At first it was hard to decide where to look—at the bronze sculpture of a serene figure doing tai chi? At the painting of youthful faces hanging in the lobby? At the image of a Red Guard carrying a flag?
With over 1,500 pieces of contemporary Chinese art strategically mounted throughout its 42 floors, the place could have been an art gallery.
But, in fact, it was the Cordis Hotel at Langham Place, a luxury hotel in Hong Kong’s bustling Mongkok district. The artworks—valued at over HK$35 million—are just one of the many features that distinguish this hotel.
There was also the fragrance, a refreshing blend of citrus and mint formulated especially for Cordis by master perfumer Christophe Laudemiel. The scent permeated the lobby and almost every nook and cranny of the hotel. Soothing and reassuring, it conveyed the mood of luxury and leisure.
Cordis was the perfect continuation of a trip that began that morning with a relaxing stay at Cathay Pacific’s spacious Manila lounge in Naia 3.
After ordering dim sum, prepared a la minute in the noodle bar, I found a quiet booth in a cozy corner that felt conducive to peace and solitude. Indeed, with its warm natural colors, cherry wood walls and limestone floors, and clusters of chairs placed at discreet distance, the lounge was ideal both for solitary musing, if one so chooses, and for socializing, for those so inclined.
“Some passengers come early for their flight so they can enjoy the lounge longer,” said Chinkee Bayaborda, Cathay Pacific’s assistant manager for agency and corporate sales.
Noodle bar
And there was much to enjoy. Aside from the noodle bar, there was an assortment of freshly baked bread, sandwiches, French cheeses, fresh fruits, cookies and pastries. With wonton soup, fried rice, congee, barbecued pork buns and dumplings served piping hot, passengers can even have a complete meal before boarding the plane.
Wide picture windows also allowed unobstructed views of the runway and, in the late afternoon, of Manila’s brilliant sunset.
The wider seats with an eight-inch recline, four-way head rest, and foot rests in Cathay’s premium economy section plus the amazing choice of movies onboard made our short flight to HK seem even shorter.
But there was more to come. Settling down in my room at Cordis, I marveled at the soft cotton sheets, the menu of pillows that included lavender-infused ones to promote restful sleep, and the marble bathroom with glass-on-steel fittings.
A clear glass wall even accorded a view of the bathroom, if one so chooses (a curtain that can be rolled down provided the option of more privacy).
But better still was the view of the Hong Kong skyline from the wide picture windows, with its towering skyscrapers, distant mountains and the crystalline waters of Victoria Harbour.
After a tour of the nearby Mongkok market (free for all guests) and of the hotel’s rooms and facilities, we sat down to dinner.
Michelin stars
This must have been a very fat crab, I told myself as I spooned the hefty white meat packed in a large crab shell. It was the second dish in our seven-course meal at the Ming Court, Cordis’ Chinese restaurant.
Bulging with thick, flaky meat, the crab shell was cradled in a silver dish and was topped with a golden brown crust of baked Parmesan cheese.
Not exactly what one would expect in a Chinese restaurant but then Ming Court was hardly ordinary.
For one thing, it has been awarded two Michelin stars for eight years in a row by the Hong Kong and Macau Michelin Guide. Its executive chef, Mango Tsang, has 40-year experience in Chinese cooking, succeeding his equally talented younger brother.
The meal was full of pleasant surprises. The trio of appetizers was an artful display of Oriental flavors and textures: the nutty taste of Chinese black fungus splashed with black vinegar and sesame sauce contrasted with the delicate chilled silken tofu. Topped by a gold leaf, its layers were spiked with ginger, wasabi and citrusy plum sauce.
Translucent curls of jellyfish sprinkled with sesame seeds added a gelatinous texture.
The award-winning eight-treasure soup seemed simple and unprepossessing, but the moment I stirred it, an exquisite aroma billowed from the bowl.
