Located in one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, Cordis Hong Kong offers business travellers an authentic yet contemporary take on this fascinating city.

First Impressions

As Hong Kong’s borders are still restricted due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the main lobby of Cordis Hong Kong (formerly Langham Place Mongkok and part of the Langham Hospitality Group’s stable of hotels), located on the fourth floor, is quieter than usual. However, its adjacent restaurants and its link to the Langham shopping centre across the street ensures this is typically a serene but well-traversed space. The hotel‘s location in the heart of Mongkok makes it a great alternative to the luxurious but sometimes sterile hotels of Hong Kong Island, making the Cordis great for travellers looking to uncover the real Hong Kong in a short period of time.

After a pleasant but lengthy check-in process (club room check-in usually takes place on the club lounge level but I had a meeting to attend in the lobby) that includes the filling in of government health department forms, I make my way up to my room.

The Room

My 310sqft (29sqm) Club Deluxe room, one of 665 rooms and suites at the Cordis, is airy, well-lit, and contemporary in its décor without making a big deal about it. Located on the 37^th floor, the room boasts a signature queen-sized Dream bed, large picture windows overlooking Mongkok and the adjacent Langham commercial building, a 40-inch Samsung LED flat-screen television on one wall, a large glass work desk with wired and wireless broadband and an iHome Bluetooth entertainment system, and a marble-lined bathroom with separate bathtub and shower – everything you could want really. There’s plenty of room for luggage, and the bed lives up to its name.

In addition to being a serene space in which to work or relax, and of course the city views from this lofty position, which are fascinating, one of the benefits of staying in a Cordis Club room is access to the hotel’s acclaimed Cordis Lounge, which was located on the same floor.

The Lounge

The Club Lounge is another elegant setting and one that’s blissfully broken into separate rooms, so every guest will be able to find their own little corner of serenity. The lounge affords business travellers a number of perks, including a more intimate check-in and check-out process, daily breakfast – served in The Place on the lobby level, where the selection is impressive – refreshments through the day, two hours use of the Club meeting space, garment pressing, and discounted spa treatments in the Chuan Spa.

In addition to being a great space for meetings and corporate catch-ups, thanks to a variety of lounge and café seating, modern coffee machines, a great afternoon tea presentation, and dedicated staff, it’s in the evening, when the city’s lights come on far below, that the lounge really shines. During cocktail hour, when the lounge could be mistaken for a seductive cocktail bar in the city, there’s access to a full bar as well as a range of hot and cold dishes. I find the staff to be attentive and very accommodating and the evening experience a highlight of my stay.

However, the lounge offers only a hint of the dining experiences on offer at the hotel.

Dining

Cordis Hong Kong is a dining destination for locals and hotel guests alike, and there is a setting for pretty much every traveller. For elegant bespoke cocktails and sustainable sharing plates with Asian and European influences, head to Alibi, on the fifth floor, accessible directly from the lobby. Here you’ll dine on the likes of Hereford OBE organic grass-fed beef short ribs with a marmite and Guinness glaze; cheese toasties of Serrano ham, Comté cheese, and black truffle; and plant-based Impossible tacos with Shisitio peppers, avocado, green peppercorn, and semi-dried tomato salsa.

During Hong Kong’s balmy evenings, the place to be is Garage Bar, an expansive outdoor food truck and craft beer concept where both western and Asian bites can be paired with almost 40 local and international brews.

The Place is the hotel’s semi-buffet restaurant and where complimentary breakfast for Club Lounge guests is served, so be sure to leave plenty of time to graze the open kitchen counters and try classic western dishes as well as some iconic Hong Kong fare. The restaurant also does thematic spreads that are extremely popular with locals.

For a truly elevated dining experience, make for the Cordis Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred Ming Court (above), which serves the refined Cantonese cuisine of Executive Chef Li Yuet Faat, matched with an enviable wine selection of over 400 labels from 100 regions. For those business travellers visiting Hong Kong for the first time, this is a luxurious introduction to timeless Cantonese cuisine, with signature dishes ranging from Eight Treasure Soup, with abalone, fish maw, and dried tangerine peel; and giant garoupa fillet with minced shrimp; to cubed M9 Wagyu beef with foie gras, basil, and cashew nuts. Even better, the restaurant boasts a series of sublime private dining rooms to take that next corporate dining experience to new heights.

Wellness

Another great reason to visit the Cordis is its acclaimed spa, gym and rooftop pool. The popular Health Club is comprehensive and features a wide range of weight machines, all with staggering views of the city, while the 20-meter rooftop pool, with its adjacent Jacuzzi and 360-degree panoramas, is the perfect destination after a long day in the boardroom, although be warned that it’s very popular on weekends.

Business travellers to Hong Kong might also like to try traditional Chinese medicine treatments in the Chuan Spa, which has a diverse TCM menu with rituals following the principles of Wu Xing and incorporating the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The spa also features a range of more contemporary treatments, ranging from the Chuan Body Elements, which restores balance and reduces tension (and we can all do with a little of that), through to the Chuan Tao of Detox, which includes a full-body exfoliation to stimulate the lymphatic system, as well as a warm marine algae wrap to aid detoxification. The spa is also home to herbal steam rooms and Japanese onsen showers.

What We Loved

The Club Lounge is well worth the additional expense and is one of the best of its kind in the city.

What We Didn’t

The Place can be very chaotic at breakfast time, especially during weekends, so either get in early and claim your spot or treat yourself to room service and soak in those views a little longer. The glass desk in the guest rooms looks great but can be hard to work on if the air conditioning has been blasting.

Summary

Whether it’s your first time to Hong Kong or your latest visit, Cordis Hong Kong offers a luxurious alternative to the hotels of Tsim Sha Tsui or Hong Kong Island, and allows travellers the opportunity to delve into the heart of the city with ease.

For more Reviews click here. 

STAY IN THE KNOW BY FOLLOWING US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, & LINKEDIN