I have two rules when I travel. The first is to follow this motto: See cool sh*t, do cool sh*t, wear cool sh*t. See the monuments, see the architecture, see the landscapes and the citiscapes. Then you gotta do something unique. Get out of your comfort zone, push yourself, and/or learn something. And finally, you’ll never see or hear me do anything without the proper attire always to look great, regardless of function. Rule number two: I like to be Indiana Jones before six pm and James Bond after 6 pm. Get dirty and rugged during the day and then wear a great suit for cocktails and an elevated dinner.
To accomplish those two rules, especially the second, the right hotel is vital. You need to find a place that provides a luxurious base where you can launch into the more adventurous, dangerous, and maybe even foolhardy territory of your day. The Hari Hong Kong provided a base for my recent trip to the city. It is the perfect place to remain within my own personal travel rulebook.
The lap of luxury
The trick to feeling like James Bond when you travel is knowing where to put your money. And where you stay is the best place to splurge. Some may argue the excursions or the flights, but for me, the place I am going to spend my downtime needs to be equal in luxury comforts, as the excursions are adventurous. The Hari Hong Kong has multiple restaurants with upscale food options, killer cocktails, and rooms that help you unwind after the day.
The two formal restaurants are the Lucciola, featuring Italian fare that will always be my number one choice, no matter what country I am in, and Zoku, an upscale Japanese restaurant featuring some of the best and most elevated sushi you will find in the city. Of course, that is only taking care of the dinner. Cocktail hour in The Lounge with some light bites to get you going, and a cigar pairing on The Terrace with your nightcap is the definition of James Bond elegance.
Surrounded by the old world
But that is your after-6 pm feel. Before 6 pm, it is Indiana Jones time. Following my rule of travel means that the day is filled with something adventurous and mind-expanding. The Hari Hong Kong sits tucked into the old world, surrounded by the customs of the past and a culture persevering in a world progressing at an unstoppable pace. Two blocks over is Causeway Bay, which, after a twenty-minute ride around the boats, makes you feel like you have disappeared into an old fishing village. Once you’re out on the boat, you can look back at the city and see it nestled into the hillsides, looking as if the greenery is seconds from overtaking it. Of course, that means there is ample hiking available if you’re ready to climb some hills.
Even from your room, you can look out from your modern glass walls to see clothes hanging from old racks outside the windows to dry. A symbol of the past ways from the comfort of the present.
Adventure at your fingertips
None of this means you actually have to leave the hotel. My rules are my rules. They are what work for me (and arguably what works for Indiana Jones and James Bond…no big deal). But if you would rather learn something new or experience adventure from the comfort of air-conditioning and in the vicinity of the aforementioned fine dining, cocktails, and cigar pairings, then you can return to the very place you checked in, The Lounge.
One of my favorite things about The Hari Hong Kong is this room, where there are books scattered everywhere. Everything from the legendary designer of the hotel’s biography to gothic literature, classics you know and love, and so much in between. I am the kind of guy who wanted to check in, grab a shower, and run out into the city to roam the old streets (this is where I was peer-pressured into trying turtle shell jam, snake soup, and chicken feet by the way). I am also the guy who wants to disappear into the culture as best I can. But, if that isn’t you, or if you just need a night to recover from the long flight, saddle up with a good book from the lounge and experience the lap of luxury against the backdrop of old-world Hong Kong.
The Hari Hong Kong is perfect for Indy, 007, or just regular Joes like you and me.
