Natural beauty is not just in the eyes of the beholders, as is proved by the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin Hotel.

When designated as the designer for the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin Hotel, Steve Leung, one of Hong Kong's most preeminent interior designers and architects, recalled his childhood experience of going to the Yucca de Lac in Sha Tin with his parents to savor roasted pigeon.

Sha Tin used to be an immense landscape of farmland with a rich and diverse output of organic fruits and vegetables, and the New Territories destination gave people a chance to experience a truly idyllic vibe rarely seen in modern Hong Kong.

Now there are still sporadic traces of natural scenery in the district, such as fresher and less polluted air, hills covered with exuberant greenery, while the limpid water along the coastal promenade depicts a kind of unspoiled beauty.

Leung has managed to utilize his philosophy of "bringing the outdoors in" for the Hyatt Regency in Sha Tin, using lots of floor-to-ceiling windows to usher in ample natural daylight - even into the bathrooms. He designed the in-room carpets himself, using a warm base palette of colors. He chose stone and wood as the main materials for the hotel. Even the lobby concierge desk is decorated with a backdrop mimicking the extensive wood.

The hotel's 567 rooms and suites, ranging from 38 to 238 square meters, as well as all event venues, have pleasant views of the Tolo Harbour, the Kau To Shan mountains or the Sha Tin Racecourse.

"The unique traits in Sha Tin have become the uniqueness for the hotel," said Mr Robert Hamer, the hotel's General Manager.

Though Hyatt Regency in Sha Tin was opened in February 2009, the hotel group had 40 years of history, leaving a legacy of "consistently authentic hospitality" - whether it is reflected in the interior design of the Hyatt brand, which tends to be simple but elegant, or in its insistence in serving up authentic food and making the best of the surrounding natural beauty while offering its recreational services.

"Our hotel is an ideal destination for MICE for both local companies and international corporations. Most of our function rooms have natural day light, and there are enough facilities and activities to keep the guests staying for two nights and three days. There is a great sense of getting away, relaxation and team building," Mr Hamer said.

Mr Robert Hamer, General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin.

To offer extensive options for MICE groups (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions), the hotel features a ballroom which can host up to 500 guests for meetings, the Salons event venues with capacious terraces which are perfect also for weddings, and nine meeting rooms on top floors of the hotel with peaceful mountain views.

The hotel also provides 25 mountain bikes with which guests can cycle along the Tolo Harbour. It can arrange Yoga classes or Taichi in the morning, fun activities, or engage with professional institutions offering team-building exercises if a company has more intense demands.

Melo Spa, named after the Sha Tin pomelo, offers result-oriented treatments inspired by pomelo ingredients. Barbecues by the pool side and outdoor dining are also available, which complement the concept of an urban resort.

The hotel recently created a Residential Meeting Package, starting from an affordable HK$1,580, which offers a one-stop service, including a one-night accommodation, a breakfast, a meeting lunch, two coffee breaks and access to recreational facilities.

As an urban resort, Hyatt Regency in Sha Tin also places an emphasis on offering authentic dining and wining experience.

"It's sometimes for special occasion dining, such as family reunions, anniversaries, or birthdays. It's a perfect weekend getaway, you can come here on a Saturday, and check out on a Sunday," said Mr Hamer.

The hotel's Sha Tin 18 restaurant, which features Cantonese and Northern Chinese cuisine, invited Nelson Zou who hails from Hyatt Regency Dongguan as the Chef De Cuisine. He is passionate about using lots of seasonal vegetables and fish in his family-style dishes.

Pastry chef Anthony Qin from Shanghai created the famous Sha Tin apple pie using locally grown apples and organic honey from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery.

Tin Tin Bar offers a creative "Pomelotini" which blends martini, lemon vodka, grapefruit juice and pomelo, a kind of citrus fruit that is considered as a local specialty of Sha Tin, just like the roasted pigeon.

"We had to try and suit the local tastes, and tried to understand the local customers. So there was a lot of research, a lot of interviewing and selecting," Mr Hamer said, adding that while some of the hotel guests worry about the accessibility of the hotel, it is the quality of food that ultimately brings people in.

"Few hotels in Hong Kong offer urban resort luxury like we do. With our international brand, authentic hospitality and attentive service, we are certain to become THE destination hotel in the New Territories," said Mr Hamer.

China Daily

(HK Edition 03/11/2011 page1)