More often than not, a great destination hotel is either the kind that puts you in the midst of the proverbial action, or that steals you away into your own cocoon of serenity.
On rare occasions, you’ll stumble upon a property that — by dint of service, location, and amenities — seems magically capable of doing both. In Hong Kong, the Asaya Lodges are one such example.
Recognised by highfliers as one of the best overnight wellness destinations throughout Asia, these suite-only accommodations are technically part of the wider Rosewood Hong Kong premises (read our full review of the latter below).
RELATED: Rosewood Hong Kong Review — Bigger, Badder, And Bougier On The Kowloon Waterfront
In effect, however, the Asaya Lodges are an altogether separate experience — giving guests turnkey access to the world’s #3 hotel whenever they so choose, whilst doubling up as a veritable fortress of solitude. (If, of course, your definition of “solitude” involves cutting-edge wellness, a best-in-class spa program and what amounts to a surprising degree of privacy.)
Check out our full review of the Asaya Lodges at Rosewood Hong Kong below.
Asaya Lodges, Hong Kong
Exceptional
95/100
SCOREPROS
- Unique resort-like lodgings
- Enviable proximity to wellness facilities
- Unrivaled privacy
CONS
- Price & availability
Just how rare are these ‘lodges’ compared with the rest of Rosewood? What’s the difference?
In answer to this: we have an unusual opportunity to cite statistics that aren’t in the least bit boring. For context, there are 413 rooms to choose from at Rosewood Hong Kong — 91 of which are categorised as suites.
A mere two of these account for the Asaya Lodges footprint on the 7th floor; ensconced amid hedgerows of immaculately manicured foliage, with peekaboo views of landmarks including the HKMoA and Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Here, even your arrival sets the tone: in order to access the Lodges, guests are ushered through the Asaya Spa boutique (where the entire check-in process occurs seamlessly on iPads), then out across a courtyard hewn in basalt and cream-coloured Tuscan stone.
A meandering staircase across the way will take you up one flight, where the two titular lodges (nicknamed ‘Camelia’ and ‘Gardenia’) reside.
On the approach, it won’t be long before you notice how the typical Hong Kong soundtrack — traffic lights, ferry horns, a million footfalls — melts into the background. A sensation that Rosewood’s builders and interiors guru Tony Chi have laboured feverishly to create.
Fun tidbit: there’s no elevator access to the lodges from any of Rosewood’s many common areas, solidifying the illusion that guests are in their own greenhouse or tropical getaway.
Sounds dreamy. Tell us about everything that’s covered by the room rate?
Predictably, even off-peak, the price of admission at the Asaya Lodges can reliably be described as… considerable. Daily rates are pitched at an average of $1,980, which is an admittedly tall ask until one remembers that a suite of equivalent size in Sydney — at Capella, for example — is at least 50% more expensive (~$3,800).
Comparison shopping aside, what guests do get for their money is a palatial multiroom floorplan to relax in — one which plays to the secluded, ultra-residential feeling of the surrounding Asaya wellness facilities. If you’re not careful, any lingering desire you have to leave Rosewood’s sprawling grounds for the duration of your stay will be sapped altogether.
With the notable exception of a few brightly coloured bits of MidMod leather furniture, each of the two Asaya lodges is robed in relaxing tones of black, brown, and ecru.
The pebbled flooring of Asaya’s communal areas reappears in these private spaces, and while my own preference is for plush carpeting behind closed doors, these tactile surfaces make sense in a residence where the wet areas and treatment room are supposed to get a massive workout.
Speaking of, the inclusion of a full-sized treatment room (complete with its own service entrance and twin vanities) mean that lodge guests don’t have to sacrifice an ounce of privacy — a notable, if niche perk for those who prefer to avoid small talk with their fellow spa goers.
As for the remainder of the in-room modcons. Well… you are on Rosewood grounds, after all. There’s a massive double-height rain shower that looks like something straight out of Architectural Digest and a powder room setup which wouldn’t feel out of place backstage at the London Palladium.
One other personal highlight is the attention to thematic detail here that Asaya’s housekeeping team have clearly displayed. Instead of giving guests identical amenities to what is in the Rosewood-branded guestrooms, lodges get their own stash of wellness-inspired bar snacks and toiletries.
