Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Peak Hotel

The Peak Hotel, was a hotel built after the opening in 1888 of the Peak Tram. Prominent hotelier Dorabjee Nowrojee, who was already ferrying his hotel guests across the Victoria Harbour via his partner Hing Kee and opened the Hotel - 1,250 feet above sea-level. As a result of 's inclement weather, much of the promised views were shrouded in mist for months, the hotel gradually lost its appeal and in 1922 it was bought by the owners of the rival Hong Kong Hotel for Hong Kong Dollars 600,000. The hotel's poor construction led to further deterioration. It closed in 1936 and in 1938 its fate was finally sealed by a fire.

The Excelsior (Hong Kong)

The Excelsior is a hotel located at Lot No.1 , which is the first plot of land sold at auction after Hong Kong became a British Colony in 1841. The Noon-day Gun is located opposite the hotel, which was built in 1973.

The hotel is now owned and operated by Mandarin Oriental.

Regal Hotels International

Regal Hotels International is the largest hotel group in Hong Kong. Regal Hotels International Holdings Limited is a company incorporated in Bermuda and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company is controlled by its Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Lo Yuk Sui, who speaks for 52.84% of the issued share capital as at 31 December 2005.

REIT


In October, 2006, the company announced plans to sell and separately list its hotel properties in a Real Estate Investment Trust. However, as the Sunlight REIT spun off by Henderson Land Development fell by 6.5% on its market debut on December 21, Regal chose to delay its offer.

On March 13, 2007, Regal announced its of up to 50 percent in Regal Hotels Real Estate Investment Trust, to be co-sponsored by Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, and raised HKD2.3 billion.

Hotels



Hong Kong


*Regal Airport Hotel, at the Hong Kong International Airport
*Regal Hongkong Hotel, in Causeway Bay
*Regal Kowloon Hotel, in
*Regal Oriental Hotel, in Kowloon City
*Regal Riverside Hotel, in Shatin

Shanghai


* Regal International East Asia Hotel
* Regal Shanghai East Asia Hotel
* Regal Jinfeng Hotel

Former hotels



*Regal Constellation Hotel, a large property near Pearson International Airport near Toronto, Ontario built in 1962. The hotel consisted of two 15 floor tower, 6 storey atrium, a Chinese restaurant and 90,000 square feet of convention space. Due to declining trade, the hotel was sold to Hospitality Investors Group of Scottsdale, Arizona in 2004 for redevelopment.

Le Méridien Cyberport Hotel

Le Meridien Cyberport is a hotel at the Cyberport in the of Hong Kong. It is a 5-star, 13-story, 173-room complex that publicises large plasma screen televisions, broadband, and luxury showers as features of its technology theme. The London-based hotel chain, Le Meridien, was awarded a 10-year management contract for this only hotel to be built at the Cyberport. The hotel has been listed by British newspaper ''The Independent'' as one of the five best "hi-tech hotels".

Le Meridien Cyberport was due for completion in September 2003, then December 2003, and finally for March 2004. The hotel has been completed and opened.

Kowloon Shangri-La

Kowloon Shangri-La is one of two hotels in Hong Kong under the Shangri-La Hotels group, the largest Asian-based hotel chain. Kowloon Shangri-La is located at Mody Road in Tsim Sha Tsui over looking Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong island skyline. The hotel opened in 1981 and it was managed by Westin until April 1991, thereafter Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts assumed management of the hotel till today.

Island Shangri-La

Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong is one of the hotels under the Shangri-La Hotels group, the largest Asian-based hotel chain. Opened in 1991 it is located on top of Pacific Place and adjacent to JW Marriott, Hong Kong and Conrad Hotel in , Central and Western District.

Island Shangri-La rises 56 floors, overlooking Victoria Harbour, making it the highest elevated hotel in Hong Kong Island. The world's largest Chinese silk painting, 'The Great Motherland of China' can be found in the hotel Atrium between 41/F to 56/F

2006 Awards


Island Shangri-La is a recipient of the following awards:
* Asia's Best Hotel and Asia's Best Hotel in Providing In-room Internet Services, Asiamoney
* Best Business Hotel in Asia, SmartTravelAsia.com - "Best in Travel Poll"

International Commerce Centre

International Commerce Centre is a 118 , 484 skyscraper under construction in , Hong Kong; as part of the project built on top of Kowloon Station. The development is owned and jointly developed by MTR Corporation Limited and ; Hong Kong's operator and largest property developer respectively.

Its formal development name is Union Square Phase 7; and the name International Commerce Centre was officially announced in 2005. Upon completion by 2010, the skyscraper will become Hong Kong's tallest building and will have the third highest roof in the world, after the Burj Dubai complex and the Shanghai World Financial Center.

SHKP, together with another major Hong Kong developer, Henderson Land, also co-developed the current record holder for Hong Kong's tallest building, ; located directly across Victoria Harbour in , Hong Kong Island.

