15 January 2018, Hong Kong – Wharf Hotels announces the opening of The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, as the group's new flagship Niccolo property and the latest addition to the luxury contemporary chic collection by Wharf Hotels. The Murray will open its facilities, restaurants and bars progressively from today.
As one of eight historic landmarks under the Conserving Central initiative introduced by the Hong Kong government in 2013, The Murray is an inspiring piece of architecture holding almost 50 years of history, and a landmark building located in the heart of the city in Central, Hong Kong. A high-profile preservation project converted into a luxury hotel by Foster + Partners, The Murray is celebrated as a pioneering example of sustainability. Designed with deeply recessed square windows, its ground-breaking energy efficiency concept is still applauded decades after it was built. These windows have been enlarged and now create a magnificent picture frame of the city skylines and garden vistas, thus allowing the
hotel to continue its eco-conscious heritage.
The Murray includes 336 sophisticated suites and guestrooms spanning 25 floors, offering some of the city’s most spacious accommodation choices with over 75% at 50 square metres or larger. Interiors are embellished with natural fabrics and stones, leathers and plush textiles creating a contemporary chic sanctuary and an ambience of understated sophistication.
“We are delighted to announce the opening of The Murray, a new hospitality icon for not only Hong Kong, but our global community, and the flagship for the Niccolo brand,” said Dr Jennifer Cronin, President, Wharf Hotels. “Niccolo Hotels was launched as a new luxury hotel concept with Niccolo Chengdu three years ago, where it soon became one of the leading hotels in the city, followed by Chongqing in September 2017 where Niccolo Chongqing is making its mark as a sky hotel. Niccolo’s Changsha and Suzhou will also open sky hotels in the next two years.”
“As a Hong Kong based hotel group, we are indeed proud to bring Niccolo’s flagship to life where the story really began. We are extremely excited to be able to evolve the legacy of the past from an iconic city landmark, to a new destination for luxury hotel experiences of the future. Under the leadership of Duncan Palmer, Managing Director, The Murray will become one of the great hotels of the world for which Hong Kong will be extremely proud,” Dr Cronin added.
For gourmands, The Murray will offer five restaurants and bars led by a world-class culinary and mixology team, including a modern European restaurant - The Tai Pan; an elegant venue - the Garden Lounge; a Wall Street inspired bar in Murray Lane; a roof-top bar and restaurant - Popinjays, and the well-established Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, Guo Fu Lou.
Complementing its banqueting expertise, The Murray will present over 1,900 square metres of exclusive meeting and event spaces designed for luxury, fashion, art, wedding and corporate occasions.
Foster + Partners has honoured the building’s rich history by retaining its signature features, including the former driveway that circled the building beneath the property's welcoming three-storey arches. The one-of-a-kind space will transform into a semi-alfresco venue named The Arches, hosting up to 350 guests, overlooking idyllic views of Hong Kong Park, and St. John’s Cathedral. Creating a new canvas, The Arches will provide a stylish setting for fashion shows and luxury automotive showcases, exhibitions, cocktail parties and social gatherings.
Now welcoming guests, reservations for The Murray may be made at niccolohotels.com.
About Wharf Hotels
The Spirit of Discovery
Emanating the spirit of discovery, Wharf Hotels, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Wharf (Holdings) Ltd, is based in Hong Kong and currently operates 16 owned or managed hotels under Niccolo or Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong, China and the Philippines. Niccolo Hotels was added to the group’s portfolio in 2015 as the new luxury collection, positioning the brand as contemporary urban chic. The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, opened in January 2018 as the brand's flagship hotel, with 2 new Niccolo hotels currently under development in China following successful openings in Chengdu and Chongqing. Marco Polo’s deluxe hotels in established locations maintain their ethos to explore, discover and experience a destination, drawing on the philosophies of its namesake, Marco Polo: an adventurer, a traveller, an entrepreneur and a connoisseur of culture - just as Marco Polo’s modern travellers are today. Further details are available at wharfhotels.com.
About Niccolo Hotels
New Encounters. Timeless Pleasures
Niccolo is a collection of contemporary urban chic hotels with desirable, highly prized addresses. At heart, as Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel in January 2018. An additional 2 Niccolo hotels are currently under development discoverers and re-discoverers of luxury experiences, styles and tastes, its hotels are modern sophisticated spaces, where the timeless pleasure of impeccable hospitality from another golden era in travel, is valued. Underpinning everything is the desire to make life effortlessly luxurious. Niccolo Chengdu was the first hotel to open followed by Chongqing and the brand's flagship, The Murray, in Changsha and Suzhou, China, taking the collection to 5 hotels. Further details are available at niccolohotels.com.