An historically significant but hard-to-reach former police station in rural Hong Kong has been turned into a stylish boutique hotel. Is it worth the lengthy and complicated trip to get there?
In This Post
Welcome to Lantau Island!
Located on a headland overlooking the South China Sea, the Tai O Heritage Hotel is a boutique hotel in the truest sense of the word.
Housed in a renovated police station on Lantau Island, one of Hong Kong’s outer islands, the Tai O Heritage Hotel has just nine units, including double bedrooms and a ground floor suite. There is just one food and beverage outlet.
The Back Story
As a big fan of heritage architecture, I decide to spend a night at the hotel, which is located on Lantau Island, the largest of Hong Kong’s 250-plus islands. In fact, it is actually larger than Hong Kong Island itself.
Lantau is also home to some of Hong Kong’s most iconic tourist attractions: Hong Kong Disneyland, the Big Buddha, the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Po Lin Monastery — the list goes on!
Lantau Island is also crisscrossed with hiking tails and has several beaches. And then there’s Tai 0, one of the last remaining fishing villages in Hong Kong. Most of its homes are built over the water on stilts.
I am accompanied by a companion in need of an overnight get-away that doesn’t involve air travel.
Neither one of us lives anywhere near the hotel, and getting there will take both of us about four hours.
Will the hotel prove worthy of the lengthy trip?
Accommodation – Tai O Heritage Hotel
The rooms are spacious, well laid out, and comfortable. The beds are “so soft and light, it’s like sinking into a cloud,” my travel companion says.
“I am also highly impressed with the duvet and the sheets … and the quality and quantity of the pillows”.
My room is decorated in restful pastel shades. There are black and white photos of old Lantau on the walls. There is a comfortable sitting area with a small table.
My room has a spacious work station, with electrical outlets conveniently located on the table top. During my stay, I have no issues getting or staying on line. The space is well lighted.Â
My companion stays in a 2 room suite (pictured), with separate living and sleeping areas. Her room has one large king size bed. Â Mine has 2 double beds.
Bathrooms — Tai O Heritage Hotel
The interior designers responsible for the project were able to pull off that rare feat of creating contemporary spaces that respect the era from which the building dates.
The bathrooms, for example, have marble clad floors and walls. The mirrors are large. There are rain showers in the wet rooms – yes, I said wet rooms.
And not only are the bathtubs over-sized. They also fill quickly – “really a luxury”, my travel companion says.
None of this is historically accurate (at the time the police station was built, they probably didn’t even have indoor plumbing). And yet the bathrooms have an undeniably retro feel.
Click here for more pictures of the hotel and its rooms
Food and Beverage — Tai O Heritage Hotel
Tai O Lookout, as the hotel’s food and beverage outlet is called, is housed within a contemporary wood and glass structure adjacent to the hotel. It is a very comfortable space.
During my brief stay at the hotel, my travel companion and I have 3 meals in the restaurant: lunch, dinner, and breakfast. All of the other diners also appear to be guests at the hotel.
What Needs Improvement
It’s a shame there are no facilities other than the rooms and restaurant. A swimming pool would be nice, but I don’t know where they could put it on a hillside site like this.
There is, however, a small beach at the foot of the hotel. I couldn’t help but think that if they could clean it up a bit – there are lots of rocks and shells – it would make a good spot for sunbathing.
A couple of lounge chairs, some umbrellas, and a stand with some towels piled high would make a very welcome addition to the hotel.
As for the waterfront at the foot of the hotel, it would be nice if they could replace the modern street lamps with something vintage. A few vintage park benches would be another nice touch.
Tai O Heritage Hotel — the Verdict
I think they’ve done a great job renovating the police station. The location, the rooms, restaurant, and the staff – all get an enthusiastic two thumb’s up.
To answer the question at the beginning of the post, it absolutely was worth the long journey to get there. This place is an absolute gem. And the access to hiking trails was a further bonus.
I only wish we could have stayed longer. And I also wish that Hong Kong has more places like this!
How to Get There
There are basically two ways to get from the bus terminus in Tai O to the hotel: on foot or by water taxi. If you walk, it will take about 20 minutes.
If you go by water taxi, will cost HK$10 or HK$20 per person, depending on whether you go by speed boat (faster and more expensive) or hitch a ride on the cruise around the harbour (cheaper and you share the boat with others).
Blogger’s Tip: Pack lightly. You won’t want to be toting heavy and/or bulky luggage on to and off of boats and then carry it up and down the steps to the hotel.
Location — Tai O Heritage Hotel Hong Kong
Tai O Heritage Hotel, Tai O, Lantau Island, Hong Kong.
Click here for more reviews of the hotel on TripAdvisor
