The Peninsula – a hotel name that’s synonymous with prestige and opulence – was kind enough to afford me the opportunity to spend the day experiencing and exploring the property and what it had to offer. What did this include you ask? My Tuesday started with an indulgent breakfast at the hotel that has retained all of its 1920’s classical charm and grandeur – towering columns and majestic stairways all within the palatial lobby. Of course the breakfast menu was so extensive that I found myself wishing I had the stomach of an elephant. Thankfully when I couldn’t decide (because I wanted everything), our solution was to try small portions of the crowd favorites, which included the lobster sausage (yeah, that’s right – I never thought lobster came in sausage form), waffles, eggs benedict and orange crepes.
A needed walk was required after and I spent a few hours wandering around the harbor side before heading back to the hotel for my spa treatment. The one thing that I can’t seem to fault the hotel on is their staff – the level of professionalism and courteousness was unparalleled. They were attentive to the extent that their lobby staff noticed that I had an SLR around my shoulder going out of the hotel, returning in an hour without (it was in my bag) – he was kind enough to ask where it was in case I had misplaced it. Now that is what I call attention to detail.
I tend to benchmark my hotels on a few key elements – for the rooms this would be the bathroom and for the creature comforts within the hotel, the spa services would be my first stop in making a quick judgment. My experience at the Spa Peninsula was nothing short of impeccable. I spent about an hour debating where to spend my time (it was like trying to choose one flavor of ice-cream when you liked everything on the menu) – the relaxation room overlooking the harbor, the sauna that also shared the same uninterrupted view, the crystal steam room and the technologically savvy lifestyle shower. I probably could have spent an entire day in there, although I would have left looking like a shriveled prune which would have been counterintuitive to my scheduled facial. When my inner child finally decided on the relaxation room – I helped myself to the complimentary coconut and fresh watermelon juice whilst waiting for my therapist to whisk me away to facial rejuvenation.
I was spoilt with the Haute Couture à la Carte Collagen Facial treatment that was tailored to the needs of my skin by beautician. Now here is a bold statement of the decade but I entered that treatment room looking like I was 25 but left looking about 5 years younger – at least. My skin has never felt better and I think I was glowing like a firefly from the inside out. Described as ‘the best kept beauty secret of many of the world’s most famous and glamorous women’, this treatment is definitely an experience that every woman (and man) should indulge on. Using the luxurious line created by beauty expert Margie Lombard, the Margy’s Monte Carlo spa menu is now available exclusively at The Peninsula Spa. My favorite part of the treatment was the facial massage given using the signature ‘lift up’ techniques that not all beauticians are qualified to perform.
After all this I was shown around the hotel by the lovely Carrie who showed me all the dining options the hotel had to offer. My stand out favorites would probably have to be the option of dining in the kitchen at the Chef’s table. Places are limited and when I say limited – I mean there are four spots in a tucked away area of the bustling kitchen to which the chef will customize the meal to your tastes. My second choice would be the contemporary and lavish rooftop restaurant – Felix that boasts priceless views of Hong Kong on either side of the venue. No wait, there’s more – if you fancy having a private club party of your own (just another Saturday night) – the restaurant has two staircases on either side of the entrance; housing a soundproof disco-tech room to the right and a wine cellar to the left. Fancy right?
To top it all off – not sure if I should be boasting this over the internet but I had a sneak peak of the infamous chocolate room and the intricate chocolate sculptures that have been crafted by their world-famous chocolate chef. Luckily for them it was a supervised visit into the room or there may not have been any chocolate left.
Needless to say that I’ll be back. Invitation not required.
