There’s no better way to feel right at home in the bustling city of Hong Kong than in the tranquil and incredibly stylish (lovingly designed by Philippe Starck no less) boutique hotel, JIA.

By Melanie Lee

As one of the first few authentic boutique hotels to be established in Asia, JIA Hong Kong, which opened in 2004, has set a high milestone when it comes to niche hospitality. Their unique brand of chic accommodation has even extended to Shanghai, where another JIA hotel opened in 2008. It would be safe to say that the award-winning JIA is the forerunner of boutique hotels in this region, and offers a fascinating juxtaposition of comfort and luxury, quirkiness and classiness, home and hotel.

You might miss out on JIA while making your way there. It is hardly a flashy building – it was formerly an office – and camouflages well within the crowds and the noise coming from the seemingly endless rows of shops at Causeway Bay. But then you see it – a small sign with the purple word “JIA”, which means ‘home’ in Chinese. You peer through the tinted glass and see another world with teak wood floors, marble tables and satin couches within.

One can only enter JIA’s hotel premises with an access card – this is only given to guests so as to prevent their lobby from becoming  overcrowded. As I enter, I soon understand the rationale behind such exclusivity. In line with its homely theme, the lobby is really like a designer dream living room come true with eclectic chandeliers, African artifacts, and laidback lounge music. Further back in the lobby, I spot a few guests helping themselves to some cake and tea, leisurely flipping their papers. “It’s the little things that we do which we hope make our guests feel at home,” says Vivian, the hotel manager as she tells me about how complimentary breakfast, afternoon cakes and evening wine are served in the lobby so as to give the feeling that guests are really having the most splendid stay over in someone’s home.

There are 54 hotel rooms in this 25-storey hotel, including two duplex 146 square metre penthouses, 35 square metre studio rooms and 72 square metre one-bedroom suites, all generously spacious by Hong Kong’s standards and impeccably furbished. All rooms are fitted with an equipped kitchen, which is a perfect way to try out some local produce you can buy from the nearby shops. And if you need laundry done, you can hang out with some cocktails in the outdoor terrace where there’s a laundry room.

Besides this unique living arrangement, there are plenty of perks to look forward to while staying at JIA. There’s the hotel’s own Michelin-starred restaurant The Drawing Room headed by Master Chef Roland Schuller, as well as the Insider Access Card, a special card all JIA guests receive which gives them privileges and perks around Hong Kong in restaurants, bars, and various fashion and lifestyle stores including Kee private member clubs, The Press Room, Jean Paul Gaultier and Hugo Boss. “While it is great travelling to new places, the trip is so greatly enhanced when you are treated to a true insider’s experience – it is fun, convenient and makes you enjoy a city so much more. With our Insider Access Card our guests get instant recognition at so many venues around Hong Kong,” says Yenn Ong, owner of JIA Boutique Hotels.

My favourite part of the hotel? The bed, which has an illuminated, evocative word “Dream” perched just above your pillows – dream well indeed, in such a fine, fascinating hotel such as JIA.

JIA Hong Kong
1-5 Irving Street
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3196 9000
www.jiaboutiquehotels.com

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