KOWLOON COOL
AN AGING FOUR-STAR HOTEL MAY SEEM AN UNLIKELY candidate to rewrite the hospitality business model. Yet that’s just the role that has been carved out for Hong Kong’s Eaton Hotel, which has shed its middle-of-the-road, business traveler–geared trappings to become something so different that the word “hotel” can’t possibly contain it—hence the new umbrella brand for the property, Eaton Workshop.
Granted, there are still guest rooms, all recently updated with a tasteful redesign that blends soft colors, clean lines, and custom furnishings to make the most of their limited space. But the transformation of the hotel—now dubbed Eaton HK—goes well beyond organic bath amenities and bedside Himalayan salt lamps. Instead of banquet halls, there’s a buzzing basement food court with 11 stalls showcasing “cult” local cuisine, from rice-porridge masters Trusty Congee King to Lo Bin Tan, renowned for its pillowy egg waffles and fist-size curried fish balls. Other progressive features include a coworking space adorned with street scenes by Hong Kong artist and indie-rock stalwart Jan Curious; a cinema-grade screening room for films, lectures, and impromptu Mario Kart tournaments; a radio station; residency programs for artists and creative activists; and a roster
