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香港的「半島酒店」是一則傳奇，建於 1928 年，是全港歷史最悠久的酒店，經歷了近 80 年的榮華富貴。不論外面的世界是否動蕩不安、或者困境難捱，但是，推開酒店的大門，踏著柔軟的手織地毯，悄然無聲地穿過大堂，世界總給人一種安之若素的印象，什麼也沒有，也不會改變。一切大約都可以回復到最好的從前：空氣中總是有恰到好處的輕歌曼韻，樑柱高聳，飾以歐陸式浮雕，安靜俯視這塊都市中被努力經營著的樂土。對於一家星級酒店來說，這也許是其最重要的職責，把優雅和華麗在時光的河流裏不斷地延續下去，這並非無視歷史時事，其實正符合人們對一切美好東西的期望，而這個都市也需要一則不變的傳奇，美麗非凡、而且出眾，可以點綴城市原本璀璨的星空，增添熱鬧繁華。 |
半島之所以成為大眾的傳奇，神秘感是其中的一個原因。如果人們不進酒店，光看看酒店的大門開開合合、門前車如流水馬如龍、進出的紳士淑女多半盛裝，一派花好月圓的好風景，難免會對大門後面的風光有著旖旎的想像，或者羡慕，或者對這樣的清平盛世景象覺得安慰，以至產生一些仰望也很正常。有時正逢樓頂機坪正有直升機隆隆降落又起飛，總會引得路人對著高空多看兩眼，對作為酒店客人享受的特權便有了一種既直觀、卻仍隔著相當距離的了解。正是這種朦朧的認識，使得半島在一般香港人心目中成了象徵，代表高貴、地位、特權。
作為城市的地標和象徵，在這個傳媒時代難免會被電影借用。半島酒店出現在電影「甜蜜蜜」中，是男主角姑媽的一生緬懷的最美好的經歷。這個年輕時候也曾美麗過的遲暮女子，曾在多年前與她迷戀的電影明星威廉.菏頓在半島共享過一頓晚餐，那面對維多利亞海灣和香港的燈火的瞬間，變成她今後念念不忘的至高無上的幸福，以致於她常常沉溺在摩挲從酒店偷偷帶出來的銀餐具的那些時刻裏。電影要表達的主題正是每個人對自己生命中的美好的留戀，以半島作為一個有說服力的證據，正好說明了這座酒店被公認的光輝。
半島酒店座落在九龍尖沙嘴，面向維多利亞港，對岸香港島的景色一覽無遺。在海景套房裏看對岸風景，如今看到的是個相當飽和的現代化都市，高樓林立、背靠青山；到了夜晚，燈火亮起來，分明是個不夜城。對於香港稍有了解，這樣的建設規模應該會給人帶來一點人文的震撼。不過是短短幾十年，一個城市從無到有，人事和地貌都已遷移，讓人惆悵，也讓人歡喜。這樣的感受，在港島那邊的酒店裏便無法體會。
酒店想讓客人感覺的大約是「一旦入住半島，所有生活細節便無需煩憂」，所以不論是普通客房或豪華套房，設計既保留著傳統舒適的昔日光輝，也包含了最合時宜的現代科技。在這裡，出行有 Ross Royce 車隊可以提供代步的可能，而套房內自然不必細數關於溫度燈光控制的簡單方便、通訊娛樂設備的周到安排。連普通不過的擦鞋服務，也有特別設計：每個客房近走道處都有個專門的鞋箱，客人只要將鞋子放入箱內，服務員便會將鞋清理妥當，而客人可以盡情坐在落地玻璃窗前看維港千帆過盡的風景，也不被打攪。半島的許多服務都是如此，在幕後悄然無聲地進行；把任何複雜的作業，化作客人眼裏的行雲流水。整座酒店每秒約處理 51 億個電腦指令；房間內的電腦每秒自動監察系統約 200 次； 25 部升降機正寂然無聲地運行；每天使用的銀器就有 48,000 件；光是蛋糕房烘焙的英式提子鬆餅就超過 1,000 件……。所以吸引客人回頭的，不單單是半島的名氣或者其象徵意義，而是「家」一般的親切、細緻和舒適。
半島的住房要論豪華，應當首推 26 樓的「半島套房」，相當於一座完整的私人屋邸，包括私人電梯大堂、主人房，書房、私人飯廳、設備齊全的廚房、客廳、可以設宴的飯廳、會客室、會議室。主人房與一間設備齊全的健身房相連；套房本身也可以與相鄰的兩間海景套房相連，成為 3 間臥室的超級套房，同時也與直升機坪直接相通。即使總統級官員入住也不用對保安方面設施有所憂慮，因為酒店的保安規格設計完全符合美國 CIA 以及英國 MI5 的規定。站在套房露台遠眺，即使有千愁万緒，某種程度的得意還是會有的吧。
在半島用餐，在某些人眼裏是種習慣，有老先生數十年如一日，把在半島用餐當作日常作息的一部；對另一些人，這是一種姿態；情人約會，在半島，多少添一點浪漫和鄭重其事，是極易討好的一個節目。還有的人，把這作為香港一遊不可少的體驗，所以經常會看見下午時間，酒店大堂排隊等候享用標準英式下午茶的人龍，大堂弦樂隊奏起古典樂章，有那麼一點追憶逝水年華的味道，午後的時光過得委婉動人。
