PRESS RELEASES
Sultry and sophisticated, DarkSide is a celebration of fine spirits, craft cocktails, premium wines and vintage cigars overlooking Victoria Harbour
March 18, 2019
Perched within the glamourous confines of Rosewood Hong Kong, DarkSide bar is poised to become Hong Kong’s most sought-after destination for premium drinks in a handsome setting. From speciality cocktails to coveted cigars and a choice selection of wine and spirits, DarkSide offers patrons a vast range of indulgences, sourced with the most exacting standards on taste, refinement and quality.
The space itself is a striking medley of world-class design elements, transporting guests to a different era with a seamless marriage of custom furnishings and sumptuous decor. A perpetually rotating hourglass ceiling installation handcrafted in Murano, Italy captures the presence of today and the romantic passage of time, while antiqued glass panelling in jewel tones casts an old-world charm to the space.
The warm, inviting appeal of DarkSide is further enhanced by plank oak floors, bronze window casings and a baby grand piano. Witness an evocative musical spectacle come to life each night during DarkSide’s live jazz sessions, where a trio of pianist, bassist and singer add to the atmosphere with an inspired selection of melodic tunes. The Hong Kong jazz bar will be helmed by experts in their respective fields to ensure the drinks menu remains one of divine distinction.
Selections to Savour
Industry veterans Arkadiusz Rybak and Simone Rossi will channel their mixology mastery into the cocktail programme at DarkSide to showcase time-honoured traditions updated with innovative techniques.
Drawing inspiration from important historical features of Rosewood Hong Kong’s home in Kowloon (drawing from the colloquial moniker of Kowloon, with the area affectionately known as “the Dark Side”), the menu will feature six signature cocktails in addition to eight premium creations. The duo will also use a Rotovap – a high-performance piece of equipment used to distil spirits with different ingredients – to further enrich the bar’s speciality cocktail program. On the spirits front, purists will delight in the exclusive vintage cognac served straight from the cask via pipette, while DarkSide’s other offerings include an extraordinary range of rare, dark spirits – rum, whisky and Normandy calvados from the early 19th century.
A one-of-a-kind Mancino amaro and a Rosewood craft beer are exceptional treats exclusive to the hotel. Wine aficionados should also look to DarkSide’s wide-ranging collection curated by Rosewood’s Area Director of Wine Nicolas Deneux; with a focus on Old World favourites, the hotel’s wine programme reveals an emphasis on Italian and French producers. Adding to the enticements are exceedingly special whole casks of single-harvest tawny port from 1969 as well as an exquisite Grande Champagne aged to perfection in oak barrels. The sensory discoveries continue with a hidden Georgetti cigar case – a towering humidor that showcases the best vintage cigars from around the globe, each with its own storied provenance.
An Intimate Hideaway
Beguiling and handsome, DarkSide’s appeal lies in the discreet yet polished finishing that characterises its thoughtful, meticulously designed interiors, by award-winning hospitality design veteran Tony Chi of tonychi New York. Guests are encouraged to sit back and look up to take in the sights of the ceiling installation by Italy’s Christian and Maurizio Mussati of WonderGlass; the duo’s perpetually rotating hourglass fixtures showcase the stunning artistry intrinsic to Murano. The bars, of course, are of particular note, featuring cast glass columns by New York’s Sei Studio and antiqued mirroring from Arte Venetzia.
A concealed Giorgetti cigar case plays home to a world-class selection of rare cigars while other bar features include a signature verre eglomisé glass bar top by Brooklyn-based artisan Lisa Stimpson, a black Marquina marble frame and pressed-leather base by France’s Atelier Mériguet-Carrère. The Yamaha Baby Grand piano awaits to impress visitors each night as the sensual notes of live jazz bounce off the antiqued glass-mirrored wall panels in jewel-toned reds and blues from Arte
Venetzia. A moment of artful solace lies in store in the powder room, where soundproofed walls featuring embroidered fabric swathed walls by Holly Hunt offers a stunning respite. Custom bronze Capoferri window casings frame yet another indisputable draw of DarkSide – the breezy al fresco outdoor terrace, overlooking the glittering lights of Victoria Harbour and the perfect spot from which to enjoy a fine cigar and a distinguished libation.
A Crew of Connoisseurs
With mixology masters Arkadiusz Rybak and Simone Rossi helming the bar at DarkSide, patrons can look forward to cocktails that have been crafted to the highest standards possible. The duo shares an appreciation for traditional creations, as well as a curiosity for novel techniques, resulting in a beverage programme tailored to satisfy both classicists and radicals alike. Area wine director Nicolas Deneux’s compendium of wine culture and knowledge is both vast and deep, having worked in the industry’s finest establishments in both Paris and Hong Kong since 2005. For DarkSide, he has curated a wine list that places emphasis on vintage Champagne and whole casks of port.
For reservations, please call +852 3891 8732 or email hongkong.restaurants@rosewoodhotels.com
About Rosewood Hong Kong
The 413-room Rosewood Hong Kong is located at a prime Victoria Harbour waterfront location at the former New World Centre on Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. The ultra-luxury hotel occupies 43 floors of a multi-use tower, destined to become a landmark on the world-famous skyline. Eight restaurants and lounges are complemented by recreational facilities including Asaya, Rosewood’s holistic wellness concept opening in Autumn 2019, as well as a fitness centre and swimming pool. The Manor Club executive lounge provides exclusive privileges while The Pavilion, the brand’s signature residential-style meeting and function space, hosts corporate events, conferences and social celebrations. Also on offer are 186 luxury Rosewood Residences for guests choosing longer stays with a dedicated lounge, indoor swimming pool and fitness centre along with special services and amenities.
For more information: rosewoodhotels.com/hongkong
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About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts®
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® manages 26 one-of-a-kind luxury properties in 15 countries, with 21 new hotels under development. Each Rosewood hotel embraces the brand’s A Sense of Place® philosophy to reflect the individual location’s history, culture and sensibilities. The Rosewood collection includes some of the world’s most legendary hotels and resorts, including The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris, as well as new classics such as Rosewood Beijing.
For more information: rosewoodhotels.com
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