Review: Upper House Hong Kong

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

I recently took a trip to Hong Kong. You can read my trip reports here:

Review: Upper House Hong Kong

Upper House Hong Kong offers an elevated take on contemporary Asian luxury, set high above the city atop the Pacific Place complex in Admiralty. Rising above designer boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment venues, this luxury boutique hotel reveals a relaxed, informal world where comfort and discretion take priority. Starting on the 38th floor, Upper House immediately distances guests from the city’s intensity, replacing it with calm, light-filled spaces and a distinctly residential atmosphere. The hotel features just 117 generously sized rooms and suites, all designed with ample windows that frame expansive city and Victoria Harbor views. Upper House Hong Kong is a preferred choice for those in the creative and design industries and consistently ranks among the world’s best hotels in leading travel magazines and websites.

Upper House Hong Kong features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Hong Kong.

Have you ever stayed at Upper House Hong Kong? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

I made a YouTube video with full tour of Upper House Hong Kong, which you can watch here:

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

Hotel skyscraper

Hotel entrance

Ground floor lobby

Tea Lounge

Guest room floor

Room

Bathroom

Salisterra Restaurant

The Lawn

Gym

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PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• Set in Admiralty, Upper House Hong Kong enjoys an excellent location in the city. This district functions as a natural hinge between Central, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay, making it equally well suited to leisure and business travelers. Elevated above the Pacific Place complex, the hotel sits directly over a mix of luxury retail, dining, offices, and entertainment venues. Admiralty’s excellent transport infrastructure — including direct MTR access and efficient road connections — makes navigating Hong Kong seamless, whether heading toward the financial center, cultural neighborhoods, or the harbor waterfront. Yet despite the constant activity below, the atmosphere inside Upper House remains distinctly serene. Positioned high above street level, the hotel feels removed from congestion and noise, offering a sense of calm that contrasts sharply with the energy of the surrounding district. This balance between connectivity and quiet is one of the property’s defining strengths, making it an ideal base for travelers who want to experience Hong Kong fully while returning to a tranquil sanctuary at the end of the day.

• Upper House Hong Kong is located in a mixed-use skyscraper, part of the Pacific Place development. Within this structure, the 5-star hotel occupies the uppermost floors (levels 38 to 49), while the JW Marriott Hong Kong Hotel is located on the lower hotel floors beneath it. Although both 5-star properties share the same tower, they function independently, each with its own identity and positioning within the building. The tower was originally constructed as a combined residential and hotel building, with 140 serviced apartments positioned above 607 hotel rooms, reflecting the city’s vertical approach to urban living. As part of a later interior retrofit, the tower’s upper residential floors were transformed into the suites of the 117-key Upper House, which opened in 2009 and redefined the building’s summit as an elevated luxury destination. Upper House Hong Kong benefits from its elevated placement, rising well above the commercial and retail activities of Pacific Place and commanding uninterrupted views across Admiralty, the city skyline, and Victoria Harbor.

• The design of Upper House Hong Kong is the work of Hong Kong–born architect André Fu, hailed by Vogue UK as a “design wunderkind” and described by Condé Nast Traveler US as an “Asian design sensation.” His vision for the hotel is structured around the idea of an upward journey, expressed through a carefully choreographed sequence of spaces. Guests enter through a small, understated ground-floor lobby before ascending via a softly lit escalator into an intimate lounge area, which is connected to a tea bar and an adjacent outdoor lawn (a rarity in Hong Kong). The sense of ascent continues by elevator into the spacious guest rooms, presented in two soothing color palettes — bamboo and celadon — each chosen to reinforce serenity and balance. This architectural narrative reaches its climax at the Sky Bridge on Level 49, where a dramatic skylight crowns a soaring 40 m (130 ft) high atrium, leading onward to the hotel’s Mediterranean-inspired dining destination, Salisterra. Together, these elements form a cohesive progression, gradually lifting guests away from the city’s hustle and bustle and into a tranquil sanctuary high above Hong Kong.

• Space is one of the defining luxuries at Upper House Hong Kong, where all 117 guest rooms — including 21 suites and two penthouses — are designed to feel closer to refined high-rise apartments than traditional hotel accommodations. Rooms begin on the 38th floor, with huge windows that project outward to maximize framing and natural light. During my stay, I was accommodated in a “Studio 80″ room category, which featured an expansive bedroom with a sitting corner and a desk. The bathroom was particularly impressive, offering double vanity, a stand-alone limestone-clad bathtub, a rainfall shower, floor-to-ceiling windows, full-size Bamford amenities. The room came with a thoughtfully stocked maxi bar, where everything aside from wine and champagne was complimentary. The room’s features also included video on demand, 2.1 Dolby surround sound, 42″ LCD TV in the sitting room and bedroom and 23-26” in the bathroom, IPTV, and unlimited wireless high-speed broadband access.

• A subtle but memorable aspect of a stay at Upper House Hong Kong is the wide variety of welcome amenities offered throughout the visit. It is not entirely clear whether these items are provided to all guests or whether they are linked to a specific room category, rate, or package; however, I was told that amenities are often curated based on what the hotel knows about individual guests and their preferences. During my stay, this resulted in a series of small surprises that appeared in my room at various moments, including a plush bathrobe embroidered with my initials, a personalized toiletry bag, a luxury shaving kit, and a bottle of the hotel’s room fragrance. These items were clearly intended to be used during the stay, yet I was also encouraged to take them home as lasting mementos. These personalized touches reflect Upper House Hong Kong’s broader approach to hospitality: discreet, thoughtful, and centered on individual comfort rather than overt display.

