Ophelia — Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong’s Wanchai district has long been known for its dubious nightclubs, but a new wave of hipster cafes and quirky bars is fast turning the neighbourhood into a place to see and be seen. The latest, most intriguing addition is Ophelia, an unabashedly opulent bar with dark and moody interiors by the Australian-born designer Ashley Sutton who first made his name with a handful of seductively themed watering holes in Bangkok (Maggie Choo’s is always top of our must-visit list).
For Hong Kong, Sutton wanted to reflect the territory’s iconic history, albeit through a somewhat cinematic lens: think opium-den-like secret hideaway. The entrance is disguised as ‘Mr. Wong’s Aviary’, a mock bird shop embellished with jade green ceramic tiles and a ceiling festooned with black birdcages. Sweep aside a curtain to find a dramatic 12-meter-long copper-dipped steel bar framed by two custom-design lounges upon which a pair of cheongsam-clad ‘muses’ recline seductively. Although the interiors are semi-open-plan, plush velvet bespoke-design sofas and ottomans are arranged to create cosy intimate clusters delineated by screens and semi-circular gateways, the latter a nod to the traditional entrances to Chinese parks.
The designer’s non-conformist spirit is also on show throughout with a subversive riot of peacock feather artworks, 600,000 ceramic wall tiles hand-painted with the pattern of a peacock feather’s ‘eye’, exotic swings and an enormous cage for nightly performances.
Our cocktail of choice: the sultry ‘Cheongasm’ with tequila reposado, house-made pomegranate cordial, La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Rouge, lemon, lime and cinnamon mist.
ADDRESS
1/F, 39A Lee Tung Avenue
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Catherine Shaw is a writer, editor and consultant specialising in architecture and design. She has written and contributed to over ten books, including award-winning monographs on art collector and designer Alan Chan, and on architect William Lim's Asian design philosophy. She has also authored books on architect André Fu, on Turkish interior designer Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, and on Beijing-based OPEN Architecture's most significant cultural projects across China.
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