HONG KONG – March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong opens today and dominates the skyline as the world’s “highest” hotel. Located at the very top of the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Hong Kong, occupying floors 102 to 118, the hotel is the very pinnacle of luxury and a beacon of contemporary style and excellence in Asia’s World City. The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong is the newest addition to the brand’s growing global portfolio of 75 luxury properties and its 16th hotel in Asia.

“The opening of this landmark hotel in Hong Kong is the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication to delivering the very best product, facilities and service in this international gateway city,” said Herve Humler, president and chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. “Partnering with Hong Kong’s premier developer, Sung Hung Kai Properties, we have been able to create something truly spectacular to welcome our guests not just to the highest hotel in the world, but also to one of the very best hotels in the world. We are taking luxury to new heights in every sense.”

The stylish and contemporary interiors by Singapore’s LTW set the scene for this thoroughly modern hotel set in the heart of Hong Kong. The sense of arrival is breathtaking with views of Victoria Harbour and the iconic Hong Kong skyline as the backdrop. Guests will be welcomed into the arrival lobby on the 9th floor before being transported up to the hotel lobby on the 103rd floor where panoramic views over Hong Kong await them. These sky-high views are an amazing addition to this beautiful and innovative hotel, however, the behind-the-scenes is anything but glamourous as there is a lot of construction for buildings such as this. Some things may be custom made like the mouldings and specific elevator parts from companies similar to titanmachine.com (you can read more about Titan Machine on their page), as well as room designs, so they can offer a uniquely relaxing experience.

The hotel’s 312 guest rooms all offer spectacular city and harbour views. Starting at 530 sqft for a Deluxe Room, and reaching 3,920 sqft for the magnificent Ritz-Carlton Suite, rooms provide state-of-the-art technology including WiFi, iPod docking stations, blu-ray DVD players and flat screen TVs. In addition, Club room guests can enjoy the panoramic view from The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge with complimentary food and beverage presentations 24 hours a day. The Club also gives guests access to a dedicated Club Concierge, work stations, meeting rooms and WiFi throughout.

In a move that perfectly articulates the brand’s shift in design philosophy and service evolution, the hotel’s six dining venues have been created by some of the biggest names in restaurant design, including Japan’s Spin Design Studio and Wonderwall. The hotel offers three restaurants on the 102nd floor, including Tin Lung Heen, which is a Chinese restaurant serving refined Cantonese cuisine, Tosca, an Italian restaurant which offers Southern Italian Cuisine with an open kitchen and the very stylish The Lounge & Bar which features stunning crystal fire pits. In addition, there is a chocolate-themed lounge named The Chocolate Library on the 103rd floor and a stylish patisserie located on the 9th floor.

Perhaps the jewel in the crown is Ozone located on the hotel’s 118th floor. This sleek, stylish and contemporary restaurant and bar will set a new benchmark for Hong Kong’s social and dining scene. Offering contemporary Asian tapas, signature cocktails and a stylish wine list, Ozone has bar and restaurant seating in zoned sections and the world’s highest al fresco terrace where guests can indulge in the incredible views over the city. Whether they sought the help of restaurant consulting services to get this vision up and running, or did it themselves in tandem with the restaurant designers, it is truly a sight to behold and certainly somewhere visitors will remember for a long time after they have been there.

For those wishing to relax and indulge, The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA is the ultimate in urban spa sanctuary experiences. Located on the 116th floor and featuring nine deluxe treatment rooms and two couple’s suites all with floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views, the spa will appeal to both residential guests and Hong Kong citizens alike and offer a true escape from the city some 16,000 feet below. A world-class team of professional therapists will ensure a spa experience like no other. All of the therapists are fully insured (click here to learn about the different spa coverage options) and trained to a high level. The hotel also features a fully-equipped fitness centre and an indoor infinity pool overlooking the Victoria Harbour on the 118th floor with a 92ft x 23ft LED screen on the ceiling that can display images and videos that are surrounded with commercial ceiling tiles of some beautiful design, adding to the luxurious feel.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong has one of the largest ballrooms in the city at 10,000 sqft. Elaborately decorated with a sea of crystal chandeliers, the décor of the Diamond Ballroom is suited to weddings, meetings and gala events. Complemented by an additional four meeting rooms, the total of 14,000 sqft of meeting space is set to become the new social centre for Hong Kong and the benchmark for events in the region.

In the podium of the ICC, the one million square foot Elements shopping mall offers some of the finest shopping in Hong Kong with luxury brand names featured throughout this world-class location. The ICC will also host an Observation Deck, Sky100 on the 100th floor and offer direct connections to Hong Kong International Airport in 20 minutes and Central in five minutes. The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong is strategically located at the heart of the city and will become a must-see tourist attraction now that it has opened.