除了大堂，半島有 7 間不同風味的餐廳；而 28 樓由 Philippe Starck 設計的 Felix 餐廳，也已經成為另一個經典。眾所周知， Philippe Starck 的設計一貫善於融合古典、現代元素，創造出一個新奇刺激又親切而似曾相識的有趣空間，所以 Felix 的飲食特色亦是講究相容、糅合東西的太平洋美食。 Felix 的有趣之處是把幾個不同的空間融和在一起，除了主餐廳之外，又有 4 個功能不同的區域：作為餐前聚會的 The Wine Bar ；現代感極強、採用鋁質坐椅和玻璃餐桌的 The Balcony ；設有不同座位的酒吧的 The American Bar ；以及播放著跳舞音樂的 The Crazy Box 。在這裡的足印地面會在客人走過之後留下足印，在夜的迷幻燈光下，彷彿是中了魔法一般。 Felix 使半島成功地將前衛的元素加入到酒店的傳統中來。
半島的特色大約可以用「奢華」和「人情味」來概括。一間酒店有了奢華二字，只不過初具可能成功的前提，而人情味才是真正的秘訣。客途人生，我們常常回頭望的不過是一些感動，這些只有人情溫暖才能提供。半島應該是個有人情的地方。 1953 年，電影明星克拉克蓋博（ Clark Gable ）來港拍攝電影 Soldier of Fortune ，下榻在半島，並光顧酒吧，指導當時的調酒師 Johnny 調出全港首杯「 Screwdriver 」。半個世紀之後， Johnny 仍在半島服務，繼續調他的招牌雞尾酒。光陰似水，但人面依舊，對於某些老顧客來說，這應當是一種安慰：原來歲月並非一去不復返，在這裡可以找到一種類似時光膠囊的東西，把回憶保持得光亮如新。
這就是香港的，半島酒店。
The Peninsula Hong Kong has long been viewed as a legend. Built in 1928, The Peninsula is the most historical hotel in Hong Kong which has gone through nearly 80 years of wealth and rank. No matter how chaotic the outside world had been, when the guest stepped in onto the soft hand-made carpet and pass through the quiet lobby, he would find that the air in The Peninsula was always elegantly peaceful. The gentle music, the handsome beams and pillars decorated with European embossment, every detail showed that this is a paradise run with great effort. Perhaps this is the most important responsibility of a high-class hotel: Remaining the elegance and magnificence in the river of time.
The Peninsula became an urban legend partly because it has always kept a mysterious fa?ade. Limousines come and go. Ladies and gentlemen who entered the hotel all dressed formally and gracefully, a perfect miniature of the upper world. For someone who has never set his foot in the hotel, it is natural that he has some romantic imagination about the hotel. The occasional helicopter which land on the top floor always drew the passer ' s attention. It is exactly this misty impression that makes The Peninsula the symbol of nobility, rank and privilege in the mind of Hong Kong people.
