Upper House, Hong Kong

In short… A trailblazing minimalist-chic design hotel that opened 17 years ago on Hong Kong Island.

The surroundings…  Located in the Admiralty neighborhood within the Pacific Place complex (luxury shopping mall/office buildings/restaurants/transit hub), on one side Upper House looks out towards the vertical cityscape and Victoria Harbor; on the other, towards Victoria Peak. It’s so easy to get anywhere from here—about a 10-minute walk to the heart of Central, and an easy taxi or MTR (Hong Kong’s stellar subway system) to anywhere in the city. 

The vibe…This was Andre Fu’s first hotel project (he designed one of my other favorite hotels, Villa La Coste), and it was such a big deal when it opened in 2009 that it really catapulted his career. Not only is it a masterpiece of design, it’s also brilliant in its understanding of how to make a guest feel deeply comfortable and warm. A lot of that is done through lighting—it’s probably the sexiest lighting I’ve seen in a hotel, warm but not too dark. The hotel is so discreet that when you pull up, you think the taxi might be turning around in an apartment complex, because it reads much more residential than hotel. There is one front desk, or rather, a long table where staff assist with checking in or any concierge-type requests through their “guest experience” team. Just past the front entrance is the moodily lit escalator that brings you up to the second floor, where there’s an outdoor garden area and a cafe, as well as the elevators that bring you to the rooms, which begin on the 38th floor.

The rooms…are not only beautifully designed, they are so generous in their space (the entry-level room is 730 square feet!). Pale wood-panelling, massive windows with beautiful views, a bathroom that is the size of many hotel bedrooms—each with a giant tub with a view, plus a walk-in shower. Lots of closet space. We stayed in room 4206, a one-bedroom suite with a living room—including a desk and dining table—that was so big I didn’t mind working half the day in it.

The food & drink…Given that we were fresh off of a cleanse, we weren’t able to enjoy their beautiful welcome treat of bamboo steamers filled with sweet and savory pies, or the fantastic-looking egg salad sandwiches in the cafe. But we did order room service lunch from their Salisterra restaurant—steamed toothfish over rice and Hainanese chicken rice with poached chicken, pickled cucumber, ginger and spring onions. The breakfast offerings at Salisterra range from proper English, to Chinese (including abalone congee and bbq pork bun!), to their “vitality” offering (chicken bone broth, poached eggs, kimchi, buckwheat seeded crackers)—even a vegan option. Because we were busy with friends during cocktail hour, we missed out on the Green Room bar, which all the locals say is their favorite spot. We did see it during the daytime and it is so beautiful. We’ll be back!

The wellness… Upper House may not have the traditional spa and pool that we’ve all come to expect in a certain caliber of hotel—but they more than make up for it with their “wellness residencies,” most of which happen in their sister residential building just across the street. They curate a range of experiences for guests, from chiropractic to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy to tarot card reading. There are many classes to book as well, and all of them seem so ahead of the curve you’d think you were in LA (I’d never heard of Family Form!). There’s a small but mighty gym that is open 24/7 and yoga mats in the rooms. You can also book time in their infrared sauna with cold plunge.

The activities…Leo (who everyone calls “Leo the local expert”) can send you off on any adventure you’re excited about, from a Cantonese street food guide who can take you around Kowloon, to various hikes. 

Is it family-friendly? Yes, the hotel is very welcoming to families—they’ll set up a sofa bed or cot at no charge, and they have kids’ offerings on their Salisterra menu. They can also arrange a local nanny. There isn’t a pool, but there is a very big mall just a minute away that has plenty of space for them to run around–and lots of varied food options. 

Date of stay…Feb 25-27, 2026