One sip and I was ready to bestow my own award on it. With abalone, fish maw, chicken, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo pith, black tree fungus, dried tangerine peel and ginger comprising the eight treasures, the soup was brimming with robust flavors that were earthy one minute, citrusy the next and heartwarming all throughout.
Roast goose
Apart from the spotted garoupa, the pan-seared Australian Wagyu beef smeared with thick black truffle paste, and the fried rice speckled with foie gras and barbecued pork, we also had roast goose, a dish Hong Kong is rightly famous for. With its crisp, mahogany skin set against the gleaming white plate, the roast goose glistened like a gem in a jewelry shop.
But the most dramatic was yet to come: a black box from which flowed mysterious wisps of icy smoke. It was like a magician’s box that held deep dark secrets. All lined up on the box were: a bowl of golden cream upon which floated bits of mango, pomelo, coconut and sago balls that burst in the mouth like bubble wrap; crystalline cubes of osmanthus and wolfberry curd, and a chilled cheese tart.
Unlike its sister hotel, The Langham Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui, which has a very Victorian and traditional motif, Cordis is hip and youthful.
High-speed WiFi assures connectivity, while a smart handy phone gives guests access to interactive local maps and lets them make free calls to six countries (including the Philippines). With rooms that can accommodate up to four guests, the hotel is ideal for families with young children.
One of my favorite things to do in HK is shop at the night market. From Cordis, the ladies market in Mongkok was just two blocks away.
Getting there should, therefore, have been a breeze, except that the many stores along the way called for numerous stopovers. Fresh vegetables and fruits, exotic dried herbs, shoes and the latest in fashion were lined up along the streets, demanding to be inspected, if not bought.
Also connected by a bridgeway to Cordis is a mall with over 200 shops and restaurants. One afternoon I sneaked off for a quick trip to Muji, where many of the goods were cheaper than in Manila.
Dinner the following evening was at the Alibi Dine Be Social, so aptly named because the dishes on the menu were meant for sharing.
Chuan Spa
Being a bar, it also offered a wide selection of fine wines and cocktails. We ordered the crispy skinned suckling pig, spaghetti arrabiata and a platter of the very exquisite Spanish Jamon Iberico, ending our meal with a humongous bowl of velvety chocolate mousse topped with thick whipped cream and shards of chocolate.
More pampering was in store the morning before we left. A candlelit corridor led us to the treatment rooms of Chuan Spa on the hotel’s 41st floor. There serene Zen music set the mood for a restful massage.
Treatments in this spa are based on the principles and techniques of Chinese traditional medicine, with oils and products drawing from the powers of the five elements—wood, earth, metal, fire and water. The harmony signature massage, which my Thai masseuse so gently applied on my gnarled muscles, was both restorative and invigorating.
When it was time to leave (all too soon, it seemed), a limousine drove us to the airport, but only after bidding farewell to our newfound friends at Cordis.
Arriving early at the Cathay Pacific desk, we found ourselves upgraded to business class. That entitled us to the use of Cathay’s lounges, to which Yssa Denaya, Cathay’s passenger sales executive, so enthusiastically led us.
Hong Kong being its main hub, Cathay has no less than six lounges in the airport. First- and business-class passengers can, therefore, choose the lounge nearest their boarding gate.
Our first stop was The Cabin. With its sleek, contemporary design, it serves healthy food such as sandwiches, fresh fruits, yoghurt smoothies, jams and pies.
We also visited The Pier, usually reserved for first-class passengers. Here a spacious living room setup leads to a full restaurant, where we ordered hot, comforting bowls of wonton soup.
If our outbound trip seemed all too short, the return to Manila seemed even shorter. With generous storage compartments, strategically angled wingback chairs and ample legroom in the business class, I felt as though I had my own personal space. Or my own living room even, what with the touch-screen TV and wide selection of shows.
I suppose this is what people mean when they say half of the fun of the journey is getting there.
And the other half? For this trip it was equal parts shopping, excellent cuisine, a soothing massage and all the accoutrements of a luxury hotel.