The Hari Hong Kong hotel: sophisticated design in an urban oasis
The second hotel in Harilela Group’s portfolio is a great balance between internationality and local roots, elegance and approachability. With an amazing interior design developed by Tara Bernerd, the building is redefining Hong Kong’s skyline.
In the heart of Wan Chai, where the energy of Causeway Bay meets the artistic soul of Hong Kong’s creative quarter, rises The Hari Hong Kong, a 30-storey contemporary hotel. The building represents a shared vision between Dr. Aron Harilela, chairman of The Hari’s mother company, and his longtime friend, interior designer Tara Bernerd.
Opened in December 2020, The Hari Hong Kong is the second property in Harilela Group‘s brand, following the success of The Hari London, which opened in 2016. For this 210-room property, Tara Bernerd & Partners were briefed to translate the refined elegance of the hotel’s Belgravia original while capturing the spirited character of Hong Kong.
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The brand’s DNA rests on four pillars: singular, elegant, cultured, and layered. These are organising principles that guided the hotel’s design and are manifested in various ways throughout the property. The layered quality in particular defines the guest experience, as every glance at the interior reveals new details. The interior design mixes a wide range of materials in Bernerd’s signature bold style. Heavy and luxurious materials like antique Crittal, marble flooring, and timber panelling are balanced with layers of textured velvet, tweed, linen, and corduroy. The iconic petrol blue colour is a direct reference to The Hari London, providing continuity between the two properties.
The hotel hosts 210 guestrooms and three special suites, which deserve particular attention. The Hari Suite, The Chesham Suite, and The Library Suite each occupy prime positions on the rooftop, furnished to embrace the hotel’s design language while enjoying the harbour views. The penthouse suites feature separate living rooms and 12-metre wide terraces. The bathrooms show Bernerd’s attention to even the smallest details, highlighting sophisticated AXOR fixtures in brushed bronze, which complement the arabesque marble tiling, creating a space that feels more like a lavish spa than a simple bathroom.
The Hari houses two restaurants, each with its own character. Lucciola is an Italian restaurant and bar, inhabiting the ground floor with a casual and effortless vibe. The design is chic and charming, with an international take on typical Italian hospitality. Zoku, the Japanese restaurant, features asymmetric origami-inspired ceilings, pink shades and velvet, setting the stage for the extravagant dining experience. The restaurant’s dining room leads to The Terrace, an outdoor bar with a spectacular wall of patterned marble anchors a 3-storey green wall decorated with various plants.
Art occupies a key role at the hotel, as it partners with London-based A Space for Art to present a rotational showcase of works. In September 2023, they launched The Hari Art Prize, awarding HK$100,000 and exhibition opportunities to emerging artists in the first decade of their careers. This commitment positions the hotel as not merely a space to display in but as an active member and investor in Hong Kong’s creative ecosystem.
The Hari Hong Kong hotel does not attempt to transport guests to an imaginary elsewhere, it roots itself firmly in Wan Chai’s creative energy while looking at it through the Harilela family’s hospitality heritage and Bernerd’s material sophistication. The resulting architecture feels both worldly and local, classic and approachable, standing in an excellent equilibrium for hospitality design.