Development



The height has been scaled back from earlier plans due to regulations that didn't allow buildings to be taller than the surrounding mountains. The original proposal for this building was called Kowloon Station Phase 7 and it was supposed to be 102 floors and 574 m tall. However, the roof is still set to reach 490 m , taller than the roof of the proposed Freedom Tower in , though shorter than the roofs of the Burj Dubai, Chicago Spire, and the Shanghai World Financial Center. It will tower 75 m over the current tallest in Hong Kong, .

The tower was designed by the American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates in association with Wong & Ouyang Ltd.


Tenants


A operated by Ritz-Carlton will occupy the top 15 floors of the tower. The hotel's lobby is at 425 meters above the ground, becoming the highest hotel in the world when completed, surpassing the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the Jin Mao Tower in Pudong, Shanghai.

Current progress




As of 2 May, 2008, the concrete core is at level 102 and the core's height is about .

At its basement is the '''' shopping mall, which has already been opened in October 2007. Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse have confirmed moving into ICC and will occupy 10 floors each , Deutsche Bank also confirmed to move in and will occupy 12 floors with the option to expand to 18 floors.

A viewing deck on the 100th floor will be opened to the public when the building opens.


Gallery






Image:International Commerce Centre 200504.jpg|ICC under construction on April 2005
Image:International Commerce Centre 200507.jpg|ICC under construction on July 2005
Image:West Kowloon Station Site.jpg|West Kowloon station construction site near the ICC, September 2006
Image:ICC construction.JPG|ICC under construction on 6 December, 2006
Image:HK West Kowloon Giants.JPG|ICC under construction on the left on 25 February, 2007. To the right are the buildings The Harbourside and . The towers can be seen in the back in between the ICC and the Harbourside.
image:ICC HK March.jpg|ICC under construction on 31 March, 2007
Image:ICC July2007.JPG|ICC under construction on 16 July, 2007
Image:UnionSquareview 20070829.jpg|A view of The Union Square buildings on 29 August, 2007
Image:ICC 10-01-2007.JPG|ICC under construction on 1 October, 2007
Image:West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade 200710-2.jpg|ICC seen from the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade on October, 2007
Image:International Commerce Centre 200801.jpg|ICC under construction on Jan 2008
Image:ICC_Hong_Kong_March_2008.JPG | ICC under construction, March 2008
Image:ICC May.JPG | ICC under construction, May 2008

Hong Kong SkyCity

Hong Kong SkyCity is a large business and entertainment complex adjacent to the Hong Kong International Airport, and is built on land owned by the Airport Authority Hong Kong. It currently includes the AsiaWorld-Expo and .

Facilities



AsiaWorld-Expo



AsiaWorld-Expo is the largest, and perhaps largest column free, exhibition centre in Hong Kong, boasting over 70,000 cubic meters of space. It plays host to numerous trade shows, meetings, and concerts . It is directly connected to the Airport Express.

SkyPier


This complex allows citizens from mainland China to access Hong Kong by boat or ferry. It is connected via buses that transport visitors or passengers to the Airport for connecting flights and vice versa.

Under Development



SkyPlaza


SkyPlaza is a large entertainment and retail centre that would be housed in Terminal 2 of the Hong Kong International Airport. It would include the , which would house numerous offices. The check-in facilities of Terminal 2 opened on February 28, 2007 along with the opening of Platform 3 of the

Marriott Hotel SkyCity



This five-star hotel will be adjacent to the SkyPier and will accommodate up to 1,500 people. The expected completion date for the first phase is December 2008.

Golf course


A nine-hole golf course between the airport and SkyPier. It will allow people as well as passengers waiting for their flights or boats to spend the time.

Transportation



From Airport area



Shuttle buses are the current options of getting around SkyCity without driving a car.

, part of the MTR's Airport Express Line, takes only a minute to travel between AsiaWorld-Expo and the Airport. It costs HK$2.5 for Octopus users and HK$5 for others.

Automated People Mover is the current in use at the airport and only operates within the terminal. After completion of SkyCity, the Hong Kong International Airport Automated People Mover will be extended to include Terminal 2 and SkyPier.

From other areas of Hong Kong


Because SkyCity is located at Chek Lap Kok, the island Hong Kong International Airport is on, it is easy to reach from other areas of the city.

The can be taken from Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Tsing Yi stations. In addition, the Tung Chung Line can be taken from Tung Chung to the same stations via buses to Tung Chung at a cheaper price than the Airport Express.

The buses that serve the Airport are also options, including the A.21 from Hung Hom in Kowloon, which travels to both the Airport and the AsiaWorld-Expo.

The common taxis that service Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Lantau are the easiest but also perhaps the most expensive way to get to SkyCity.

Hong Kong Hotel

Hong Kong Hotel was the Colony's first luxury hotel in Hong Kong. It was opened on the waterfront of Victoria Harbour, Central, Hong Kong in 1866.

