The intrepid Travelling Gourmet goes Green in the “Emerald of the South China Sea”…
Story & Photos Copyright by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet
MOST travellers are environment friendly nowadays and if you are a true-blue “Greenie” you must stay in Eaton Smart Hotel in a very strategic location along Kowloon’s busiest street. The street is Nathan Road and the hotel has just won the HotelClub Best Eco Hotel Award for 2012. Just 30 minutes from Kong Kong International Airport by the Hotel Shuttle bus which just costs HKD130 one way, the lobby of this high tech hotel has a very unique “Living Wall”. The impressive wall panel of 3,600 Sansevieria green plants reaches a height of 6m high by 8m wide! The plants purify the air of noxious Nitrogen Oxide and Formaldehyde and gives out Oxygen in the day! It is so ‘coool’ to sip a Lychee Mojito in the T Garden and admire the greenery.
It’s ALIVE!
The avant garde lobby furnishings and floor is made with sustainable bamboo which can be harvested every 5 years without killing the plant.
Another bonus of staying here in the Eaton Smart Hotel are the free complimentary Tai Chi classes conducted by Sifu (Master) Cheung. After all the gourmet food and wine, I made sure I attended. Not only informative, his one hour class on Mon, Wed and Fri from 8am to 9am is really a barrel of fun and laughs! I can testify to that. Very informative too! He teaches Wu style Tai Chi in the open air T Garden and bamboo courtyard.
In the cool Spring afternoon I went to tour the Jade Market, serene Tin Hau Temple and Wet Market with the Concierge. The walking tour is not only good exercise but complimentary. You can buy “Jade” jewellery for 15HKD which means of course “caveat emptor” (buyer beware).
Jade, Jade everywhere!
Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in the Wet Market like strawberries & Bok Choy from China. The alfresco Market is very different from those in Singapore as the stalls line the roadside.
In the evening, I strolled to Temple Street to take in the sights, smells and sounds of the “Night Market”. Shop and bargain for Mao Tse Tung watches and ‘Louis Vuitton’ and “Rolex” watches!
When it comes to the rooms, I recommend the E Suite with its own comfy Living Room where you can unwind, and do your work at the desk while enjoying a coffee. Yes, there are complimentary tea/coffee making facilities. 
The bed is really nice and the soft, fluffy feather pillows embrace you like the arms of a warm woman so I was asleep in seconds…
E Club guests also enjoy a Continental Breakfast from 7am to 10am at the E Club which is also a Business Center. Evening Cocktails is served from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and has Tim Sum, Smoked Salmon, Samosas and Cocktails freshly made to order lik Black Russian and aromatic Pimm’s No.1.
The location of Eaton Smart Hotel for travel within the city is excellent. The hotel is right between the MTR stations of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei & it is a short stroll to the MTR stations. This makes it a snap to travel to anywhere in Hong Kong. For instance, I could get to Mong Kok in 5 minutes and to Lan Kwai Fong, famous for its restaurants and nightlife, in 10 minutes.
Food fabulous FOOD!
There are 7 Food & beverage outlets from Japanese at Yagura to Metro Buffet & Grill. However, when in Hong KOng eat as the natives eat which means Cantonese cuisine! This can be relished at Yat Tung Heen which has 1 Michelin Star. I enjoyed a ‘superbe’ dinner there with charming Erica Chan, Eaton Smart’s Assistant Public Relations Manager.
We began with ueber-crunchy mouth-watering chilled Whole Jelly Fish plus their signature 15mm thick Char Siew marinated in a secret sauce and roasted to sublime perfection. There was that classic Cantonese Tim Sum of Pig’s Trotters in Soy. Jazz it up with Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon with its cassis & spice notes. Yummy!
The second course of a clear tasty soup with Phoenix Claws was most welcome as it was rather chilly outside at 12C. The next soup was a creamy almond soup with a silky texture. Vermicelli in Clay Pot with gigantic prawns was delicious especially with the Chef’s special XO Sauce made with Salmon instead of dried scallop.
Sweets for the sweet! I adored the Osmanthus Jelly with Almond and Sesame Ball was excellent too!
Keep calm & Exercise!
After all the gourmet food I had to go to the Gymnasium on Level 21, the highest floor to work out. Very well equipped, just outside is a decadent Graeco-Roman swimming pool that is 11m long and heated to 30C.
After a Calorie burning swim and work out, I felt energised and ready to…
Keep calm and Carry On Shopping!
Only a stone’s throw away is the famous Wing On department store where you can shop to your heart’s delight.
Keep calm and Carry On Shopping!
Only a stone’s throw away is the famous Wing On department store where you can shop to your heart’s delight. I made a beeline for the Wing Wah pastry shop, practically a Hong Kong instituions to ‘tar pow’ the celebrated “Low Por Pheng” or ‘wife biscuit’ to bring home.
‘Greenies’ take note, next time you visit Hong Kong, get smart and stay in Eaton Smart Hotel. “Yat dong zhi jau dim” which translates as ‘take me to Eaton Smart Hong Kong’! Enjoy! {:-)
Eaton Smart Hotel
380 Nathan Road
Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel: 852 2782 1818
The Travelling Gourmet 