Drawn heavenwards, your eyes trace the 56 storeys of Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, a luxurious tower overlooking the city's most prestigious shopping, cultural and business addresses. Within this urban sanctuary are remarkable treasures waiting to be discovered. You step inside with anticipation. In the atrium, the arresting "Great Motherland of China" is a 16-storey landscape silk painting deemed the largest in the world. It is grand and inspiring. It almost stops time; you do not realize how long you were held by its artistry. But the wonders never cease here. When you step into Lobby Lounge for a quick drink, the 140-year-old Banyan Tree holds your gaze. This had cost HKD 24million to conserve – a unique gesture in this bustling metropolis that lets nothing stand in its way. Before you know it, lunchtime beckons. The shopping will just have to defer to the promise of exalted cuisine. After all, Conde Nast Traveler has honoured Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, as one of the best hotels in the world for dining. With eight restaurants, you decide to start with the obvious choice – Shangri-La's very own, Summer Palace. The satisfying lunch has energized you for a shopping spree. You don't have far to go with Hong Kong's Pacific Place mall just below the hotel. You return laden with your loot. It's time for a well-earned rest. At the Horizon Club, well above the city, you admire the doubly stunning views of The Peak and Victoria Harbour over an evening cocktail. It's been an eventful day, and you can't wait to do it all over again. But for now, time stands still in this city sanctuary. Welcome to Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong.
