#Hotel Review# THE MURRAY, the Top Five-Star Hotel Worth Staying at in Hong Kong

As the flagship project of the Niccolo hotel brand under the Wharf Group, and a new member of its luxury, fashion, and elegance collection, The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel is undoubtedly the most anticipated top hotel in Hong Kong in recent years, with no equal.

【Overview of THE MURRAY】

The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel began welcoming guests on January 15, 2018. Currently, only three floors of guest rooms and two restaurants are open to the public, with other facilities, restaurants, and bars gradually opening later.

The hotel is located in the core area of the Central business district, at the legendary Murray Building. Many renderings of The Murray Hotel have already circulated online. Taking advantage of this stay, we present a set of 100% real photos to unveil the mystery of The Murray.

A Hong Kong historical landmark transformed into a modern hotel, converting a Central historic building into the flagship project of the Niccolo brand. This is the third Niccolo Hotel under Wharf Hotels, following the Niccolo Chengdu and Niccolo Chongqing.

【The Past and Present of THE MURRAY】

As one of the eight historic buildings in the Hong Kong government's "Conserving Central" project, the Murray Building has a history of nearly 50 years. Due to its historical significance, the Hong Kong government imposed several restrictions when putting the site up for tender, including no demolition or reconstruction, and requiring the preservation of the exterior and even the trees. The new owner indeed lived up to expectations, retaining the old history while further developing the existing foundation. The towering colonnades and driveway are fully preserved, and the century-old tree in the former parking lot continues to thrive. This ancient tree in the center of the hotel's front yard leaves a deep impression on every guest who visits.

The Murray Building, where the hotel is located, was once a government building designed by British modernist architect Ron Phillips in 1969. It is renowned for its distinctive three-story high arcades, square recessed windows, white exterior, and grand arches on the ground floor. The exterior is simple and clear, with window openings angled inward and windows deeply set at an angle to avoid direct sunlight while maintaining ample natural light.

【Public Spaces of THE MURRAY】

The Murray features a private driveway, and the magnificent arches at the base, along with public spaces connecting to the surrounding environment, leave a lasting impression. In the hotel's public areas, the designers have fully utilized the space while preserving the original building structure as much as possible.

The former back-of-house area of the building has been transformed into the hotel lobby, and the basement parking lot has become the hotel's front courtyard. The design team, Foster + Partners, preserved the driveway that wraps around the base of the building under the three-story high arcades, converting it into a semi-outdoor event space called The Arches. This provides flexible space for a variety of creative exhibitions and events, including fashion shows, luxury car exhibitions, and celebratory receptions.

【Guest Rooms at THE MURRAY】

The Murray stands 25 stories tall and offers 336 oversized guest rooms and suites. Over 75% of the guest rooms are larger than 50 square meters, offering some of the most spacious guest rooms and suites in the city. We stayed in Room 1622, an N2 GRAND room with a park view. The room's color palette is primarily white, black, and gray, accented with gold. Using materials such as stone, leather, and velvet, the design skillfully presents a sense of lines and a very strong sense of space.

The room windows face Hong Kong Park, offering a lush green view.

The hotel prepared a delicious cake for guests celebrating special occasions.

The room provides FIJI water, TWG tea bags, a capsule coffee machine, etc. The bedding, bathrobes, towels, and slippers are all from FRETTE, a 150-year-old Italian luxury bedding boutique.

In the evening, housekeeping delivers more FIJI pure water and AMEDEI chocolate, a top Italian brand.

The bathroom in this room is my favorite part. It features a spacious and bright modern design, using magic glass as a partition between the bathroom and the bedroom. It is transparent while maintaining sufficient privacy at any time.

The presence of gold metal fittings is neither abrupt nor vulgar; instead, it adds a sense of elegance to the otherwise austere space. Whether you are a tourist or a business traveler, you can wash away the fatigue of the day in the large, deep oval soaking tub at night. The hotel offers the niche Australian brand Grown Alchemist, an all-natural organic skincare brand that is even harder to collect than Aesop.

【Restaurants & Dining at THE MURRAY】

The interior design of The Murray's restaurants is overseen by Andre Fu, founder of the award-winning AFSO design studio, and his team. Entering each restaurant is a visual delight. Our room includes breakfast for two, which can be enjoyed at either The Tai Pan or Garden Lounge, with the same food offered. The breakfast quality is very high. Although the variety is not extensive, every item is a fine product, as evident from the quality of the fruit. It is said that the executive chef is French, and the food and beverage manager previously worked at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. The service is impeccable, and the products are uniquely crafted. Whether it's cold cuts, hot dishes, or baked goods, each item is appetizing.

The menu is also exquisitely designed.

Murray Lane

With a modern design, Murray Lane bar offers a selection of craft beers, premium spirits and wines, as well as a variety of exquisite light bites, suitable for casual dining. (Quoted from official website)

Popinjays

Located on the hotel's top floor, the Popinjays restaurant (not yet open to the public) and bar boast stunning views of the山顶 Peak and the city. It features an indoor dining area, private rooms, a rooftop bar, and an outdoor terrace elegantly decorated with plants. Guests can savor seasonal menus that gather culinary essences from around the world and share creative platters. (Quoted from official website)

A hotel with great hardware and service is delightful. We made a reservation a week in advance and immediately received a phone call and email from the hotel confirming the check-in time and pick-up time. Even though the hotel's recreational facilities were not yet operational, they arranged for guests to use the fitness facilities and pool at the fitness center across the street. The service is meticulous and flawless.

As one of the first guests, we could genuinely feel the love every staff member has for this hotel and their enthusiasm toward guests. It is definitely one of the best service hotels in Hong Kong. We look forward even more to everything after the Grand Opening~