Hong Kong's first UNESCO-awarded hotel, Tai O Heritage Hotel, celebrated the Lunar New Year in style with its Open House. The two-day event, held on 17 and 18 February 2024, welcomed more than 2,200 visitors from Hong Kong and overseas, and started the Year of the Dragon on an auspicious note in Hong Kong’s picturesque fishing village.
Tai O Heritage Hotel has worked with local cultural enterprise Walk in Hong Kong on training close to 30 local young ambassadors, who served as docents and provided guided tours for visitors, sharing captivating stories about the Grade II historic building as well as the history and cultural significance of Tai O. Visitors were treated to an immersive experience to learn more about the hotel's rejuvenation from the Old Tai O Police Station and the role it plays in preserving cultural heritage.
In celebration of the Year of the Dragon, the hotel has joined hands with Tai O artist Mr Stanley Wong and volunteers on curating a public art installation, Inspiring Dragon Dance (鼓舞龍騰). Drum symbolises prosperity, happiness and vitality in Chinese culture. The art installation comprises 168 Chinese drums hand painted by Tai O students, elderly and volunteers, boding ‘long-lasting wealth and fortune’, and extending blessings for the most important festival for the Chinese community.
Additionally, Tai O Heritage Hotel has partnered with the Tai O Cultural Association on a new experiential activity, traditional sampan ride, during the Open House. The man-powered sampan was the main means of transporting and commuting at Tai O in the old days. Through the sampan rides, participants could appreciate the unique charm of Tai O from another perspective while celebrating the fishing village's maritime traditions.
Tai O Lookout, the destination restaurant of Tai O Heritage Hotel, offered a tailored menu during the Lunar New Year and Open House. This delightful culinary offering has been designed to celebrate the Lunar New Year with a smorgasbord of Tai O indigenous ingredients and delicacies, featuring dishes such as Tai O Lo Hei and Steamed lotus leaf wrapped fried rice and providing a palatable festive dining experience.
‘We are grateful for the opportunity to work on the meaningful project of Tai O Heritage Hotel through the government’s Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, and are thankful to the Tai O community for the kindness and support on this wondrous journey. Tai O Heritage Hotel is a committed member of the Tai O neighbourhood. We are honoured to celebrate the unique charm of Tai O with the community and start the new year in an auspicious manner. I would like to sincerely thank our partners for their strong support and our colleagues for their good efforts. May I take this opportunity to wish all a prosperous, healthy and blessed Year of the Dragon,’ remarks Mr Daryl Ng, SBS, JP, Director of the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation.
Tai O Heritage Hotel, converted from the Old Tai O Police Station completed in 1902 and designated as a Grade II historic building, seeks to preserve the historical significance of the architectural gem. Operated as a not-for-profit social enterprise with surpluses used to support site maintenance, the hotel has been working closely with the community to promote eco-tourism since opening in March 2012. It has welcomed more than 2 million visitors from Hong Kong and overseas, and have participated in more than 100 festivities and community services.
