The Island Shangri-La Hotel, on Supreme Court Road, Central Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, rises 56 stories into the city’s broken skyline. One of those floors, the 45th to be exact, has been converted in its entirety, by dint of design, interior design and architecture, into an adventure-themed floor intended for child guests and, therefore, for a purely family audience. From the lobby that leads to the 21 rooms and suites that are distributed on that floor, the little ones are immersed in a journey to the imagination.
Indeed, the lobby that gives access to the corridors thematically reproduces a classic Hong Kong train station. To accentuate the atmosphere, a miniature steam locomotive runs around its entire perimeter, at the top, in an endless circular journey. As we enter the corridors, a figurative code welcomes us and advances the orientation of the rooms to which it gives access.
So, a jungle landscape precedes those that open on the fronds of the Victoria Peak – or The Peak, as the locals call the mountain -, whilst paintings with animals and marine motifs indicate the rooms that overlook Victoria Harbour and the sea. But this figurative code is also transferred to the interior design of the hotel rooms, some with a forest theme and the others with a marine theme.
Garden Lodge, Fisherman’s Cove, Hong Kong Wonders, Underwater Treasure, Enchanted Castle, Treetop Hideout, Safari Adventure, Airship Voyage or Fairy Garden give each room and suite a first and last name. Whether they consist of one, two or three bedrooms, from their titles it is easy to imagine the theming of each. If you have any doubts, there are the images to corroborate it. The careful design, the great quality of their workmanship are evident in them, but above all, how delicious, attractive and fun they are if we look at them through the eyes of a child.
On that 45th floor dedicated to adventure, games and family entertainment, with slides, interactive toys, children’s furniture, imaginative decorations, personalized identification plates for children, or interactive lights and sounds, or toys and costumes, others service spaces are added. Like the Hangout, where tiny guests will find sweets and other delicious treats, or a game room, or The Pantry, with appliances, such as a washing machine and dryer, and necessities for those who are in the midst of parenting.
Clifford Weiner, General Manager of Island Shangri-La, put it this way in his statements to Globetrender magazine: “We are very proud to be the first to create a luxury family-friendly haven that combines a playful sense of adventure for children and sophistication for parents”.
So that you can see the legitimate protagonists of this 45th floor in action, here we leave you with the following VIDEO.
Sources: Globetrender, Island Shangri-La Hotel.
Images: Island Shangri-La Hotel.
