The Peninsula Hong Kong
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| The Peninsula Hong Kong 香港半島酒店 |
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 "the finest hotel east of Suez" |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong |
| Opening date | December 1928 |
| Management | Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels |
| Owner | Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels |
| No. of rooms | 300 |
| No. of restaurants | 8 |
| Website | www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong/en/default.aspx |
The Peninsula Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港半島酒店) is one of the most internationally recognizable hotels in Hong Kong.[1] Opened in 1928, it is Hong Kong's very first hotel. It is located at the junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Founded by members of the Kadoorie family, the hotel today is part of the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels group headed by Sir Michael Kadoorie, and it is the flagship property of the The Peninsula Hotels group. The Peninsula has been voted as the world's best hotel on a couple of occasions, and is widely regarded as one of the legendary properties.
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[edit] History
It opened in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong in December 1928, built with the idea that it would be "the finest hotel east of Suez." Passengers arriving in Hong Kong by ocean liner disembarked onto the quays of Kowloon plus, it was the last stop on the trans-Siberian rail link that brought travelers from Europe. As such, the Peninsula hotel was ideally situated to take advantage of the increasing number of wealthy visitors to the area.
From the moment the hotel opened its doors to the first guest, the Peninsula name has been synonymous with welcoming the rich, the famous, the titled and the titans of industry to a place of unsurpassed luxury and service. The hotel is also distinguished by its fleet of signature Rolls-Royces, which can be hired by guests. These cars are painted in a distinctive shade of green known as "Peninsula green".
On 25 December 1941, at the end of the Battle of Hong Kong, British colonial officials led by the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Aitchison Young, surrendered in person at the Japanese headquarters on the third floor of The Peninsula. The resort was then renamed "The Toa Hotel" but it was restored to its original name after Japan was defeated and the British regained control of the colony.
The hotel was prominently displayed in the 1988 NBC television miniseries Noble House.
In 1994, an extension was added to the original hotel in the form of a 30-storey tower, which is topped off by a helipad.
In 2007, The Peninsula was used for a scene in the superhero film The Dark Knight, involving actors Morgan Freeman and Chin Han, who played Lucius Fox and Lau, respectively. The hotel was chosen, as it was one of the only two private helipads in the SAR and the producers preferred the roof of The Peninsula over that of Shun Tak Centre. [2]
[edit] Features
[edit] Expansion
In 1994, the hotel was expanded with a 30-storey tower that follows the same style as the existing building. The facade of the existing hotel building was preserved, including the forecourt, the lobby and the front facade. The hotel remained in operation while construction commenced.[3]
The new tower also includes a helipad for clients. It is one of only two private rooftop helipads in the territory, the other being located on top of the Shun Tak Centre. The helipads are being used for the transfer of the hotel's VIP clients with the flight duration to the Hong Kong International Airport being 7 minutes.
The total number of rooms in the hotel was increased to 300 as 132 rooms and suites were created. There are 10 floors of office space, shops and a series of hotel facilities added to the existing hotel buildings[4].
[edit] Restaurants and Bars
The Peninsula Hotel has a collection of highly acclaimed restaurants. They include the gourmet French restaurant Gaddi's, which has one of the first Chef's Tables in Hong Kong, and the Philippe Starck-designed Felix. Other notable restaurants include Spring Moon and Chesa, which specialize in Cantonese and Swiss cuisine respectively.
The Lobby of the Peninsula serves traditional English-style Afternoon Tea, reminiscent of Hong Kong's colonial era.[5]
[edit] Fashion arcade
The Peninsula Hotel has one of the oldest fashion arcade in Hong Kong. Throughout the years, it has hosted world renown brands such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Cartier. Apart from international fashion houses, it has also launched some of the most prominent Hong Kong brands, such as Betty Charnuis Clemos in the 60s, Dickson Poon in the 70s and Joyce Boutique in the 80s.
[edit] Fleet
Since December 2006, the hotel has had a fleet of 14 Long Wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms painted in the hotel's signature green. This was the largest order placed for Rolls-Royce in the history of the company.[6] It replaces a fleet of Rolls-Royce Silver Spurs.
[edit] Awards
The Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong has been recognised as an internationally leading hotel in many areas.[7] It has received awards from Condé Nast Traveler magazine, Travel + Leisure, and other industry organizations.
[edit] See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Peninsula Hong Kong |
[edit] References
- ^ History
- ^ [1]
- ^ Hong Kong Institute of Acrhitects Annual Awards(1997).Hong Kong Architecture 3. Hong Kong: Hinge Marketing.
- ^ Hong Kong Institute of Acrhitects Annual Awards(1997).Hong Kong Acrhitecture 3. Hong Kong: Hinge Marketing.
- ^ Peninsula Hotel Lobby
- ^ Rolls-Royce fleet information
- ^ Awards and Accolades
[edit] Literature
- William Warren, Jill Gocher (2007). Asia's legendary hotels: the romance of travel. Singapore: Periplus Editions. ISBN 978-0-7946-0174-4.
[edit] External links
- The Peninsula Hong Kong official site
Coordinates: 22°17′43.05″N 114°10′17.51″E / 22.2952917°N 114.1715306°E
