Hong
Kong's famed Victoria Harbour lit up in bright lights makes for a
ravishing view and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the
world. The experience is enhanced by a well-made drink at some of the
city's most glamorous addresses.
Here are our picks of the best Hong Kong bars with a view of Victoria Harbour:
Sugar: Best new perspective
Sugar
is the most resourceful bar-with-a-view. It is located on the edge of a
residential housing estate in Quarry Bay where it is rare to find a
high-octane cocktail joint with a killer view to boot. Predictably, the
joint is getting good business from the neighboring Taikoo Place
offices.
While "harborview" typically conjures up the night view
of Tsim Sha Tsui lit up by neon, Sugar offers a view of East Kowloon
where there are fewer flourescent billboards. The scene is made up of
ocean-going vessels serenely floating in the wide harbor with a backdrop
of the old airport, Kai Tak.
It's best to visit the loungy
outdoor deck before sunset to enjoy the coastline by the soft light of
dusk. This way, you can also avoid Sugar's garish pink and purple
lighting that becomes apparent once it's dark.
Open until 2 a.m. 32/F, EAST, 29 Taikoo Shing Road, Tai Koo, +852 3968 3738 www.sugar-hongkong.com
It could only be called OZONE.
OZONE: Highest in Asia
Perched on the 118th floor of the
Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, OZONE claims to be the highest bar in Asia, counting up from street-level.
That
superlative alone is enough to attract throngs of thirsty
thrill-seekers. But the bar is an over-achiever. OZONE stuns inside and
out with a lavishly decorated interior of gold and marble.
Corner tables offer a wraparound view, while binoculars located on the terrace are a temptation for everyone's inner voyeur.
The
menu is light Asian tapas heavy with Japanese influences. Cocktails are
done with confidence here but Champagne from the extensive cellar is
the default for the well-heeled customers.
No flip-flops,
beach sandals and plastic footwear. Men are required to wear full-length
trousers; sleeveless shirts are prohibited. 118/F, International
Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, +852 2263 2263.www.ritzcarlton.com
Felix at the Peninsula.
Felix: The godfather
Felix
is the original Hong Kong harborview bar, where you can celebrate the
neon-lit panorama of Victoria Harbour all the way to the men's bathroom
(it has one of
Hong Kong's best toilets).
It's
become a bit of a tourist trap, with the restaurant serving so-so
Pacific Rim cuisine, hit-and-miss service, and a clientele of short-stay
visitors armed with cameras, but the place remains an icon and you have
to at least
know about Felix if you've set foot in the city.
Designed
by Philippe Starck, the contemporary art feel of Felix contrasts with
the colonial grandeur of the rest of the Peninsula Hotel.
The bar
does decent drinks, although anybody who comes here doesn't bother with
much other than Champagne. It's an old-school high roller place that
bans kids and enforces a strict dress code, but get past the elitism and
you're in Hong Kong's most classic harborview bar.
Drinks
until 1:30 a.m. No flip-flops, beach sandals or plastic footwear. Men
are not permitted to wear sleeveless shirts and are required to wear
full-length trousers. Children under 12 are not permitted. The Felix
elevators are located in the Peninsula Arcade entrance adjacent to
Hankow Road. 28/F, The Peninsula Hotel, Salisbury Road, Kowloon, +852
2920 2888 www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong
The Aqua Luna.
Aqua Luna: Be the harbor
You
can't get much closer to Victoria Harbour than aboard the Aqua Luna, a
beautifully refurbished traditional Hong Kong junk that turns into a bar
at night.
This Oriental-chic floating bar is Hong Kong's
ultimate booze cruise, taking guests for a Prosecco-fueled 45-minute
voyage around Victoria Harbour. The sailing of choice is the 7:30 p.m.
Symphony of Lights cruise. If you want to make a day of it, take the
leisurely Aqua Luna 90-minute cruise to Stanley on weekends.
