A Journey to the Colonial Past: Tai O Heritage Hotel Open Day 2018

Description

Travel back in time to the colonial era when the current quaint boutique hotel was still the Tai O Police Station, built far back in 1902 for military defence needs.

Situated in Lantau Island’s most south-western point, the police station overlooked the line of demarcation between British and Chinese power in the South China Sea. Its strategic location on the hillside also enabled the Marine Police to monitor pirate activities at sea. With lush vegetation all year round and an ideal location to enjoy cool summer breezes, the site was deemed to have good ‘feng shui’. As a result, the Old Police Station was both a symbol of British sovereignty and local culture.

The station operated for 100 years before closing in 2002. Then, three years ago, the Development Bureau selected the non-profit organisation Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation Ltd. (HCF) to re-adapt the old Tai O Police Station into a heritage-themed hotel. After 18 months of renewal work, the run-down station re-opened as the luxurious nine-suite Tai O Heritage Hotel in 2012. The renovation restored the building’s eclectic Chinese architectural style – a distinctive colonial design that incorporates both European and Chinese characteristics. As a social enterprise, the glass-roofed restaurant Tai O Outlook sources ingredients from within the village for some of their signature dishes, celebrating local flavours found nowhere else.

Over the course of two days, visitors can appreciate the grandeur of the historic building, savour the best of Tai O, and dig deep into the history of the site through one-hour long guided tours.