Floating above the clouds, sipping on champagne while overlooking the sunset – sounds like the end of a cheesy romance novel, doesn’t it? Well, this dreamy scenario has become a reality.
Perched on the 118th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, the Sunset Lounge isn’t a part of resident club Ozone as one might imagine, rather, it takes up a large terrace space behind the hotel’s fitness centre. There are seven cabanas in total, each with a beautifully designed canopy arching overhead. Open from 5pm to 11pm daily, bookings are essential to the experience because of its exclusivity. Here’s the tricky part: with Hong Kong’s weather almost as unpredictable as the next Mark Six results, being on a 118th floor balcony leaves you exposed to the elements and, sadly, it’s quite breezy during our visit.
A whopping $1,650 package gets you a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rich with a garnish of your choice to pair with your bubbles. Choose from cucumber, grapefruit peel, bell peppers or tea. We pick cucumber and it combines well with the sweet champagne, its refreshing taste and slightly bitter backend tackling the sweetness nicely.
The concept of the lounge is phenomenal, but only works when the stars align for weather perfect enough to fully appreciate the surrounds. Being 490m above sea level leaves you at the mercy of the weather conditions, and costing at least $1,650, we don’t think we fancy trying our luck with Mother Nature too many times. Lisa Cam
Veuve Clicquot Sunset Lounge 118/F, The Ritz-Carlton, International Commerce Ctr, 1 Austin Rd W, West Kowloon, 2263 2270; ritzcarlton.com.