Long flight? Reach for the minibar and make yourself a “jetlag busting” pot of tea, before slipping into one of the suite’s complimentary full-body masks, made on-site by a dedicated Asaya apothecary.
What about all the other Rosewood wellness facilities? Do I get access to those?
100%. In fact, considering that Hongkongers of a certain stripe and disposable income consider this to be the city’s ultimate wellness centre. You’d be mad not to avail yourself of all the other facilities — no matter how briefly.
While the breadth of Asaya’s treatment menu is best enjoyed within the privacy of your lodge (the ~$450 ‘Touch of Thailand massage’, requiring guests to pick their preferred essential oil, is a no-brainer) you’ll need to venture outside if you’re in need of a workout.
Downstairs on the 6th floor, you’ll find the Asaya Fitness Centre, stacked with a full-on rolodex of local and international trainers. Not to mention, the 2,800-square-foot floorplan ensures you have plenty of space in which to train; and play around with what is sure to be Kowloon’s biggest repository of Technogym equipment.
Alternatively, go for a dip in the adjacent 25-metre infinity pool. Flanked by views of Hong Kong Island’s eastern districts, it’s worth bearing in mind that this outdoor locale is also open to guests of Rosewood proper — meaning that it tends to get busy in the late afternoon and on weekends (i.e. prime time for families).
Fortunately, the sheer proximity of the lodges to everything else Asaya has to offer actually encourage you to make liberal use of its facilities.
To illustrate: before heading to dinner the night I checked in, it took me a literal minute to head down to the men’s bathhouse for a quick, detoxifying sweat in the laconium. Guests simply don’t enjoy that degree of flexibility when quartered in the main Rosewood wing — especially if you’re descending from the 40th floor.
What’s the word on service?
In a word? Impressive.
Post-pandemic, there were fears Rosewood management might have let the side down, but if my own experiences with the team at Asaya were any indication, you’re in very capable hands.
One gem of an interaction involved a request for some last-minute pressing: after handing off with a request that everything be returned no later than 6 PM that same day, my garments were quietly returned and hung in the walk-in, all within the space of about two hours.
Bilingual proficiency across the property is widespread — the wellness team, clad in their distinctive green uniforms, always make an effort to greet you by name; and Rosewood’s usual concierge team is at your full disposal, should you like a curated schedule of dining and cultural experiences.
We’re feeling pretty peckish. Other than in-room dining, what’s on the menu?
Asaya’s integration with the wider Rosewood property mean guests have 11 assorted restaurants, bars, and lounges at their fingertips. A good deal of the F&B offering — which runs the gamut from Michelin-starred Chinese cuisine to award-winning mixology — was covered as part of our review in 2023, with the notable exception of Marmo Bistro.
Open during the latter half of the week (i.e. Wednesday-Sunday), Marmo’s brief is all about classic French comfort food. Staffers in the Rosewood PR team explain that the hotel’s dining roster previously lacked a really solid bistro concept. Fortunately, no longer.
Amid a convivial atmosphere of jeroboam candelabras and blue leather-bound banquettes, I had the opportunity to sink my teeth into a few of the restaurant’s signatures — rich, delicious and (I suspect) mostly engineered for sharing. Plus, there’s just something terrific about laying into onion soup, or a 600-gram ribeye, all while nominally staying at one of Asia’s most lauded urban wellness retreats.
One bit of insider-y advice if this is your first stay?
For time-poor executives or jetsetters in need of a pre-event glow-up, be sure to carve out a few hours to get your locks sorted at Rossano Ferretti HairSpa.
The latest outpost of the award-winning Italian salon (and only the second in the Asia-Pacific) is helmed by Luca Venica. A veteran of Ferretti’s outpost in New York, Venica is as expert at barbering as he is the various ladies’ treatments on offer at the HairSpa.
The signature men’s shampoo/cut/blow-dry combo (~$185) is an indulgent way to sneak some follicular maintenance in between all the personal training, pool time and in-lodge massages.
Asaya Lodges, Rosewood Hong Kong
Address: 7/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, HKSAR
Contact: +852 3891 8888
The author stayed as a guest of Asaya Lodges for two nights.
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