Ovolo Southside

Opened in 2014, the Ovolo Southside is housed in a 23-floor converted warehouse building, and uses industrial-chic elements like exposed pipes and brickwork to create a hip, on-trend vibe. The Ovolo makes good use of colors: red in the checkerboard-patterned lobby rugs and cool blue in the lighting at the entrance to the restaurant. The atmospheric low-lit lobby makes a nod to Chinese culture with its playful panda figurines, but overall things here are decidedly urban -- you'll see lots of grays and stone throughout. There's also a stylish 24-hour guest lounge for playing billiards and sampling free snacks and soft drinks. The social vibe continues during a free evening happy hour. Both the restaurant and rooftop bar have outdoor terraces with views of the mountains, surrounding city, and neighboring Aberdeen Sports Ground. The youthful vibe at the Ovolo draws mostly vacationing couples and business travelers.

Ovolo Southside is on Wong Chuk Road/Route 1 in the vibrant Wong Chuk Hang area, a former industrial district that is now home to art galleries, design shops, restaurants, and bars. A bus stop is next door to the hotel, and it's a five-minute walk to Wong Chuk Hang Station, slated to be a stop on the new MTR South Island Line in 2016. The hotel is next to Aberdeen Sports Ground and a little under a five-minute walk from the Remex Centre and Spring Workshop, a non-profit arts space. A 10-minute walk takes guests to Ocean Park, which features a marine mammal park, a giant panda habitat, an animal theme park, an amusement park with several roller coasters, and one of Asia's best aquariums (including what's billed as the world's largest aquarium dome). Deep Water Bay Beach is a five-minute drive from the hotel. It's a 10-minute drive or 40-minute bus ride to reach the Wan Chai-Causeway Bay area, featuring nightlife, shopping malls, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong Observation Wheel, and Wan Chai Ferry Pier with service to Kowloon. Hong Kong International Airport is about 35 minutes away by car.

The 162 rooms at Ovolo Southside have an urban-chic look, with a nearly all-white-and-gray color palette accented by contemporary art and white cotton bedding with graphic-print throw pillows. Exposed pipes and bricks lend many rooms their industrial flavor. Ash-hued wood laminate floors add a nice bit of modern polish, and track lighting overhead contributes to the deliberately deconstructed look. Rooms are quiet and get good natural light, with floor-to-ceiling windows, some of which frame views of the mountains. All come with safes, bathrobes, kettles for coffee and tea, minibars, and interactive 3D 47-inch flat-screen TVs with Apple TV for streaming digital content. XBox game consoles are available on request. Some rooms have sofas and coffee tables. The stylish bathrooms have peach-colored walls and white sinks. They're clean, bright, and spacious, with make-up mirrors, premium bath products, rainfall showers, and plenty of counter space. 

Ovolo Southside offers its guests a free continental breakfast plus hot items such as eggs and sausages -- Chinese fare can be ordered for an additional fee. The hotel also serves free morning coffee, all-day snacks and soft drinks, and a free evening happy hour with canapes, spirits, beer, and wine in the guest lounge. The bistro restaurant serves inventive Mediterranean-meets-East Asian cuisine, with an open kitchen and outdoor terrace providing views of the mountains and surrounding area. The rooftop bar has similar views and serves craft cocktails, and the lobby bar is open around the clock. Room service is also available. The 24-hour fitness center is way more attractive than many hotel gyms, even in uber-modern Hong Kong. Boxing gloves are hung artfully on the wall, and there's a good range of cardio and weight machines as well as free weights, but there's no swimming pool, steam room, sauna, or spa. Other features include a self-service laundry room, a business center, a meeting room, concierge services, and free Wi-Fi. On-site parking is available for a fee.