I used to loathe booking a hotel in Hong Kong. I always felt I was being overcharged for their stuffy little rooms that trade style for location. And then I met The Luxe Manor. They tell me the name originates from the difficulties of Cantonese speaking locals to pronounce “deluxe”. Well they may have stumbled on the word itself but they got the meaning.

As locations go The Luxe Manor is as good as any other in the city. When visiting Hong Kong you have to decide between the Kowloon side where all the cheap markets are, or the Hong Kong Island strip where the shopping is more up market. The MTR network around town and between the highlights of Hong Kong are so good that you can stay on either side of Victoria Harbour and not lose any sleep.

The hotel itself is a peach. The balance between service when you need it and “leave me alone when I don't” works very nicely, and the rooms are imbued with a little personality of their own. They have a handful of show stoppers which are nothing short of theatrical, effusively running away with themes of jungle safaris, Nordic cool and passionate romance. I'm only hinting at the grandeur and depth of these thematic suites, suffice to say that Walt Disney wished he'd thought of the idea first.

Down the list the regular rooms are also anything but standard. Art-Deco inspirations are given a contemporary feel and the interiors are designed with attitude instead of wild abandon. This hotel is unique and for all the right reasons. As proof of forethought in the décor and design they've even put a power outlet inside the room safe, so you can recharge your laptop and still turn the key.

The Luxe Manor has two other party tricks worth a mention. Their cocktail bar does a Mojito that I've yet to match in Hong Kong and they throw in some live jazz on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. They even scored a Michelin Star for their Italian restaurant named Aspasia. I don't quite understand the name or the reason why people would venture to Hong Kong to dine Italian, but I have to say the cuisine is on par with fine dining in Europe.

Tucked a block behind the hotel is the ex-pat landmark of Knutsford Terrace. Here you'll find a swag of mediocre international restaurants and plenty of customers to keep the street busy at night. If you're in this part of town because you need a break from the Cantonese, Shanghai or Sichuan influences then keep walking around the corner and look for The Luxe Manor.

If you're staying at The Luxe Manor and want a taste of the local flavours, you better go for a walk, catch a train or hop on the bus. Nothing's too far from anywhere in Hong Kong.