World’s highest hotel opens in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon in 2011 – from the SCMP archive

he International Commerce Centre (ICC) in West Kowloon in 2020, which houses the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.

Photo: May Tse This article was first published on April 3, 2011 By John Carney You could say it is the height of luxury.

And if putting on the Ritz is your thing, it’s just the place for you.

The highest hotel in the world opened in Hong Kong last week, and if the altitude doesn’t give you a nosebleed, the price of a room will.

Taking up floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), the five-star, 312-room Ritz-Carlton Hotel Hong Kong, is certainly high-class.

With views of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbour, the hotel knocks the Park Hyatt Shanghai - on the 79th to 93rd floors of the Shanghai World Financial Centre - off its perch as the highest hotel.

Naturally, it also boasts the highest bar in the world, Ozone, on the 118th floor.

Owned by Sun Hung Kai Properties, the ICC is the tallest building in Hong Kong, at 484 metres.

Standing atop Kowloon station, it took nearly five years to build.

The building is called the Dragon’s Tail because of its shape and has scales on the outside to represent those of a dragon’s in a nod to popular Chinese culture.

While the new Ritz-Carlton can enjoy being the world’s highest hotel, the ICC is still not the world’s highest building.

That honour belongs to Dubai’s 828 metre Burj Khalifa.

However, its signature hotel, the Armani Hotel, is no higher than its 39th floor.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel, located in the International Commerce Centre, West Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Photo: Handout Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, though, and for some, to be staying in a hotel this far from terra firma may cause a few palpitations.

The Ritz-Carlton’s director of public relations, Bonnie Kwok, doesn’t think that will be a problem, though. “It doesn’t matter if the hotel is high up or lower down, it still has to be comfortable for our guests.

It’s a modern building, but we use warm colours and fabrics to make our guests feel more relaxed and at home,” said Kwok. “Some modern buildings can feel cold and unwelcoming, but no matter how high up you may be here, you feel comfortable and at ease.” She emphasised that it was the hotel’s service that would make the biggest difference. “It’s good to be the highest hotel in the world and enjoy this great view, but what is most important is that our guests enjoy the best possible service and experience here,” Kwok said. “This is what will keep people coming back

原文链接: 南华早报