Hot in Hong Kong: The Murray, a Niccolo Hotel, to Open in 2018

Renowned architect Norman Foster was recruited to redesign Hong Kong’s 1960s-era Murray Building, a 25-story landmark with distinctive three-story arches and recessed windows, as it morphs into a five-star hotel. The Murray Hotel will open at the beginning of 2018 with 336 guest rooms. Developer Wharf Holdings has reportedly spent HK $3.4 billion (approximately $435 million) on the construction project.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, The Murray’s managing director Duncan Palmer “said it was important to engage the original architect, Ron Philips, who designed the building in the late 1960s for the colonial government.” Situated on Cotton Tree Drive near the Bank of China Tower, the American embassy and Hong Kong Park, the building won architectural awards for its original energy-efficient design at the time. Notably, The Murray is part of the Conserving Central project, a Hong Kong initiative to preserve the city’s historic heritage while also innovating for the future.

The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel will have extensive facilities: an indoor pool; five spa suites; and myriad meeting, banquet and events spaces including The Arches, a unique indoor/outdoor space that can accommodate 300 guests. The five F&B outlets are expected to become destinations in themselves. For one thing, there’s a dazzling rooftop bar affording vistas of the business district’s skyline and The Peak. Other dining highlights include the tea lounge at the Garden Level and a Chinese restaurant, housed in its own pavilion, showcasing gastronomic Cantonese cuisine.

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