accented with plush carpets on beautiful hardwood floors, featuring luxurious bed and bath amenities with a stunning separate bath and shower facilities crafted from striking black and white Calacatta marble.
The bathroom was perfectly designed, the glass door and wall can be switched from see-through to a privacy mode at the flick of a switch which is just brilliant – when you want to enjoy looking out into the room and to the views and beyond you can, or you can choose privacy and we loved it.
The bathrobes and slippers felt luxurious, the branded amenities from the luxury Australian skin health brand Grown Alchemist that work in harmony with the your skin were fabulous. Wardrobe space was capacious, a working desk in one window nook was just the perfect placement without intruding on the flow in the room proper.
The colour scheme harmonized the interior with high quality leather, artisan textiles as well as elegant choice of sleek mid-century furniture was spot on, as though you are walking into those shots from the glossy magazine that features those urban luxurious apartments.
Tech-savvy lighting controls, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi alongside with a high definition Smart TV and broadband internet access is seamless as well as a host of complimentary amenities to indulge.
We couldn’t think of one detail that could be improved on but to maintain in such a good shape over time as they had thought of everything that made returning back to the room a joy and it was so easy to relax, unwind and cocooned with a bottle of champagne which was an absolute joy.
Most importantly, the room is bathed in natural sunlight with a stunning and uninterrupted view of the adjacent St John’s Cathedral from a different vantage point to marvel the lively city skyline that changes its vista day and night and we were more than excited to be checking into this contemporary urban sanctuary. There’s definitely a unique mind-set in their target audience, the Gen-Z millennial or the sophisticated someone with a disposable income group that are young at heart and here to play.
To further explore this iconic property, the beautiful lobby bring the outside in with lots of natural light and greenery aplenty. The architectural design really made a difference with superb colour schemes and choice of materials that really complemented the surroundings to allow the nature outside to come in and given the humidity in Hong Kong, the coolness of marble is always a positive thing.
A ground floor bar and cafe that spreads out into the laneway and subsequently called Murray Lane surrounded by curated art, serves up a wide selection of international whiskeys and crafted cocktails is also a popular destination for a bankers breakfast, coffees on the go and aperitivo hours.
Upper ground floor houses two food and beverage operations that split into the The Tai Pan that serves a variety of premium cuts at night and is also an alternative breakfast venue that extends to The Tai Pan Terrace, a delightful family-style al fresco dining.
The all-day dining Garden Lounge on the other side is tastefully decorated, ideal for breakfast and signature afternoon teas alongside a refreshing all-day menu featuring familiar Western and Asian dishes. Outdoor seating by the lush lawn is in high demand when the temperature cools down and less humid.
Then to satisfy Chinese food cravings there is MIAN in a specially commissioned two-storey pavilion adjacent to the hotel entrance and also Popinjays, a contemporary Italian rooftop restaurant and bar with a wrap around terrace offering surreal stunning far-reaching views of the Hong Kong city skyline especially by night and The Peak being one of the most sought after sky bars in town.
The large below ground indoor swimming pool is rather intimate, with a wall of greenery on one side together with a quite unusual feature of a hot tub vitality pool built in a hammam-like dome ceiling. We availed ourselves of the pool and it is definitely long enough for lap swimming, but only wide enough for three swimmers at one time to do laps, but more than satisfactory.
The pool attendants were extremely polite and attentive and it is a wonderful space to chill after a long day of shopping and walking. The gym is on a higher floor, affording views to enjoy as you build up a sweat in the well kitted out space. Adjacent to the gym is the Wellness at The Murray, a sanctuary for bespoke treatments and beauty rituals to awaken your senses.
Breakfast is a fine repast in The Tai Pan and the Garden Lounge combined and is a full on semi-buffet. You can help yourself to some fresh yoghurts, juices, pastries, green salad and even steamed Dim Sum and congee with condiments that are all displayed orderly.
And then you can order dishes according to your inclination for Cantonese, Chinese or Western dishes from the given menu. We tried almost the entire menu over the stay and the ordering was very timely with the dishes seemingly not taking much time at all, so you were never left hungry.
The dishes are beautifully presented and utterly delicious and served at the right temperature. Congee, Wanton noodles and Dim Sum were fresh and tasty, the poached egg on avocado toast was a favourite as well and the eggs Benedict cooked to perfection. Service was mostly prompt and warm and friendly, with only a few team members not getting with the programme on one day, but every morning was a joy with the sun shining in welcoming the start of the day.
We had been pampered with luxurious treats and been well looked after by the welcoming Front Desk, Concierge and Housekeeping team. Each team member from these departments was uniformly excellent and consistent and made our stay hassle free with great recommendations.
We marvelled at little details and enjoyed strolling through the hotel modernist lofty lobby as well as the lush garden overflowing with greenery. The Murray, Hong Kong is simply hard to beat for the level of luxury and amenities that they offer in a classy heritage staycation. Our stay was extremely enjoyable, restful and worry free and it was hard to leave this gorgeous hotel after what was a quite memorable stay. Yet, the unforgettable experience awaits our next arrival.
Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Housekeeping: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5
The Murray, Hong Kong
22 Cotton Tree Drive
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3141 8888
Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
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