How Hong Kongers are taking to the skies with aviation-themed staycations
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How Hong Kongers are taking to the skies with aviation-themed staycations
With cabin fever having taken on a whole new resonance in 2020, citizens in densely-populated, meaty Hong Kong are paying top dollar to fly high.
At The Peninsula Hong Kong, your reminder of the joys of aviation – surely a privilege that we'll never take for granted again – comes courtesy of a helicopter flying around the city. (Photograph: The Peninsula Hong Kong)
01 Nov 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 xi:52PM)
Information technology'due south a urban center where, for many, getting on a plane is barely a bigger deal than getting on a bus elsewhere. So after 10 months of strictly enforced travel quarantine – even so one of the nigh callous anywhere, entailing two weeks of domicile or hotel room confinement, consummate with a tracker wristband – it's understandable why many Hong Kongers are desperate to take flying.
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There are dozens of islands and bays reachable by individual yacht or junk, countless mountains and trails to hike or beaches to laze on. But the reality is that after a while, Hong Kong begins to feel very, very minor. At a total of 1,106 sq. km., it'south barely 25 per cent larger than Singapore – only with a 25 per cent larger population.
To counteract motel fever in serious style, two of the city's nigh storied and historic hotels, The Peninsula Hong Kong and The Standard mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, take both offered staycation packages that allow guests to get up, up and away – at least temporarily.
At The Peninsula, your reminder of the joys of aviation – surely a privilege that we'll never take for granted again – comes courtesy of a helicopter flight around the city.
The hotel known equally the Grande Dame of The Far East has cleverly turned your choice of a one to three-night pause into a Journey the globe extravaganza, giving guests tastes of global cuisines, cultures and voyages along the way.
Our journeying began in one of their famous emerald green Rolls-Royce Phantoms, a vehicle so vast and comfortable that information technology feels like a hotel suite on wheels. After deftly navigating our building's tiny parking lot (one unaccustomed to long wheelbases), nosotros glided effortlessly to Tsim Sha Tsui and the belongings which dates back to 1928.
After walking through the famed loftier-ceilinged antechamber – past those taking their Instagram-worthy afternoon tea – and a quick check-in, you're whisked directly upwards to the Cathay Clipper Lounge at the acme of the edifice's new wing.
The elegant space overlooking Hong Kong'south Victoria Harbour is named after the first Pan Am "flying boats" which took passengers from San Francisco to Hong Kong in no fewer than seven nights – including stopovers – for a cool equivalent of United states of america$32,500 (Due south$44,320) in today'south coin.
The exclusive lounge is only open to those taking helicopter flights, be it to or from Hong Kong aerodrome, or on sightseeing trips of one's choice around the SAR. It's filled with fascinating memorabilia from the early on days of aviation, from envy-inducing 1930s leather travel holdalls to full Pratt and Whitney engines.
Screens let you lookout a alive feed of your chopper landing on the helipad higher up yous, while there are also departure screens for Hong Kong airport – on our visit, with flights understandably depressingly few and far betwixt.
After watching the safe briefing, you don a compact lifejacket and are led upward to the helipad where your chopper from Heliservices await. Once within, the two friendly pilots – ours were a Hong Konger chosen Ben and a Venezuelan called Micky – introduced themselves via headset, earlier you gently offset to soar.
After near eight months not having been in whatsoever aircraft, it'south a pretty emotional moment equally you capeesh the joy of flying all again. The countless skyscrapers beneath you give way to the waters of Victoria Harbour, the tiny Star Ferries navigating them, every bit you lot take in the skyline and energy of the urban center.
On our eighteen-minute flying we chose to circumnavigate Hong Kong Isle and, thanks to a blissfully clear solar day with blue skies, the experience was truly amazing. Obviously cruising at a far lower distance than any aeroplane, in that location were unique angles and viewpoints at every turn, the island's remarkable geographical diversity revealing itself in wholly new ways.
The subconscious waterfall at Pok Fu Lam crashing into the S Prc Sea. Repulse Bay looking like information technology could rival the French Riviera. Sweeping over the jungle-clad mountains of Tai Tam Country Park, which reminded us of a chopper trip in Hawaii. Then back to the extraordinary urban sprawl, dizzying numbers of buildings and back to the energy of the harbour beneath.
The flight was not just an intoxicating adventure, it also showed us the island in a whole new lite, rekindling our dearest of the city we call home and reminding us why its diversity is so compelling and unique. Thereafter, coming downwards to globe physically and metaphorically, The Peninsula was an haven of cool elegance amidst the maelstrom of metropolis life.
