Sometimes you wonder how the 1% live, and then you remember that you’re definitely not the 1%. With rooms starting at $800 a night, the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong is up there. Metaphorically and literally, it once held the title of the highest hotel in the world. Funnily enough, it is also number 1 rated on Trip Advisor for Hong Kong. So, when I had an expiring free night certificate, I jumped at the chance to book the hotel. It definitely deserves its accolades and titles.

Overview

We’ve previously reviewed Ritz Carltons, such as ones in Toronto and (formerly) Cancun. As one of Marriott’s star brands, the Ritz Carlton’s key benefits include it’s Five Star Service, along with “old world” luxury. Ritz Carlton’s also have Clubs, which are a step above traditional hotel clubs, and are not accessible by regular elite guests.

Location

One of the hotel’s greatest assets its is location on top of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), 102/F - 118/F. As you can see later, this results in a fantastic skyline view of Hong Kong. ICC is also home to a mall and MTR station, so if you’re in the need for any shopping / food, it’s easily accessible.

There are 2 ways to get into the downstairs of the hotel: one through the front doors on the 9th floor, and the other, plebian entrance, through the mall.

You can see the Rolls Royce, which can be available for $2000 HKD for an airport transfer.

Naturally, I made my way up from the mall after taking the MTR.

One of the best parts for me about staying at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong is that you sit above the investment bankers at Morgan Stanley, DB and Credit Suisse, quite literally.

The 9th floor lobby is quite nice, but not at the insane level the 103nd floor is.

Check In

It takes 90 seconds to get up to the 103rd check in reception, but thankfully I had Joe from the hotel to help me. He worked for 47 years! in the hotel industry, and was the epitome of what luxury service was.

The design, much like Hong Kong, mixed in East and West, with faux marble floors and ceilings accentuated by traditional Chinese decorations like the carpet.

The hotel was extremely nice in upgrading me to a Deluxe Victoria Harbour Suite. This actually came with Club Lounge Access, something I didn’t realize until I left the hotel LOL.

I then proceed to drop my driver’s license on one of the marble ledges - the hotel subsequently swung into action, quickly bringing in a device to retrieve it. I find it hilarious they have such a device, as it shows how often this happens.

I then took another set of elevators up to my room on the 106th floor, and again loved the décor of the hotel.

The Room

The room is 785 sqft, yet based on it’s amazing design, it felt a larger than that. Opening the door, one is greeted by a small foyer that then leads on the living room.

The living room is anchored by a large, sturdy desk, along with a cute sofa.

After unveiling the silver platter welcome gift, we found a Christmas themed mousse, as well as a hand written card.

There was a well stocked minibar, as well as a proper espresso machine. Note that this is the Ritz after all, and so expect prices to be at that level.

I used the fridge to store a 7 Eleven Chicken Sandwich, which is one of my favorite foods.

On the desk was several pieces of information about the hotel’s amenities and service.

The other amenities in the room included a TV (not sure why anyone would watch), closet / mirror, and my favorite, a working telescope.

Opened just after the release of Instagram, the designers of the hotel knew it’s purpose, and so created several picture perfect angles.

We’ll go into the views later. Next up is the bedroom, which is connected to the living room by this sliding door.

There was also a place to store your luggage - indeed, the bellhops had already put my luggage there when I entered the room.

I found the bed to be extremely comfortable, but a tad on the hard side. Many Asian cultures prefer that, so definitely not a knock against the hotel.

There was complementary water on the bedstands - note while the front desk said not to drink tap water, Hong Kong’s water is perfectly drinkable (link to Hong Kong government website). There was also another TV in the room, and automated blinds, which I used to take Instagram videos.

Finally, the bathroom, which was one of the most baller bathrooms I have every seen in a hotel. It is anchored by elaborate double sink, complete with Diptyque amenities and mouthwash.

There is also a bathtub, complete with bath salts, that I unfortunately didn’t use due to the pool upstairs.

There was also a split toilet (which was the advanced, automated Japanese variety) and a shower.

The bathroom also had a double set of extremely comfortable bath robe and slippers.

Now, as promised, the views.

Amenities

For a city hotel, the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong has a ton of them. Starting with the restaurants: there are 2 Michellin starred restaurants, Tin Lung Heen, a 2 Michellin starred Cantonese place, and Tosca Di Angelo with a southern Italian themed. In addition, there is Ozone Bar, the highest rooftop bar in the world. Note all of these establishments are enclosed, mainly because it’s windy up there!

I spent a lot of time at the pool, taking in the views. The pool was designed for both swimming and relaxing, as there was plenty of seating and reading material for guests.

I did take a quick moment to work out at the gym, and thought it was the hotel’s weak point given the lack of a proper squat rack / bench. Interestingly, there were several trainers around, though I didn’t see anyone actually using their services.

Also, you can tell how expensive this place is because they have an Audemars Piguet clock. I think their watches start at $20,000.

The Service

Superb. That’s what you get when to combine the Ritz Carlton standards and Hong Kong hospitality. Joe, the lovely ambassador, worked for 47 years in the industry, and 13 at the Rtiz Carlton Hong Kong: he noted that while he was originally at the Peninsula Hong Kong, he didn’t believe in that hotel’s vision, and that the Ritz Carlton had replaced it as the nicest one in the city. I believe it. From the suite upgrade, to getting my driver’s license in 5 minutes, to how everyone proactively interacted with the guests, it was amazing. None of it felt forced or subservient either, more that everyone knew that they had to uphold Hong Kong’s finest standards.

The Point

The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong certainly is a bucket list travel item, and I think it ranks with some of the best hotels in the world. From the incredible views to the amazing rooms to the fantastic service, enough can’t be said about this hotel. That’s it, short and sweet: go if you can. Just remember that good food can definitely be found outside as well.