CITYLIVING55
bathroom, gigantic bed and, best of
all, a wall-sized window that looks
out onto the harbour.
There are smaller, less costly
suites - all perfectly comfortable.
And if you're feeling flash there is
the rather presidential ExtremeWow
suite, which is like the swankiest
apartment you've never been able to
afford to stay in. Swarovski crystal-
studded toilet, anyone?
The gym, SWEAT, is situated
above the clouds on the 73rd floor.
The floor-to-ceiling windows mean
there's plenty to look at while
working out.
The outdoor swimming pool on
the roof, the highest in the city,
offers an even more stunning
experience.
Head to the hotel's Fire
restaurant if you want fine dining, or
visit the more relaxed Kitchen for
casual eating and amazing views of
the junk boats and trawlers in action.
Through an adjoining door in the
lobby, you can wander into the
Elements shopping mall, which has
everything you might expect to find,
plus some excellent local shops.
There are some great bargains if
you're into gadgets and clothes but
other things, such as CDs and
DVDs, can be expensive.
Make sure you have a decent
grasp of the exchange rates while
you're spending your hard-earned
Hong Kong dollars.There's roughly
11 HK dollars to the pound, but this
can fluctuate daily.
Shopping is something of a sport
in Hong Kong and, come the
weekend, legions of locals pile into
shops and take advantage of the many
high-end fashion designer outlets.
Cosmetics are big business too,
so anyone with a love of make-up
and perfume will be in heaven.
Staying inWest Kowloon means
travelling over to Hong Kong Island
most days. It's easy to do, either via
the MTR or taxi, which are both
cheap and pass under the bay.
The Star Ferry, however, is much
more fun. Crossings are very regular,
quick and the sight of Central's mass
of skyscrapers in the distance is
fantastic.
To make the best of the view,
however, go out on the water at night
on a Symphony Of
Lights tour, where
up to 44 of the
gigantic buildings
are lit brightly and
flash in time to
music. Symphony
Of Lights takes
place every night
at 8pm. Head to
theTsim ShaTsui
waterfront to catch
one of the boats.
In daylight,
once you're on Hong Kong Island,
you have to head up toThe Peak on
Garden Road, Hong Kong's most
popular tourist attraction.
After a steep tram ride to the top
ofVictoria Peak, high above the city,
you can absorb the most
breathtaking view of Hong Kong's
skyline, bay and surrounding area.
The visitors centre is crammed with
the obligatory gift shops, but there's
also a great viewing platform as well
as several cafes and, exactly what
you'd expect to find 500m above the
city, a MadameTussauds waxworks.
Once back at street level,Wan
Chai should be your next port of
call.The district is the metropolitan
centre - a busy hub of shops, cafes,
bars and more shops.
OVO Restaurant is a great choice
for traditional Chinese dim sum and
white tea.
If you've got a sweet tooth, try an
egg tart from theTai Cheung bakery
on LyndhurstTerrace.This
Cantonese favourite is decorated
with pictures of former British
governor Chris Patten eating its
famous tarts.
When the sun goes down, Lan
Kwai Fong in Central is a popular
choice - wall-to-wall Irish pubs,
clubs and bars line the streets,
making it look like something from a
Faliraki 18-30s holiday. More sedate
nightlife can be found in the cocktail
bars in streets nearby.We liked
Sevva, a classy penthouse wine bar
with outdoor terrace.
No matter how long your stay in
Hong Kong, theTianTan Buddha
statue on Lantau Island should be
high on your list of things to see.
You'll need to take the MTR to
Tung Chung, not too far from the
airport, where you'll board the Ngong
Ping 360, Asia's longest cable car ride,
to take you over the bay. It takes
around 20 minutes to travel almost
six kilometres to Ngong Ping village.
Pass the tacky gift shops, and
head straight for the main attraction,
a 110ft-tall bronze Buddha statue.
It's well worth trekking up the 268
steps to take a closer look and
absorb the peaceful surroundings.
Four days is just long enough to
get a taste of Hong Kong - but be
warned, you'll want to go back!
TRAVELFACTS
Andrew Welch flew to
Hong Kong as a guest of
British Airways, which
offers return flights to
Hong Kong in June from
�337.
BA Holidays offers
three-night room-only
breaks during May at the
three-star Regal
Riverside in Kowloon
from �399.
British Airways
reservations: 0844 493
0787/www.ba.com.
British Airways
Holidays: 0844 493
0758/www.ba.com.
BEST FOR: Avid shoppers,
especially gadget fans.
TIME TO GO: Between April and October,
when temperatures are high, but humidity is
at its lowest.DON'T MISS: A trip up to The Peak
to take in the view.
NEED TO KNOW: Just about everywhere in
Hong Kong has air-conditioning, so pack lots of
light layers to take the chill off while indoors.
DON'T FORGET: Pack sun cream. The
city is shaded because of the high-rise
buildings, but open spaces can
be blisteringly hot.
KEYFACTS

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