The hotel


The building occupied an entire block, with entrances on Pedder Street, Queen's Road and Praya Central. Hong Kong's first deluxe hotel modelled after sumptuous London hotels, The Hongkong Hotel, stood roughly on the site of the present Central building, from 1866. Competing in all respects with the owners of , who owned the Peak Hotel, the management provided a special launch to meet arriving passengers on incoming mail steamers and ferry them direct to the hotel's pier.

Previous to the hotel, the land belonged to Dent & Co., where the west wing of its "princely" headquarters was located. In 1886, the hotel had added a north wing on the site.

The hotel was later rebuilt into a 6-storey structure, completed in 1893; the hotel burned down on New Year's Day, 1926.

The site was acquired by Hong Kong Land in 1928, and Gloucester Tower was constructed in 1932. It was redeveloped into in 1979.

Hong Kong Hilton

Hong Kong Hilton was a hotel in Central, Hong Kong, Built in 1961, the 26 storey hotel was a the only 5-star hotel on the island side of the territory. It closed in May 1995, and was demolished soon thereafter to make way for a commercial development .

History


The 26-storey building was owned by Hutchison Whampoa, who licensed to operate it for 50 years. The 750-room hotel opened in 1961 and was one of the most prestigious in the colony, a favorite tourists and dignitaries alike.

In January 1994, with about 20 years of the management contract to run, Hutchison announced the buyout of the remaining term for US$125 million. The hotel subsequently closed its doors on May 1, 1995, the landmark was to be torn down and rebuilt as a multi-storey commercial office complex and headquarters for Li Ka-shing's flagship holding company, Cheung Kong Holdings.

The Hong Kong Hilton had staff of 850. Its employees were given an average of nine months' salary as part of the redundancy package. Also, Hutchison placed over 60% of its staff in the new Harbour Plaza Hotel in Hung Hom.

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong

The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is a luxury Hyatt hotel in Hong Kong, and the Asian flagship of Hyatt International. It has been described in a ''New York Times'' travel article as a "world-famous prestige" property. It opened in 1989 and is located at 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, adjacent to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

In 2004 the 11th floor was converted into a spa and "hotel with a hotel" named "The Plateau" at a cost of some US$10 million. Encouraged by the results of the experiment, Hyatt now plans to install spas in all its Park Hyatt and some other Grand Hyatt brand hotels.

The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong has been attended by heads of state including Bill Clinton in 1988 and Chinese president Hu Jintao in his first visit to Hong Kong.

A reviewer for ''Forbes Traveller'' enthused about the views of the and waterfront, feeling that they more than made up for its tendency towards the "pint-sized" rooms typical of Hong Kong.

Eaton Hotel Hong Kong

Eaton Hotel Hong Kong is a four-star hotel in Hong Kong. It is owned and managed by Langham Hotels International, which is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Great Eagle Holdings Limited. It opened in 1990 and it finished its US$18m renovation project in 2007.

It is located at 380 Nathan Road in downtown Kowloon, between Jordan and Yau Ma Tei, near the Temple Street Night Market and the Jade Market.

Facility


Eaton Hotel offers 465 guest rooms and suites , an E Club Lounge, and three ballrooms and ten function rooms. There are seven restaurants and bars in the hotel, including the Metro Buffet & Grill, Metro Lounge, Garden Terrace, Planter’s Bar, Main St. Café, Yat Tung Heen and Yagura Japanese Restaurant.

China Hong Kong City

China Hong Kong City is a commercial complex that includes a shopping centre, office buildings, a hotel and a ferry terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is situated near Canton Road, next to and the Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station. The , extended from its The Royal Pacific Hotel, provides s to destinations in mainland China and Macau.

According to its Chinese version webpage, it is also the largest building in the world with golden coloured screenwall.
The building is managed by Sino Group. Below the shopping centre is a bus terminus.

Baden-Powell International House

The BP International, more formally known as Baden-Powell International House, is a large, 25-story three star hotel and conference centre in the touristically attractive Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. The formal address is 8 Austin Road.

Hotel



BP International has 529 rooms and seven suites, accommodating over thousand guests. All rooms have quality modern amenities. For conferences and other large groups, the Gordon Wu Hall on the upper ground floor can hold up to 1,000 people in various settings. The first five floors of the building provide a 500+ spaces parking area. The three restaurants are in the basement and on the ground floor.

Although the BP International is connected to the Scout Association of Hong Kong, it is commercially autonomous, and does not present a Scout presence. Scouts may receive reduced rates at request.

Scouting


The BP International is the major part of the , run by the The Scout Association of Hong Kong. The association is housed on the 8th till the 11th floors.

For July 2005, the BP International was the proposed host for the 9th World Scout Youth Forum, and the 37th World Scout Conference, which was actually held in Hammamet, Tunisia It is now proposed for the 2011 versions of these two events.