As the landmark and the symbol of Hong Kong , The Peninsula often appears in movies. It once showed in the movie Comrades, almost a love story, being the glamorous memory of the aunt of the leading actor. This once-beautiful old lady had dinner with William Holden, the movie star on whom she had crush, many years ago. The very instant when she found herself sitting against the night landscape of Victoria Bay became the lifetime bliss for her. The movie attempts to express that everyone has some splendid moments in the life to be remembered forever. The hotel beautifully corresponds to this spirit.
The Peninsula hotel sits in Kowloon , facing Victoria Harbor and can take in the whole Hong Kong Island at one glance. From The Harbor View Suite, Hong Kong seems to be totally saturated by numerous of buildings. In the night, Hong Kong is lit up by millions of lights which never go off in the darkness.
From a normal guest room to a deluxe suite, the rooms here are both traditionally comfortable and appointed with the most modern technology. In The Peninsula, the guests can hire Rolls Royce as means of transportation. When it comes to room service, not surprisingly, the room is appointed with attentive device for temperature controlling communication and entertaining. What is special is that even the most common shoe-cleaning service is different from other hotels. In each guest room, a shoe case is set close to the entrance. The guests simply put their shoes in the case and the hotel staff will clean the shoes for them. Most service in the Peninsula is like this, running quietly behind the scenes. As a result, the guests come back to The Peninsula not only because of its fame, but for its homelike consideration and comfort.
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The pinnacle of luxury is The Peninsula Suites which sits in the 26th floor of the hotel. It is nearly a private mansion, featuring private lobby, private office, master room, private dinning room, fully-equipped kitchen and Butler ' s pantry, guest room, conference room. The master room is linked to a well-equipped mini gym. The suite itself could be linked to two harbor view suites on both sides thus becomes one super suite with 3 bedrooms. Meanwhile, as the suite has a direct access to the top floor, the governors and presidents who arrive in helicopters can feel fully at ease. They would be led to the room and protected under the same standard of security as the one in CIA or MI5.
For some, dining in The Peninsula is a usual practice. Some old gentlemen frequent the hotel everyday for decades, integrating the meal at the hotel into their own lives. For some, dining here is a gesture. If couples choose to dine at The Peninsula, it ' s mostly for its romantic and formal atmosphere. For some others, this is a must-do in HK. That ' s why there is often a long line outside the hotel, waiting to enjoy the typical English afternoon tea. The string band plays classic music, recalling the old time glory. The lobby is a wonderful and relaxing dining venue.
Except for the lobby, there are seven other restaurants in the Peninsula . On the 28th floor, Felix, designed by Philippe Starck, has become a new legend. Philippe Starck is well known for its combination of classic and modern elements, creating an exciting but familiar environment. Felix provides pacific fine food in which the orient meets the occidental. Felix successfully added the avant-guard element into the tradition of the hotel.
To describe The Peninsula, we can say it is “ luxurious ” and “ homelike. ” Luxury is only the threshold of becoming a high-class hotel. Being homelike is the real tip to success. Life is like a one-way trip. Most of us simply look for some affection when we look back, which can only be provided by family and friends. For some old customers, the fact that they can always find the same affection at The Peninsula despite the time passed might be the greatest consolation. Here, the time is kept in a capsule where bright memory shines forever. |
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This is The Peninsula, Hong Kong .
圖說：
立體星星高高掛，上下二列 The Peninsula 新舊並列，半島正迎接著 2006 年的到來。原來，歲月並非一去不復返，在這裡可以把回憶保持得光亮如新。
The stars hanging high and low, reflect both our memory and foresight. The new and the old sign of 「 The Peninsula 」 displayed in order of its age, together look forward to the upcoming year 2006. Ages has not just gone by; instead, it is kept in a capsule where bright memory shines forever.
世界三大夜景之一：自半島飯店隔海遠眺香港島
One of the top three spectacular views by night in the world: Facing the Victoria Harbor , Hong Kong , from The Peninsula.
