High Life Issue #5

HIGH LIFE #5 February 2017 59 In the early evening, the neon and silver lights of Kowloon turn the water into a ripple of color. While we are enjoying the views of Victoria Harbor, with junks and ferries swelling the water and tiny sampans bobbing in their wake, the butler calls and asks if we would like some tea. Moments later, an exotic teapot and teacups carried in a bamboo basket are delivered to the room. Our choice of tea for the day is jasmine. The floral aroma soothes the senses while we are lying on a bed lovingly dressed with pure linen sheets. A pillow menu allows us to choose a version of pillow that we like. My personal preference is a goose-down, fluffy version that will surely take me to a sumptuous dreamland when I hit the sack. In true Mandarin Oriental style, tiny details that make a subtleyetdiscernibledifferenceareoffered, fromaninnovative pass-through valet box to a specially created stationery kit. Binoculars, multi-lingual butlers and even 24-hour technology butlers are available, but adding to the comfort and pleasure, perhaps one of the greatest treats during a stayat the legendary hotel is to savor their madeleines. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s madeleines are a must-have treat. With a history dating back to the time of King Louis XV, it has been described by authorMarcel Proust as “a little shell of cake, so generously sensual beneath the piety of its stern pleating.” Baked at a high temperature, served warm and made with almond powder, hazelnut butter, egg white, sugar and European grade flour, the exquisite, fresh wonders are exclusively for arrival guests, complemented with a jar of homemade signature rose petal jam. Abite into onemadeleine leaves me breathlessly enticed to finish all of them. Considering the Mandarin experience as merely an indulgence is an understatement, it is a journey into a sophisticated, calm oasis in the middle of a buzzing city, truly exceptional.