• Upper House Hong Kong features two excellent restaurants, offering different atmospheres:
  • Salisterra is located at the top of the hotel and offers expansive views over Victoria Harbor and the surrounding skyline. The restaurant serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine during lunch and dinner, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and balanced flavors. Salisterra is also where à la carte breakfast is served. Alternatively, breakfast can be served in your suite at no extra charge, reinforcing the hotel’s relaxed, residential approach.
  • Continental is situated in a separate building approximately a two-minute walk from the main tower. The restaurant includes an outdoor terrace and has a more relaxed, brasserie-style character. Its menu focuses on classic European dishes.

• Upper House Hong Kong features three distinct bar spaces, each offering a different atmosphere while remaining consistent with the hotel’s calm, residential character:
  • The Green Room, located next to Salisterra Restaurant, is an intimate, backstage-inspired lounge designed for quiet conversations and informal encounters. The mood is discreet and relaxed, with a focus on craft cocktails, making it a natural extension of the restaurant experience.
  • At the top of the escalators on level 6 sits the Tea Room, a relaxed daytime space intended for casual coffee, light bites, or informal meetings. Reimagined with long-time collaborator André Fu, the Tea Room functions as a social living room rather than a traditional bar, encouraging unhurried pauses throughout the day.
  • Completing the trio is The Lawn, a secluded garden bar featuring green lawns, fragrant flowerbeds, and rooftop loungers. Designed as a quiet outdoor retreat above the city, it is well suited to picnic-style cocktails, garden bites, and a good glass of wine, offering a rare space of greenery within Hong Kong’s dense urban environment.

• Upper House Hong Kong is managed by Swire Hotels, a hospitality group deeply rooted in Hong Kong. Part of the wider Swire Group, Swire Hotels focuses on creating architecturally distinctive properties that are closely connected to their cultural and urban surroundings. Swire’s luxury lifestyle properties are grouped under The House Collective, a brand that brings together hotels with a shared philosophy of understated luxury and residential sensibility. The collection currently includes Upper House Hong Kong, The Opposite House in Beijing, The Middle House in Shanghai, and The Temple House in Chengdu. Each property is individually designed and city-specific, yet united by a calm, contemporary aesthetic and an emphasis on space, privacy, and emotional comfort. Looking ahead, the collection is set to expand further, with future openings announced for Xi’an, Bangkok, and Shenzhen, reinforcing Swire Hotels’ continued focus on key Asian cities while maintaining its selective, design-first philosophy.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

• Upper House Hong Kong truly shines when it comes to its enormous guest rooms and bathrooms, which feel more like refined private residences than standard hotel accommodations, complemented by thoughtful service and understated, elegant design. However, the hotel places less emphasis on shared spaces, which may not appeal to travelers who enjoy spending time in lively communal areas or who are seeking a more social, resort-style hotel experience. Its appeal lies instead in a privacy-first philosophy, oversized rooms, and a quiet, residential atmosphere — qualities that make it especially attractive to high-profile guests seeking refuge from the spotlight. For example, over the years, reported guests have included figures such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton, as well as prominent designers and creatives attending events like Art Basel Hong Kong.

• One potential drawback is the absence of a swimming pool and full spa, largely because the building was not purpose-built as a hotel. Guests who prioritize extensive leisure facilities — particularly on longer stays — may find this limiting. That said, the hotel does offer in-suite massage treatments on request, allowing for a more private and flexible wellness experience, and there is also a well-equipped on-site gym that comfortably meets the needs of most workouts.

• Another potential drawback is the relatively small lobby area. Under normal circumstances, this is rarely an issue, as check-in is typically handled in-room, reinforcing the hotel’s residential approach. However, during periods of high occupancy, when rooms may not yet be ready, guests can experience some congestion and waiting time in the lobby, which can feel less comfortable given the limited space. While this situation is not frequent, it is not ideal for a hotel of this caliber and may detract slightly from the otherwise seamless arrival experience.

• In terms of dining, The Upper House Hong Kong offers two excellent restaurants, both leaning toward a relaxed, contemporary style that aligns seamlessly with the hotel’s understated ethos. I personally enjoyed the quality and ease of both, yet as someone who appreciates a stronger sense of occasion when dining, I found myself wishing for a bit more contrast. Given the hotel’s stellar international reputation, I would have loved to see the addition of a Michelin-starred fine-dining concept — offering a more elevated, destination experience. Salisterra, in particular, feels like the perfect setting for such a concept, with its dramatic views and elegant design naturally lending itself to a more ambitious culinary vision. This absence is especially noticeable in Hong Kong, where many high-end hotels are home to Michelin-starred restaurants, and introducing one here would add a sense of culinary occasion that feels slightly missing from an otherwise exceptional stay.

MY VERDICT

• Layout: 8/10
• Design: 8/10
• Pool: N/A
• Rooms: 9/10
• Food: 8/10
• Breakfast: 8/10
• Spa: N/A
• Service: 9/10
• Wow factor: 8/10
• Value for money: 8/10
• Overall experience: very good – 8/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save money: get complimentary VIP perks when booking Upper House Hong Kong through Virtuoso:
  • Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
  • Daily buffet breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
  • $100 USD hotel credit, to be utilized during stay
  • Early check-in / late check-out, subject to availability
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi

• Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Upper House Hong Kong (and/or receive many free perks).

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

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