Eight
daily sailings from 1:30 - 10:30 p.m.; noon cruise to Stanley Market on
Saturday and Sunday only. Sailings depart from Pier 1 (Cultural Center)
in Tsim Sha Tsui and Pier 9 in Central.
For reservations call +852 2116 8821 www.aqua.com.hk
Café Gray Bar: Unapologetically fancy
The crowd is very
moneyed, very hip and unashamedly aware of how pretentious it can be. I
mean, this is a place that serves gimlets in miniature martini glasses.
But it is a six-star hotel bar and the staff are trained in the finer
skills of hospitality -- they'll serve your gimlet in a paper cup if
that's what you demand.
The design is understated and sophisticated, with tactile upholstery in warm woods, navy and not a touch of chrome or acrylic.
A
seat by the windows gets a view of the tops of Admiralty's skyscrapers
and Tsim Sha Tsui beyond. The best part though is that the bar food is
actually pretty good, such as the polenta fries and crabmeat fritters,
courtesy chef Gray Kunz.
Drinks until 1 a.m. 49/F, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, +852 2918 1838 www.cafegrayhk.com
Aqua Spirit.
Aqua Spirit: Flirting with vertigo
Just
being in Aqua Spirit makes us feel sexy. It's all dark reflective
surfaces, really-difficult-to-get tables and politely aloof staff. Some
regulars like to top off the experience with the signature Aquatini, a
martini with gold flakes.
The harborview here is huge. A powerful
panorama of Victoria Harbour is presented through floor-to-ceiling
windows spanning two stories. Every little detail of northern Hong Kong
Island can be seen. It's slightly vertiginous, causing a mild dizziness
that goes well with gold flake cocktail-induced tipsiness.
Open until 2 a.m. 29-30/F, One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 3427 2288
www.aqua.com.hk
Sevva.
Sevva: Central hangout
Sevva's
interior is straight out of Vogue Living and the view from the open
terrace encompasses Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, Admiralty, and Central --
the neighboring HSBC building is so close you could almost touch it.
All this makes Sevva the banker and corporate lawyer's hangout of choice
for that magical social space that occurs post-dinner and pre-club.
Someone's
closed a deal -- they'll head to Sevva to toast associates facing the
champion view. Someone's lost a court case -- they'll head to Sevva and
sink low in the outdoor couches, get drunk and angry on old Bordeaux
then rant at the HSBC.
Watch out for disappointing food at Sevva's restaurant and avoid the below par service on ridiculously busy weekends.
Open
until 2 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and public holidays' eve; closed
Sunday. 25/F, Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, +852 2537 1388
www.sevva.hk
Lobby Lounge at the InterContinental.
Lobby Lounge: Place to be seen
The
InterContinental's Lobby Lounge has an unnerving fish bowl effect. The
large windows are the main feature and they look out onto the Avenue of
the Stars at street level, so you know the tourists may be looking in at
you, maybe they'll take a snapshot, maybe post you onto their travel
blog. But tourists are an inherent part of Hong Kong's harborview and
they make the Lobby Lounge a unique place to access Victoria Harbour.
The
lounge itself has an impersonal business hotel feel to it, but visit at
night and the view of Hong Kong's skyline looms large while the lounge
decor recedes. See this
video as proof of the Lobby Lounges' harborview credentials.
Drinks until 1 a.m. Hotel InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, +852 2721 1211 hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com
ToTT's.
ToTT's: Most overlooked lookout
Causeway
Bay has one swanky rooftop respite that isn't talked about much.
Ironically, it's called ToTT's, which stands for Talk of The Town.
Perched
on the top floor of the Excelsior, the restaurant is loved for its
Champagne brunches (Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.) and special occasion
dinners, but we love it for its girly cocktails you can enjoy on the
roof terrace during one of those clear Hong Kong summer nights.
No sandals, singlets, shorts, or sleeveless shirts. Open until 2 a.m., Friday, Saturday, and public holiday eves. 281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, +852 2837 6786 www.mandarinoriental.com/excelsior
