The Murray, Hong Kong
The Murray is an impressive hotel centrally located in the heart of Hong Kong on the famous Cotton Tree Drive which once housed Hong Kong’s most influential government offices. Today, this grand exterior welcomes international business and leisure travelers alike who appreciate the luxury and lifestyle standard of hospitality and modern aesthetic. Despite its close proximity to the city center, it's positioned rather strategically that it's far enough to stay away from the hustle and bustle yet close enough to get from point A to B in a matter of minutes. Its geographic location coupled with its architectural design, luxury interiors and 336 sophisticated spacious suites and guest rooms make for an ideal choice of accommodation when traveling to Hong Kong.
Our son who loved running up and down the hotel’s ramp way
Name: The Murray
Location: Hong Kong
Address: 22 Cotton Tree Dr, Central
Accommodates: 2 children and 2 adults
Type: N2 Grand Room (this can accommodate one rollaway bed and a cot)
Best for: Business travellers, families that need a convenient hotel during their stay, friends
Kids activities: The Murray doesn’t offer any kids-related activities. It’s more about the convenience of the hotel. In saying that, they’re a very family-friendly hotel offering children’s amenities.
Highlights: The modern hardware, convenient location and luxury and lifestyle aspect
Visited: 2023
The Room
We had the pleasure of staying at The Murray for three nights experiencing their N2 Grand room - a 50 square meter contemporary living space which neatly fitted a cot for our one year old and an extra single bed for our six year old. Furnishings and fixtures are to a high standard with hard-wood flooring and plush carpets as well as smart in-room features such as bedside lighting controls, Smart TV, and automatic blind shutters (perfect for when you need to completely switch off especially post jetlag). Our favourite feature was the beautifully enclosed separate bath and shower in addition to the panoramic views of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers right in front of you. Space is highly competitive and highly desirable particularly when it comes to accommodation in Hong Kong, which is what makes The Murray unique in this instance. It’s one of the only hotels in Hong Kong that offers at least 75% at 50 square meters or larger in terms of room and suite space. That is why despite attracting business and leisure traveler’s, it's also an ideal place for families to vacation simply because the rooms afford the space needed when you’ve got the kids in tow as well as its close proximity to main attractions such as the botanical gardens, shopping malls and transportation connections. There are a total of four different room categories and six different suite options of varying sizes, each with the same contemporary luxury design. Interesting fact: the rooms have uniquely recessed windows allowing abundant daylight without direct heat from the morning sun, this architectural feature has won The Murray the Certificate of Merit of the Energy Efficient Building Award in 1994. Another masterful design feature of the building is its vernacular entrance which is neatly positioned into the steep Cotton Tree Drive.
We found the N2 Grand room comfortable and spacious enough to accommodate all four of us during our three-night stay, especially for a stay in Hong Kong. Clean, restful, convenient, modern with luxury amenities dotted around plus the surreal views, are just a few of the words that best describe our in-room experience for us at The Murray. Should you be coming as a family with older children perhaps, then we highly recommend looking into their suites. If you’re a family with young children, the N2 or N3 grand might be the best option for you. If you’re coming as a couple, the N1 Deluxe might be a good place to start. The best part of all? The Murray is a pet-friendly and dog-friendly hotel - they are also welcome to join their owners for a dine out session too!
Our N2 Grand Room with our son admiring the all the skyscrapers in front of him
The bathroom
A rendered image of the N2 Grand Room as for some reason, we never took a photo of it!
Dining
Not only does The Murray offer a variety of accommodation options, it also offers a variety of dining options which makes this hotel such an explorative one - you’ll be spoilt for choice. There are six restaurants within the hotel and we nearly tried them all. There’s the stunning rooftop restaurant, Poppinjays, located on the 26th floor, which we highly recommend (named for the type of bird that visits the balustrade) for a special evening out or even a casual dinner. Serving modern European fare, the menu here was perhaps our favorite. We highly recommend trying their wagyu beef and lobster dish. There's a kids menu too but we ended up ordering side dishes for them (fries and caramelized carrots - we tried to keep it healthy). Such an enjoyable and breath-taking experience when you have the skyline encompassing the entire restaurant and the wrap-around terrace that is sure to arrest you with the city's blinding lights. There’s the Garden Lounge offering the hotel’s signature afternoon tea which is ideal for casual gatherings as it also serves an all-day menu. We tried their semi-buffet dinner which we highly recommend as well. The buffet spread was delightful and succulent, sure to whet anyone's appetite - an array of fresh lobster, abalone, prawns, and oysters to satisfy one’s shellfish cravings. A salad bar replete with your favorite condiments. A charcuterie section of quality cold cuts and of course the center of it all, the desserts. But the best of all? The Peking duck, hand carved and laid gently onto a pancake for you to devour and enjoy. This is the place to be for a family gathering, an evening out with friends or even date night. Breakfast is served at its modern bistro restaurant, Tai Pan, also serving a semi-buffet spread where you get to select one main from an extensive menu of both continental and Chinese options. We ordered the eggs benedict and the turnip cake, meanwhile filling our plates up with the array of dim sums, pastries, fruits, cereals and delightful cold cuts. No matter what you end up with when it comes to satisfying your appetite at The Murray, you’re spoilt for choice and the food is good.
Enjoying our in-room dining breakfast spread
Activities
Wellness at The Murray is the hotel’s sanctuary of calm and holistic wellness. We experienced one of the best massage treatments here and really recommend their spa whether you’re a hotel guest or not. Their highly trained therapists actually listen and manage to achieve the focus of concern when it comes to your own muscle tensions and sores. It has become rare for us to experience a massage treatment with therapists that really know how to apply the right amount of pressure and massage the exact points of your body that suffers from the most tension. Both my husband and I came out of the treatment feeling absolutely lighter and extremely relaxed. The massage therapists here are excellent and worth visiting for a treatment.
A coffee workshop that The Murray organised for us where we got to taste various beans and understand how to best serve coffee
Location is unbeatable, the service is great, the dining options are substantial, the spa makes you want to go back for more and the rooms are sizeable and modern. Perfect for families that need a mixture of all of these things.
