Hong Kong is now world-renown for its daily 8pm laser and light show called A Symphony of Lights where laser beams, colored lights and searchlights originating from 40 skyscrapers on both sides of Victoria Harbor dance to choreographed music. What better way to take in this amazing spectacle than by sipping a cocktail high above the city in a dark and sultry setting with killer views. Here are my three favorites:
Post dinner cocktails in Hong Kong one night brought me to the 30th floor of the One Peking Road building to Aqua Spirit, one of the most glamorous nightspots in all of Asia. Stepping off the elevator, the only thing separating me from the absolutely magnificent view of the Hong Kong city skyline and the harbor, were 21-foot plate glass windows. Not for the vertiginous, the view is so spectacular it will, unequivocally, take your breath away. The backdrop to this panorama is a seductive, dimly-lit and stylish cocktail bar on the 30th floor mezzanine which overlooks the dining room below (featuring both Italian and Japanese kitchens - food is hit or miss). The drink list has excellent house concoctions as well as all your old standbys, and there is a $20 drink minimum per person, but don't worry, you'll have no problem hitting that.
The last cocktail destination brings us to the grande dame of hotels, the Peninsula Hong Kong (also a favorite for afternoon tea). High atop the 29th floor of the Peninsula you will find the ultra-contemporary Philippe Starck designed Felix restaurant and bar. Felix embodies everything you would suspect from Starck: clean lines, all white furniture, and the occasional whimsy; check out the photo of the bathroom below. The views over the city and harbor are spectacular, the European cuisine will not disappoint, and you just never know who might be sitting next to you.
[Destination Perfected]
