Exclusive: inside The Hari, Hong Kong’s stylish boutique hotel in Wan Chai
There are many things I genuinely love about The Hari Hong Kong. It’s incredible Wan Chai location. Excellent dining landscape. Remarkable design. Exceptional rota of artwork. Yet some of my favourite things about this hotel are its intangibles: its compelling story, ways and quirks.
The sister hotel of The Hari London, The Hari Hong Kong is the brainchild of Dr Aron Harilela, the chairman and CEO of Harilela Hotels Limited, whose family has a long legacy in Hong Kong.
The Hari is affectionately named after Dr Aron’s father Hari, who started the family hotel business in the late 60s before opening their first hotel in 1975.
It’s such a delight to work with Dr Aron, who has infused impeccable grace, a relaxed sense of elegance and an eccentric touch of wit into The Hari Hong Kong.
You can have a good laugh with him and he welcomes people into our hotel as he would welcome them into his home.
One of my favourite things about The Hari Hong Kong is its refined yet eccentric character. It’s palpable from the moment you set foot in our hotel and it stays with you long after you’ve left.
The Hari Hong Kong’s 210 luxurious rooms and suites are imagined by renowned interior designer Tara Bernerd with views overlooking Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, The Peak and Victoria Harbour.
Adorned with timber panelling, natural linen wallpaper, plush velvet upholstery and eccentric art, the bedrooms are separated from marble bathrooms by brass Crittall doors.
It is quite unique that our hotel’s three suites offer private terraces overlooking the city.
Besides the beautiful Tara Bernard design, our bedding is another outstanding quality of our accommodations, especially the Mühldorfer duvet, guaranteeing an amazing sleep.
Combined with the fantastic water pressure in our generously sized walk-in shower, I cannot imagine any better ingredients for a very, very comfortable stay.
Authentic Italian ristorante Lucciola, contemporary Japanese restaurant Zoku with a remarkable ceiling of angled timber slats in origami-like forms, alfresco terrace bar aptly named The Terrace and The Lounge, an all-day sitting area adorned with a compelling collection of books and artworks, make for the hotel’s diverse dining landscape.
At Lucciola, the food is truly authentic Italian with the majority of the produce flown in from Italy.
The restaurant serves, hands down, the most amazing homemade pasta in Hong Kong; because it’s made with ingredients that you will not find elsewhere in Hong Kong.
My personal favourite pasta has to be our Director of Food and Beverage Francesco Gava’s Calabrese with spicy ‘Nduja sausage and charred bell pepper. It is delicious! Our Lamb Ossobuco is another dish that you will not find anywhere else and is a must try.
At Zoku, any of our sashimi items are incredibly fresh and so well presented by our very talented team, that it’s difficult to decide whether to just look at them or eat them.
Equally beautiful yet delicious are our Chirashi bowls, of which the Maguro or bluefin tuna is my favourite one. And if paired with one of our amazing Sake cocktails, even better.
Beyond providing a great night’s stay, we introduce our guests to new ways of appreciating the culture of our city. In addition to The Hari brand’s vibrant personality and family legacy, I believe our x-factor is our deep connection with art, culture, our exciting neighbourhood and community. Our hotel is a gateway to Wan Chai and Hong Kong’s rich art and culture.
Our hotel spearheads the likes of The Hari Art Prize Hong Kong edition in support of emerging Hong Kong artists and The Hari Chronicles to foster ongoing conversations about art, design and culture. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join us at The Hari Chronicles. We also work with local charities to help make a difference in our community.
Our hotel has been hailed a world leader in sustainability. EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for sustainable travel and tourism, recently awarded our hotel ‘EarthCheck Benchmarked Bronze status’ for its raft of sustainability measures.
EarthCheck deemed the hotel a ‘Regional Leader’, meaning an “exemplary standard of performance for the type and location of an operation”, in areas such as waste sent to landfill, energy consumption and potable water consumption. It’s important we respect our surrounds.
Originally a small fishing village, Wan Chai transformed into a bustling urban area following British colonisation in 1841.
Now a hub of cultural and commercial activity, Wan Chai is renowned for its historical landmarks, street markets, skyscrapers and blend of Eastern and Western influences.
The Hari Hong Kong has launched an audio walking guide that scratches well beneath the surface of Wan Chai, one of Hong Kong’s oldest yet most diverse districts.
The Hari Neighbourhood Guide Audio Tour” app features an interactive map and narrations of seven of the district’s hidden gems – some of my favourite things to do in the area – all located a short walk from our hotel on Lockhart Road.
Highlights include a 1960s tenement block turned creative hub, an appointment-only gallery in a renovated space that used to be a private rooftop clubhouse in the 1970s, an unassuming family-run eatery on the Michelin food guide since 2016, and a lively market and food centre which packs a punch on all the senses.
‘Villain Hitting’, a.k.a Da Siu Yan, a type of Chinese folk sorcery performed, a typhoon shelter built in 1883, an iconic cannon fired daily, a unique dining experience on a sampan, and dynamic harbourfront public space are also among the app’s recommendations.
On the weekends I love hiking. Hong Kong has plenty of scenic hiking trails, affording panoramic views of the city. I never get tired of the hiking trails, nor their vistas.
Book your stay at thehari.com/hong-kong
Cathay Pacific’s brilliant Business Class
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways is one of the world’s leading airlines and flies to over 200 destinations around the world.
Leading the way onboard is Cathay Pacific’s Business Class, which has been one of our favourite cabins in the sky since it was launched over 10 years ago.
But the latest version, which was launched on the Airbus A350-900 and Airbus A350-1000 when they joined the fleet, has taken the experience to a whole new level.
Click on the video below to see a review of the cabin by WAYFARER Editor-In-Chief and Host, James Wilkinson.
To book your flight, visit www.cathaypacific.com