New York-based design firm AvroKO has reimagined a former business hotel in the Kowloon section of Hong Kong into the Eaton HK, the second hotel under the activist-driven brand following the maiden opening in Washington, DC earlier this year.
The 465-room hotel draws inspiration from many Hong Kong signatures, including cha chaan teng dining and the films of Wong Kar-Wai. Onsite coworking spaces span two floors and include an incubator for artists and advocacy groups. A chandelier crafted from canvas and steel pipes punctuates the three-story atrium. Serving as the property’s nucleus, all-day dining concept, the Astor, anchors the ground floor and is appointed with eight live cooking stations that offer everything from tempura to Korean japchae.
Upstairs, the retro-inspired Food Hall is lined with mosaic tiles and 11 Hong Kong food vendors. Tucked amid the vendors is a radio station that will broadcast underground music and commentary on social issues. Meanwhile, the basement is home to the wood-paneled Cantonese concept Yat Tung Heen, while cocktail bar Terrible Baby is located on the hotel’s expansive outdoor terrace.
Murals from local artists Jan Curious and Afa Annfa adorn interior spaces to promote the city’s grassroots art scene. Each of the Eaton HK’s three ballrooms also reference Cantonese culture, named after film stars Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung, and Michelle Yeoh. The 465 guestrooms are retrofitted with bathroom tiles inspired by the many tiled skyscrapers throughout the city, while steel doors and casegoods recall the grated doors of shuttered storefronts. In addition to dark wood furnishing, rooms include cork accent walls geometric carpeting, and vibrant artwork.