As part of the package yous choose additional journeys, be they in their 1934 Rolls-Royce, visiting the hotel'southward fascinating archive room or maybe taking a Visual Journey where a Leica good leads you on a photography masterclass.
Other options include visiting Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, at the summit of Kwun Yum Shan in the New Territories, some 550m above sea level, or maybe taking to the water aboard The Peninsula's yacht with a one-twenty-four hour period charter.
Spa sessions let you escape to a globe of bliss, while the famed dining destinations do as well. Chef Albin Gobil at one Michelin-starred Gaddi's whisks you to Paris with sublime gimmicky French cuisine, while a fondue dinner at Chesa lets you aqueduct Switzerland. Or, for more of a local sense of taste, Jump Moon offers exemplary Cantonese creations.
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JET-Gear up LIFE
Hong Kong's second aviation feel for those seeking to soar in fashion comes with the Standard mandarin Oriental, in partnership with the global private aviation company, VistaJet.
Some other hotel well-deserving of the often-over-used sobriquet "iconic", Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong take provided a calm refuge from the city's energy for 57 years.
Spacious suites overlook Victoria Harbour and the famed skyline, while viii restaurants and bars brand it a existent depict for gourmands. Impeccable service, elegance at every stride and a combination of contemporary comfort and heritage style go far one of Asia's most famed backdrop.
Combining the Standard mandarin Oriental'due south famed hospitality and cuisine with a private VistaJet trip makes for what must rank equally the ultimate in-flying dining experience. The partnership likewise includes a staycation package and a credit towards future jet rent.
That'south handy considering VistaJet own a armada of more 70 large-cabin, super-to-midsize long-range Global and Challenger jets, ready to accept you to more than 180 countries in serious A-List style.
Behind the elegant silverish and red liveries sits a world of luxury that us mere mortals can only dream of. Italian leather, the finest woods, queen-size beds and private staterooms are only some of the touches to brand you feel at domicile, fifty-fifty before dining and entertaining has come up into the equation.
The recent Mid-Autumn Festival offer, Once In The Blue Moon, let guests enjoy the ultimate in lunar festival dining with a bespoke Hong Kong flight feel.
That was thank you to a curated in-flight menu by Executive Chinese Chef Wing-Keung Wong of the hotel's one Michelin-starred Human Wah. His signature dishes, including wagyu puffs with blackness pepper sauce, braised fresh crab hook with glass vermicelli and double-boiled matsutake mushroom with fish maw and chicken broth, were doubtless stratospherically tasty at 40,000 feet.
Happily, a bespoke dining and flying feel is nonetheless bachelor until Dec 29 for up to eight guests, featuring a card of your choice from Human Wah served up in the clouds. Information technology also includes a cooking class for ii, a one-night stay for two in a Metropolis View Suite, breakfast, gifts and other goodies.
The Hong Kong flight experience involves you – along with your very lucky friends and family – getting whisked by limousine to the city's Chek Lap Kok airdrome and the Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre. No mingling with the masses at security, immigration or waiting to board. No mingling at all, in fact, other than those you're travelling with.
Information technology's private treatment all the style from taking off, soaring up, cruising for two hours and returning – just crucially without having landed, meaning that quarantine isn't fifty-fifty a consideration when you render.
Within a 2-60 minutes round-trip radius from Hong Kong, you can guarantee a remarkable range of scenery, sights and experiences, be they tropical beaches, rugged coastlines, or maybe just the blissfully empty expanse of ocean.
Arguably the greatest luxury of these exclusive flying experiences is taking in the sights of Hong Kong and well beyond in utter exclusivity, in your own aviation chimera – all while well and truly fulfilling that urge to get up, upwardly and away.
The Peninsula Hong Kong's Around the Earth three-night package costs HK$46,800 (Due south$8,200) in a Grand Deluxe Harbour View Suite and includes the Rolls-Royce transfers, helicopter tour, spa handling and choice of dining experiences and journeys. Book at www.peninsula.com or call The Peninsula Global Client Service +852 2926 2888 to create your bespoke staycation journeying.
A bespoke Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong dining and Vistajet flight package starts from approximately US$31,500, (Due south$42,700) depending on choice of jet, flight duration, menu and more than. Book via contacting vistajet.com/privateoffice or mohkg-restaurants [at] mohg.com (mohkg–)
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