Travel Weekly: Grand Hyatt Hong Kong

My heart rate rose steadily as he approached me, wearing a dark gray uniform. The lights were dimmed, and I had been distracted by the energy of the room so much that I did not see him coming until he was only a step away.

He held items in his hand that both surprised me and provided everything I had desired and needed in that very moment. I stifled my suspicion and accepted his gifts willingly while my heart rate continued to rise. He walked away right as sweat began to fall from my forehead.

I grabbed the icy towel from the personal trainer, took a sip of spring water and wiped my brow before continuing up Mount Kilimanjaro on my Life Fitness elliptical machine inside the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong’s Plateau Spa and fitness center.

The attentive personal trainers and staff at the spa and fitness facility at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong only account for one aspect of the hotel’s recent multimillion-dollar renovation, including guests raving about the facility’s recent partnership with Kit Concierge, a fitness-gear lending service that delivers complimentary activewear to guests upon request.

The renovation took four years to complete — including all 545 of its guestrooms, the Grand Club Lounge, the Grand Ballroom and the Grand Cafe — and resulted in a living canvas that has been gilded with both Western and Chinese influences.

The lobby is clad in an art deco style with black marble columns towering above a mosaic floor where delicate arrangements of Asian plants set atop a soothing water fountain act as the centerpiece for the two grand staircases that lead up to the restaurants, meetings rooms and the Grand Ballroom.

Even the design of the guestrooms has been thoughtfully curated to highlight the view of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong’s iconic vista, while subtly incorporating Asian elements into the contemporary decor.

Black-and-white photographic prints of the landscape by the John Young Studio were hung throughout the hotel to provide a contrast to the soft-blended background and offer a modern twist to the similarwater-and-ink paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties.

Brides are some of the first to get a taste for the hotel’s new flavorful fusion. The renovation made it possible for couples to choose from 21 flexible event venues (the largest of which is capable of hosting up to 888 guests), including the opulent and stylish area known as the Residence.

This luxury suite is ideal for smaller weddings or receptions of up to 100 guests, and it features three rooms — the Drawing Room, the Lounge and the Library — as well as a communal show kitchen that provides a gastronomic ambiance for private receptions. A dedicated team of butlers, servers and culinary professionals handle every request for cocktail hours, receptions, ceremonies and more.

The minimalistic and clean design of the event spaces offer a chic foundation for crafting a dream wedding, but it’s the hotel’s exquisite catering options that will leave a lingering impression for guests.

Under the helm of chef Marcus Mathyssek, each menu has been crafted to feature the best of Hong Kong’s most authentic flavors.

Couples can customize their banquet menus with a choice of Western, Cantonese or Shanghainese cuisine or opt for a fusion of all three for an East-meets- West culinary journey that includes dishes such as foie gras lollipops and deluxe dim sum platters served during the cocktail hour and braised lobster and Hong Kong-style steamed grouper with spring onion and soy sauce offered as a main course.

Wedding guests are given preferential rates at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, where the hotel’s prime waterfront location in the heart of the Wan Chai district provides easy access to the best shops, markets and restaurants of Hong Kong.

For more on the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, visit hongkong.grand.hyatt.com.