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Checking in: The Langham, Hong Kong
- Rob Garratt
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
HONG KONG
Nowhere in Hong Kong has a higher confluence of luxury hotels than the throbbing heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, which makes both standards and competition high. Yet The Langham, Hong Kong really doesn’t need to try and stand out – open on Peking Road since 1989, it’s one of the city’s luxury OGs. Its reputation, of course, is unassailable – when the original The Langham opened in 1865 it was hailed as both London’s largest and Europe’s first “grand hotel”. So naturally we were prepared for a touch of olde English glamour when we rocked up for a celebratory stay.
A Historic Afternoon Tea
The Langham claims to be home of the original hotel afternoon tea, so before even making it to our room, we got stuck for over an hour nibbling on tiny British sandwiches and mouthwatering cakes – washed down by soothing Chinese tea. The Langham’s recently relaunched afternoon tea is no staid celebration of imperial-era tradition, and we were pleased to see such an impressive list of Chinese teas on offer, alongside the British classics. The finger sandwiches were soft and bouncy, the scones crunchy and moreish – served with their signature rose petal jam and clotted cream, although don’t ask us which should be applied first. We were impressed with the pastry tower, complete with a selection of fruity and surprisingly light cakes; the top tier spot was deservingly saved for the sharing extravaganza of a rich Caraïbe chocolate tea cake. This was not the end, however, and when the surprise dessert and chocolate trolley was wheeled over bursting with sweet treats in all shapes, textures and colours, we promptly changed our dinner reservation to a later time.
The Room
We booked into a Premier Room – a spacious upgrade on the Classic, Superior and Deluxe classes – complete with a relaxing chaise lounge located near the floor-to-ceiling windows, and an apparently endless supply of free fruit (however many we ate, the strawberries and grapes just kept coming). The bathroom featured an appealing marble bathtub, and posh Diptyque toiletries.
Knowing we were celebrating a special occasion, we were welcomed with a surprise bottle of sparkling tea in our room – and a small bottle of local gin made a surprise appearance at turn-down service.
The most elaborate touch of all however was a monogrammed pillowcase on our bed at arrival – washed and wrapped up as a takeaway gift by the time of checkout.
The Three-Michelin-Starred Restaurant
T’ang Court is celebrating its 11th consecutive year as one of Hong Kong’s top restaurants awarded the coveted three Michelin stars – and we can understand why. Our vegetarian tasting menu of Cantonese favourites took us on a journey – from the appetiser trio's crispy fried enoki mushrooms and the elegantly presented stuffed bean curd in pumpkin soup, all the way to the softest melt-in-your-mouth eggplant clay pot – and ensured our high expectations were met. Although the venue’s regal feel may suggest otherwise, the flavours were in fact homely and comforting. The sweetened almond cream with egg white ended our night on another high note.
The Breakfast
Standouts at the carefully curated breakfast buffet included dim sum favourites, a live noodle soup station, South Asian curries and even a flavoursome tteokbokki – a Korean speciality we were particularly impressed to find present. The offering proved itself a cut above the five-star average with some innovative ideas, such as the doughnut board, regional nods in the form of miniature pineapple buns and egg tarts, and a particularly well-stocked salad bar. Cute touches included the small Swiss, French and Union Jack flags on top of ready-cut cheese, and there may have been more fresh juices than we’ve ever spotted at a hotel breakfast – with eight varieties being freshly pressed behind the bar.
The Club Upgrade
Going large on a club package lent our trip both extra convenience and a suitably smug sense of glamour. With barely a dozen tables across three intimate rooms, The Lounge feels genuinely exclusive, and one imagined the laidback business types speaking in exotic tongues to be thrashing out deals – all that was missing was the cigars. With fine stacks and refreshments of all served daylong, thanks to the almost-back-to-back afternoon tea and happy hours – and prosecco present at both – it proved a hard place to leave.
The Last Word
The little extras made all the difference to our stay – that personalised monogram a chance to slip your slippered-socks into an indulgent cosplay of English society. For a dose of London luxury in Hong Kong, you can do no wrong in booking into The Langham.
The Langham, Hong Kong, 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 852 2375 1133
Disclaimer: The writer was invited by The Langham, Hong Kong, to experience the property. All observations, assessments, and opinions expressed are based on the writer’s independent experience and professional judgement.
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