“Miramar Group, a dynamic, Hong Kong-based, hospitality group and owner of The Mira Hong Kong, will in Q4 2013 launch its second hotel brand in the city, with the opening of Mira Moon – Hong Kong’s new hotel for the well-connected, well-heeled and design-savvy traveler” said Kenneth Sorensen, Head of Miramar Group’s Hospitality Division. Inheriting The Mira’s Design Hotels™ ethos, yet possessing its own cheeky attitude, every inch of Mira Moon and its 91 guest rooms is a nod to outlandish design, with liberal lashings of Mira Moon’s bespoke interpretation of the mythical Chinese Moon Goddess and the Jade Rabbit.
This fashion-forward hotel is the result of a preeminent creative partnership between international designer Marcel Wanders – dubbed “the Lady Gaga of the design world” by the New York Times – and inspired international property design company, yoo. Together Wanders & yoo have injected an abundance of color, texture and style into the hotel.
The Hotel
Mira Moon is the first boutique story hotel within the Mira brand portfolio. True to its Design Hotels™ status, Mira Moon’s bold style is a reflection of the hotel’s ethos of design, decor and service, all realized with a fashion-forward attitude. Staff rock Mira Moon’s bespoke chinoiserie fashion collection by designer Grace Choi and hairdos courtesy of a dedicated Staff Stylist. Hong Kong’s DJ Helen Ting, with her signature blend of Deep, Funky, Afro and Soulful House, takes her rightful place behind the hotel’s decks. Over at the design-led Tapas & Cocktail Bar Supergiant, Chefs conjure up Spanish tapas while themed cocktails are sipped in the alfresco courtyard. Floor-to-ceiling views across Hong Kong harbor, a fully-equipped 24-hour gym, and spacious bathrooms with bathtub city views complete the hotel checklist. Design
Many moons ago, a story was told of a beautiful goddess whose forbidden sip of the elixir of life lifted her from earth and conveyed her to the moon. Trapped for eternity among the stars, she would forever await the man she loved, in the company of a lone Jade Rabbit. In a contemporary twist, Mira Moon’s playful revision of the tale instead sees the goddess rise elatedly to the moon, seeking out her enchanted Moon Journey. It is from here, from this reinterpretation, that the hotel’s own Moon Journey began.
To translate this extraordinary tale into an interior design concept, Wanders & yoo lead Creative Director Marcel Wanders – the designer behind some of the world’s most eclectic interior and product designs – was enlisted by Miramar Group. Named by Wallpaper* as one of the leading designers of the last 15 years, Marcel’s star first rose in 1996 with the design of the iconic Knotted Chair. Since then, Wanders’ sense of theatricality and a remarkable use of space, textures and visitor experience have garnered international acclaim. To create Mira Moon, Wanders began a preeminent creative partnership with innovative property design leaders, yoo Studio, and the Moon Festival concept was born. The poetic Moon Festival fairy-tale is echoed in every aspect of the hotel, with the Jade Rabbit’s discreet presence tangible on each floor. Commenting on the concept, Wanders said: “I’m an unabashed romantic and the Moon Festival is such a wonderful story”. The hotel is the animation of a much-loved myth, injected with Wanders’ signature ’twinkle’ – a subtle humor and vibrant sense of life – in a space where his own branded playful furnishings seamlessly intertwine with Chinese artifacts and traditionally crafted ceramics, carved timber and cut crystal. The hotel’s color scheme is a bold surge of lacquered whites and rich China reds, whilst the symbol of the peony is ever-present, embodied in ornately-carved wood paneling, vivid tiled mosaics and sheer curtains that tint the skyscrapers of the city beyond.
Location
Causeway Bay is the birthplace of Mira Moon. A tantalizing juxtaposition of old and new, this shopping district now teems with the nearby artistic new crowd frequenting reclaimed heritage buildings, contemporary art galleries, revitalised restaurants and fashionable furnishing stores. Located in the heart of this gentrified ‘village’, which straddles Hong Kong’s Central district and the up and coming Wan Chai area, Mira Moon boasts close proximity to Star Street – the latest artistic dining and lifestyle precinct – the Hong Kong Arts Centre, Academy of Performing Arts and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.