Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, Ozone Club / Bar…..whatever it is trying to be.

There are no shortages of stunning venues in Hong Kong, however, just once in while a new “signature” venue of note comes along, it is a rare event indeed. Ozone at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong is not one of these.

The tardy, tawdry and desperate

I find it difficult to believe that this is in fact a Ritz Carlton product, it is so out of place, from their usual offerings. Indeed the only possible reason why it has been so popular may well be that of it’s claim to be the tallest bar in the world. That’s a bit like saying herpes, while technically a venereal disease, it the least worst of the bunch to contract. I for one, for now, will avoid the place like the plague! Here is why…..

Next to visiting the Dentist, the last thing anyone in the world likes is to wait, or more specifically queue. A slight wait for a Lift is ok, but being made to line up like Pavlov’s dogs in the ground floor lobby of the hotel is not what one expects from a Ritz Carlton. Whatever happened to a dress code? More than that, I am certain that the room guests of the Hotel don’t want to be confronted with a motley line made up of the tardy, tawdry and desperate of Hong Kong. But so they are. Wait there’s more!

Upon being granted the right to ride a in a Lift that resembles a padded cell (an advance warning if there ever was one) you then change lifts at the main lobby area on level 103. Take my advice, stop there, do not proceed to level 118 (Ozone) the padded lift should be deterrent enough that only the insane proceed.

If you do proceed, upon entering you will notice, that despite being made to wait half an hour to get up there, the place is only 60% full. That aside, the interior looks like the designer was on bad crack, the place is a schizophrenic mélange like mess. Even the music can’t decide want it wants to be. Open and divided into part eating area, part disco, part bar all badly executed along with un comfortable seats and a “dining” area that resembles a cafeteria, and to top it all off the service that follows would do Basil Fawlty proud. Again this is not what is expected from a Ritz Carlton, right down to the filthy tiny toilets.

Disconnected and distant

While the height may be the selling point of the place it may also be its nemesis as well. It is too high, that’s the problem, better views over Hong Kong can be had from places like Aqua (1 Peking Road Hong Kong). At Ozone, the novelty of the tiny buildings below, that are in fact skyscrapers in their own right, soon wears off as you quickly realise you can hardly see anything at all.

There are so many other great places in Hong Kong to enjoy, Ozone may be the highest bar in the world, but it will never be top of the list to re visit.

The above expressed opinion is un biased, all visits are un announced and paid for.

Ritz Carlton Hotel Hong Kong, ICC Bld, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong -(852) 2263 2263