City Guide: Hong Kong
A luxury Hong Kong city guide covering where to stay, eat and explore in Aisa’s most Electric City — from iconic stays at The Peninsula Hong Kong to Victoria Peak views, Michelin-starred dining and cultural landmarks.
Hong Kong is a city that rarely stands still. Skyscrapers rise from the harbour like ambitious bamboo shoots, ferries dart across the water with practised efficiency, and incense coils drift through temples that predate most modern nations. It is a place of dazzling contrasts. A city where Michelin-starred dining rooms share neighbourhoods with noodle stalls, where jungle hiking trails sit minutes from luxury malls, and where history — colonial, Chinese and defiantly modern — collides in fascinating ways. Spend a few days here and you’ll discover a metropolis that rewards curiosity, stamina and, ideally, an elastic waistband.
Where to Stay
The Peninsula Hong Kong:
If Hong Kong hotels were aristocracy, The Peninsula Hong Kong would be the duchess — elegant, slightly formidable, and entirely confident in her place in the world.
Known affectionately as The Pen, the hotel has been welcoming travellers since 1928 and remains the city’s most storied address. Film stars, diplomats and discerning travellers have all checked in over the decades, drawn by its rare ability to blend heritage glamour with modern luxury.
Arrival is delightfully theatrical. Guests glide through the city in one of the hotel’s signature Rolls-Royces before sweeping into the iconic forecourt, where fountains and manicured symmetry set the tone.
Inside, the lobby is pure old-world splendour: soaring ceilings, polished marble floors, glittering chandeliers and stately columns that suggest afternoon tea should be taken very seriously indeed.
Rooms are classic and serene rather than ostentatious. Cream and gold interiors provide calm refuge from the city’s energy, while large windows frame views across Victoria Harbour or the skyline of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.
Bathrooms are equally indulgent, featuring marble finishes, deep soaking tubs and rainfall showers. Thoughtful technology and sustainability initiatives — including the elimination of single-use plastics — ensure the hotel remains firmly rooted in the present.
The Peninsula Spa offers a welcome retreat above the city. Inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, treatments include meridian massage, Gua Sha therapies and seasonal wellness programmes. A harbour-view pool and tranquil relaxation areas make lingering here extremely tempting.
Check availability and best rates at: The Peninsula Hong Kong.
Where to Eat
Hong Kong’s dining scene is thrillingly diverse. Cantonese culinary tradition sits comfortably beside experimental kitchens, producing one of the world’s most exciting food cities.
Ho Lee Fook:
With a name that raises eyebrows and a menu that raises standards, Ho Lee Fook is a modern celebration of Chinese comfort food.
Chef ArChan Chan blends traditional flavours with contemporary flair — from delicate dim sum to smoky barbecued meats and beautifully balanced seafood dishes.
The playful Lucky Cat drink, served in a golden waving-cat mug, perfectly captures the restaurant’s irreverent spirit.
Little Bao:
Few restaurants embody Hong Kong’s cultural mash-up quite like Little Bao.
Founded by chef May Chow, this cult favourite serves fluffy steamed bao filled with indulgent combinations like braised pork belly, pickles and crispy shallots.
Inventive small plates — including Szechuan fried chicken and truffle fries — share space with craft cocktails, neon lighting and communal tables that encourage lively conversation.
Gaddi’s:
For something more formal, Gaddi’s at The Peninsula Hong Kong delivers timeless elegance.
A Michelin-starred institution since 1953, the restaurant is now led by chef Anne-Sophie Nicolas, the first woman to helm the kitchen in its history.
Expect refined French classics with modern touches: Brittany lobster, beef tartare with black truffle and beautifully executed wagyu. Dessert — particularly the mille-feuille — borders on art.
The dining room, with its chandeliers and live classical music, feels wonderfully theatrical.
Things To Do
Ride the Peak Tram
One of Hong Kong’s most iconic experiences, the Peak Tram climbs steeply towards Victoria Peak, revealing increasingly dramatic views over Victoria Harbour.
At the summit, the scenic Lugard Road walking path loops through lush greenery with spectacular panoramic viewpoints.
Escape to Repulse Bay
Just twenty minutes from Central, Repulse Bay offers a relaxed coastal contrast to the city’s vertical intensity.
Its crescent-shaped sandy beach is lined with luxury residences and watched over by colourful statues of Chinese deities. Calm waters make it ideal for swimming, while cafés and shops provide leisurely distractions.
It’s the sort of place where Hong Kong pauses long enough to enjoy the sunshine.
See the City by Helicopter
For a truly memorable perspective, helicopter tours depart from the rooftop helipad of The Peninsula Hong Kong.
From above, Hong Kong’s geography becomes spectacularly clear — a dense urban core surrounded by mountains, sea and scattered islands.
Best Places To Visit
Lantau Island
Hong Kong’s largest island offers a quieter side to the territory.
The journey begins aboard the scenic Ngong Ping 360 cable car, which glides above forested mountains toward the towering Tian Tan Buddha and the peaceful Po Lin Monastery.
Beyond its spiritual landmarks, Lantau also features hiking trails, beaches and the ever-popular Hong Kong Disneyland.
Temples, Art and Culture
In Sheung Wan, the atmospheric Man Mo Temple fills with spiralling incense coils honouring the gods of literature and war.
Nearby, Tai Kwun — once a police station and prison — has been reimagined as a vibrant cultural hub filled with galleries, cafés and performance spaces.
Modern Hong Kong is equally compelling. The striking waterfront building of M+ Museum showcases cutting-edge contemporary art, while the Hong Kong Palace Museum reveals centuries of Chinese imperial history through rare artefacts and immersive exhibitions.
To book your stay: visit www.peninsula.com/en/hong-kong
To learn more and plan your trip: visit www.discoverhongkong.com
Written by Esohe Ebohon