Hong Kong’s Central district is upping the | |
When Angelina Jolie’s stunt double leapt from the top of
Two IFC – the tallest block of Hong Kong’s spanking new
International Finance Centre – for the latest Lara Croft
flick, the whole city stopped and stared.
During preceding months the 420-metre skyscraper had gradually
taken shape above the harbour. As the cameras rolled it was almost
as if the building – the fifth tallest in the world –
was holding an unofficial opening ceremony. What’s more,
suddenly Hong Kong had a new, new icon.
The IFC, built like so much of the city on reclaimed land, has
become the premier hub of the Central district – the
island’s main business, retail and entertainment area.
The building soars above the Airport Express station (just a
23-minute ride from Hong Kong International Airport), an
underground railway station and the ferry piers to Hong
Kong’s outlying islands, as well as a bus depot and the
neighbouring 180-metre office block, One IFC.
The complex houses some of the city’s hippest shops and
restaurants, which is some feat considering what the city already
has to offer in the way of shops and eateries. These days
it’s easier to locate an Italian-made suit in Hong Kong than
a packet of cigarettes. The city even boasts an Armani
‘concept’ store – the second largest outside
Italy.
Anyone who wants to catch Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life can do
so in the plush, hi-tech surrounds of IFC’s Palace Cinema.
Hong Kong has always been one step ahead when it comes to
streamlining technology, so it comes as no surprise to find tickets
can be paid for using IFC’s touch-screen system, using the
same ‘stored value’ card (similar to London’s
Oyster card). It is valid on public transport, as well as in
numerous retail outlets.
Two IFC, which houses the Hong Kong Monetary Authority among
others, is off limits to non-tenants and guarded by dapper
receptionists backed up by former Gurkha soldiers.
However, visitors are positively encouraged to roam around the
rest of IFC, a testament to gleaming modernity with its dazzling
array of boutiques.
Ranging from A Testoni to Zara, via Gieves and Hawkes and
Salvatore Ferragamo, there’s even a free concierge service
modelled on traditional hospitality. Kids receive balloons and
sweets; porters will carry heavy purchases and the concierges
themselves will scan a document, recharge your mobile or render
first aid, and are a mine of information when it comes to shopping
or dining recommendations.
Ben and Jerry’s and Starbucks cater to one end of the food
chain, while at the other you’ll find the likes of Isola,
which is currently Hong Kong’s most sought-after restaurant,
serving chic Italian food. Running to a monumental 7,000sq ft
– square footage is calculated in gold bars in tiny Hong Kong
– the restaurant features a main dining area adjoining the
show kitchen, a broad terrace overlooking the harbour and an
upstairs bar that’s the last word in cool. Reservations are a
must.
The IFC and its surrounding area have proved a magnet for
visiting celebrities. Last year saw a host of musical stars –
from the Rolling Stones to the Three Tenors – hit town to
take part in a one-off Harbour Fest event, and others have followed
this year.
David Bowie was spotted window shopping in the IFC between
concerts, and operatic maestro Andrea Bocelli also visited –
and took advantage of Hong Kong’s premier tailoring.
Hong Kong Tourism Board UK trade marketing manager Jas Anand
said new developments in the city are changing its character and
making it more interesting. “The Central district has traditionally
been a favourite with business travellers, but the IFC development
has focused attention on what the area offers for leisure visitors
to Hong Kong.”
Next year’s opening of the six-star Four Seasons hotel
should prove to be the icing on the IFC’s cake. Just under
400 rooms including 54 suites will each contain 106cm plasma
televisions and broadband Internet access, while the hotel’s
‘destination’ spa will comprise 14 treatment rooms and
two VIP suites. In a prime location and right on top of the Airport
Express link, the
Four Seasons Hong Kong is set to ruffle a few feathers among the
city’s top-notch hotels.Covered, air-conditioned walkways
link IFC with the popular nightlife zone of Lan Kwai Fong, and the
malls en route are transforming rapidly. Two recent arrivals, the
flagship Armani concept store and Asia’s largest Prada store,
will shortly be joined by a branch of Harvey Nichols. And the very
traditional Mandarin Oriental hotel is adding a junior partner in
the shape of a 114-room boutique hotel called the Landmark.
Central’s most rambunctious after-hours zone is being
given a tweak too, with the opening of Lan Kwai Fong Tower.
Restaurants and bars – including a rock ‘n’ roll
supper club called the Cavern – will occupy the lower floors
of this office block, linking two of the district’s streets
and spreading the Fong’s lively borders just a little
wider.
Central can be seen as one of Hong Kong’s acupuncture
points, and with Two IFC acting like a giant needle, the area is
undergoing a mini revolution.
