Oriental Luxury

Bhisham Mansukhani savours the hospitality of JW Marriott Hong Kong.

If any of the foggy afficanadoes of the Hong Kong of yore are still seething at the isle's transformation into a concrete jungle they must find refuge inside a certain JW Marriott hotel on Pacific Place. They will find, like I did, the sight of nostalgic warmth for eyes sore, from the monotony of metallic comforts.

In fact, on checking in I was immediately taken by a consistency of attention that had been missing through the early days of my official hiatus in Hong Kong.

True to the JW brand, the lobby is a grand affair -- lavish, glass-wall atrium with a cascading waterfall and vegetation. To the immediate far left, uninterrupted by any door panel is the hotel's much talked about The Lobby Lounge, which features the Canton Tea Company, Q88 Wine and Cigar Bar, Book Lounge and Lounge.

I uncharacteristically chose Canton Tea Company over Q88. Turns out, the choice was prudent. The Canton Tea Company is traditionally steeped affair with a tasteful display of variegate tea types in 102 jars. The cafe serves 61 types of tea. I settled for a staple Earl Grey despite the damning awareness that I would live to regret passing up the opportunity to try something appropriately Oriental. Confabulations with a cheerfully gregarious Therese Necio Ortega, Director-Communications over a piping hot cuppa, spilled on to lunch at the Chinese specialty restaurant, Man Ho, a level below the lobby.

The authentic Cantonese diner has a reputation of serving up traditional delicacies like Braised Superior Bird's Nest, Crab Claw and Fish Maw Broth. Some of the other notables in Food and Beverage bouquet included JW California Restaurant and Sushi Bar, which showcase California-Asian cuisine and the outdoor poolside alfresco, Fish Bar.

Having whizzed in and out of hotel rooms round the world, it does not take seasoned discernment to cite the difference between the earnest and the contrived and the JW Marriott leaned on the former and delectably so. Room allotment (602 rooms and 25 suites) takes on the excitement of a lucky draw since guests can either expect the harbour or mountain view. I got lucky with a birds eye view of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon beyond. The room was spacious with functional desk and all standard data and fax ports, the ubiquitous WiFi plus the regulation mini bar.

JW Marriott's location does it further favour. The underground Pacific Complex with 800,000 square feet of shopping space, dining and entertainment area is adjacent and accessed by the hotel's elevator. Local subway station is connected to the mall and The Hong Kong Convention is just ten minutes away with the iconic Star Ferry Terminal, closer still. Prime city attractions like Aberdeen Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo Stanley Market are in convenient proximity. Above all, the airport is a mere 20 minutes away.

Apart form five executive floors the hotel also boasts a gym, tennis and squash court, solarium and facilities like steam and sauna. Of course, I visited none of these as wine education and consumption at Q88 kept me. I did step unwittingly into the whirlpool aka Jacuzzi after a crab cake binge, hoping for simulated digestion, failing which, I braved the perilous eight-foot depth of the heated pool. Here I contemplated the rare nocturnal serenity that the hotel afforded me in spite of being centrally locked in an urban mangle.