Hongkong Hotel
| Industry | Hospitality |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1868 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
| Products | Luxury hotel services |
| Parent | Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels |
The Hongkong Hotel holds the distinction of being the inaugural luxury hotel in Hong Kong, inspired by the opulent hotels of London. It commenced operations in 1868 at the intersection of Queen's Road and Pedder Street,[1] and later extended its premises to the Victoria Harbour waterfront in 1893.
History
Situated close to today's Central Building at Queen's Road Central and Pedder Street, the establishment was under the ownership of The Hongkong Hotel Company, which eventually transformed into Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, the current proprietor of the The Peninsula Hotels brand.[2]
During the late 1880s, a six-level north wing was constructed along the waterfront, featuring entrances on Pedder Street, Queen's Road, and Praya Central (present-day Des Voeux Road Central). This addition positioned the hotel as a direct competitor to the Peak Hotel, owned by the Star Ferry Company. It also provided a dedicated boat service connecting passengers arriving on P&O mail steamers to its exclusive pier.
A retail outlet operated by Kuhn & Komor was located on the hotel's ground floor facing Queen's Road.[3]
Although the north wing was destroyed by fire in 1929, the original section of the hotel—including the well-known Gripps Restaurant—continued functioning until its closure in 1952.[4] Subsequently, investors associated with Central Development Limited acquired the property. After significant refurbishment and demolition of the Gripps Restaurant area, the site was reopened in 1958 as Central Building, a contemporary retail and office complex that remains operational today.
North wing
The waterfront-facing six-storey north wing debuted in 1893, replacing Melcher's Building, which had been part of Dent & Co.'s "princely hong" headquarters.[5]
On New Year's Day in 1926, this north wing succumbed to a fire. The site was acquired by Hong Kong Land in 1928, leading to the construction of Gloucester Tower in 1932. This building was later redeveloped into The Landmark in 1979.[6]
See also
References
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- ↑ Trevor Bedford, Hong Kong Land, "Meeting heritage challenge", South China Morning Post, 30 November 1978