asianTraveler Magazine

Because Kublai Khan privileged Marco Polo with a golden tablet that he presented when in need of sanctuary in Kublai Khan’s kingdom, Marco Polo had the opportunity to explore many places.

His chronicles offered a glimpse of worlds beyond imagination. A major contribution of his is that he opened the eyes of the West to the rest of the world. Thus it seems fit that a chain of properties that showcases the mystic wonders and pleasures of the east is named after him.

The Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel opened in 1969 under the management of Marco Polo Hotels, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wharf (Holdings) Limited. It is one of a portfolio of eleven properties in Asia, and is the most centrally located of all. The Hotel sits proudly on Canton Road, known for being the famous address of some of the most prestigious shopping centers in Hong Kong. Three large shopping malls namely Harbour City, Gateway Arcade and Ocean Terminal occupy a seven block stretch and houses everything from a bustling food junction to the largest Louis Vuitton shop in the Asia Pacific.

The Cucina Restaurant, one of the eateries at the Marco Polo, is the latest jewel in the group that showcases award-winning recipes. The outlet aims to combine the best of both Western and Eastern cuisine, so the menu has a mixture of offerings that range from Italian to Cantonese. “It is not purely Chinese, nor purely Italian,” says Graeme Richie, chef and worldwide consultant to different restaurants and hotels.

The Cucina is marketed as a stand alone outlet and has developed its own following of regular habitués. Overlooking the harbor, it functions as a sort of terrace restaurant.

We sampled dishes the world over. Their dimsum sampler consisted of your basic siu mai, hand shaped into its classic Yum Cha shape. Naturally, the hakaw or shrimp dumpling classically made with its trademark 7 folds, scallop dumplings and a pot sticker rounded out this entrée. The next appetizer was pacific scallop wrapped in bacon and pan seared just enough to cook through but not cooked out. One of the more unique and heart stopping choices is the beef shin topped with jellyfish. It is cold and spicy with the slight tart taste of vinegar and soy.

Next on the menu was Onion soup in a red bowl, topped with a slice of bread capped with mozzarella. Typical onion soup demands that onions be cooked slowly, so as not to burn, but just to brown slowly to release the natural sugars in the onions to which one adds a rich stock. This however was done with a spin, using red Spanish onions which are slightly sweeter, and cooked slowly with a bit of tomato. It came out much richer, a real palate revelation!

A parade of noodles followed with classic pasta in tomato sauce and Szechwan style noodles served in a bowl with beef tips and peanuts in a savory stock, no doubt expected to be eaten with a slurp. The shrimp entrée, mashed and shaped into one long fillet topped with fried garlic was delicious. However, it was no match against the Wagyu beef cheek stew, which gave comfort food a whole new meaning. Roast duck breast medium rare on a bed of arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar was a wonderful companion to the suckling pig skin dipped in hoi sin that crackled with every bite. In between mouthfuls, we savored the fact that the flavors came from both East and West indeed.

Finally the meal ended with dessert: sherbet seated on a crème brulee with fresh raspberry and blueberries. It went perfectly with a cup of cappuccino. The ingredients were indeed fresh, and in the future one can expect fresh herbs from the hydroponic herb garden which is in the works, a pet project of Chef Graeme.

Our dining companion was Janiz Azupardo, Director of Communications for the three hotels along Canton Road, the Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, the Marco Polo Gateway Hotel and the Marco Polo Prince. Between servings of each entrée, Janiz, in her own bubbly and vivacious style, told us about her experience with other chains worldwide and how she never really had a chance to have her own place until the group allowed her to have a flat of her own with this appointment. Over several glasses of sparkling Prosecco, we talked about how branding made all the difference in this business.

“We will be re-launching the brand to differentiate ourselves from the typical hotel offerings,” she shared. They will be adding a few more special features like being able to check-in while in transit to save clients the hassle of falling in line at the lobby. With competition in the industry being so tough, it is obvious that it’s no longer all about having a comfortable bed and clean sheets. As Janiz said, “It’s really all about experience because you can only do so much with a property.”

As a hotel, its 664 rooms would have all the creature comforts that one simply must expect from a hotel. A Continental Club floor extends additional benefits to the business executive whose visit is primarily for trade rather than tour, so his or her stay becomes less complicated with express check in or check out services and a private lounge area for meetings and little conferences.

Rather than this being an exclusive feature of a hotel, it has become a standard everywhere around the world, so whats the difference indeed? Standard Superior and Deluxe rooms with work desks, cable TV, the customary daily paper, and plethora of shampoos, soaps and toiletries abound in the Marco Polo’s rooms. From the fruit plate to the complimentary coffee and tea service, at a certain point, it all becomes a blur and gets reduced to just another hotel room.

Nevertheless, it is the service that makes the difference. It is definitely a benefit that the Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong are well situated. However, the moment the guests arrive, all they want to do is get out and see the surroundings. Therefore, aside from enjoying exceedingly high occupancy rates, the next initiative is to encourage more F&B consumption from the guests. Janiz also shares that they aim to grow their MICE business, which stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions, as well as to reach out to new markets, especially those who are visiting from the Mainland.

Being in Hong Kong, known to be a shopper’s paradise, we were quite excited to check out the stores around the Hotel. Therefore, to get ourselves ready for a long day of shopping, we decided to start our day with a heavy breakfast at the hotel. The Café Marco’s buffet breakfast caters to all walks and persuasions, from the basic Chinese porridge with Yum Cha or Dimsum, to a smoked collection of salamis, hams and salmon, to an overflowing basket of baked goodies, capped with your basic lumberjack’s breakfast of pancakes and bacon.

The egg station creates anything from sunny side up to easy over, to an omelet with everything in it. After stuffing ourselves, we were ready to seize the day so to speak, and to take in as much of this city as we could. What we didn’t realize was that as we arrived back after a long day, we were only so glad to get back into the room, put our feet up and steal a few moments of quiet contemplation. The Marco Polo does deliver on its promise of a sanctuary amidst the hustle and bustle of a modern metropolis.

The next afternoon we found ourselves in the lobby lounge, for a light lunch or so we thought. The appetizer buffet was composed of the basic cold cuts, salamis, hams and smoked goodies, but couple this with a shellfish extravaganza of king crab legs, plump shrimp and Irish oysters and suddenly, it was more than what we bargained for. As we wolfed down mouthfuls of the tasty treats, Janiz shared with us that there was a lot that the future had in store for the Marco Polo, although she couldn’t exactly say what the plans were. Nevertheless our experience in the hotel, which was home to us for a few days, spelled out that there was definitely nothing but greatness in store for this hotel chain.