The Peak Hotel (2nd generation) [1890-1938] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

The Peak Hotel (2nd generation) [1890-1938]

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Submitted by David on Tue, 2009-02-03 21:17
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
1890-01-01
Date Place demolished: 
1938-01-01

Notes from Wikipedia:

[The previous hotel building] was sold, and completely rebuilt into an imposing three story building, reopening in 1890. It boasted of commodious and well-appointed accommodation, and the Hotel was deservedly popular. Later, another story was added to make it four stories, and then a two story annex with views down to Pok Fu Lam was built. A further addition doubled the size of the annex and added a third story. The hotel commanded a magnificent view of the city and the harbour in one direction, and of Pok Fu Lam facing Lamma Island in the other.

In 1922 it was bought by the owners of the rival Hong Kong Hotel for Hong Kong Dollars 600,000. The hotel's poor construction led to further deterioration. It closed in 1936 and in 1938 its fate was finally sealed by a fire.

1936 - Hotel closes

The font page of the The Hong Kong Telegraph, 1936-07-04 announced the hotel would close at midnight on August 31st.

The closure was confirmed on page 10 of The China Mail, 1936-09-01. There had been a cocktail party on the hotel's final night in business, then the last guests moved out on September 1st.

Tags: 
hotel
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Photos that show this place

1895
1895
1899
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Comments

Submitted by annelisec on Sun, 2010-01-17 13:40.

From Wikipedia

The Peak Hotel was a hotel at upper terminus of the Peak Tram in Hong Kong. It started as a bar and restaurant, and a hotel with twenty bedrooms for summer visitors opening about the same time as the Peak Tram, in 1888.

About 13 years earlier, in 1875, N.J. Ede had build a house named Dunheved on the property.  In 1881, Alexander Findlay Smith, a Scottish former railway man, had petitioned for the right to introduce a funicular railway to Hong Kong. The Peak Tram was built and began operations in 1888. About the same time, Findlay Smith bought Dunheved from Ede, and opened it as the Peak Hotel. (Ede and his family moved next door.) After the Peak Tram opened, Findlay Smith quickly put the Peak Hotel on the market.

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Submitted by hfsiu on Sun, 2010-01-17 16:14.

This photo was taken c1889, attributed to Af

Peak Hotel
ong

Submitted by hfsiu on Sun, 2010-01-17 16:20.

Similar angle, but it was taken about 20 years later...

Peak Hotel

Submitted by annelisec on Sun, 2010-01-17 19:57.

hfsiu, can you please edit these photos to say that they show the Upper Peak Tram Terminus and the Peak Hotel .  There is a aspecial fields for that info when you click the "edit" tab for the photo.  Thanks.

Submitted by hfsiu on Sun, 2010-01-17 21:21.

I tried, but it said "Places shown in this photo: found no valid post with that title.", and could not save.

What should I do?

 

 

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2010-01-18 10:36.

The places are:

Site of The Peak Hotel

The Peak Tram, upper terminus
enter the first few words, wait a bit, (the circle on the right turns blue) and then it gives you some choices in a drop-down box. 

Submitted by annelisec on Sun, 2010-02-07 15:13.

The Peak Hotel is the center of the garrison social life, and every dinner is a glitter of regalia, braid, buttons, forgivable swagger and affected intonations.  You will notice that menus have numbers opposite each item, brinjals may be number fourteen; marmalade, sixteen; vegetable marrow, eight, and likewise with the wine list;the boy would not know what you meant by Sparkling Moselle, but tell him number six, and you will have your wine.  The little cube of ice is removed from your cocktail after it has chilled it, and is used to perform the same service in your neighbor's glass.Torrid as is the climate, fleeting as is the life of the cube, its service is a remarkably long one, for at the bars of these treaty ports of the Orient the line of customers is well filled, and be it said that American drinks reign.

"The Chinese" John Stuart Thomson, c. 1909

Submitted by gweilo8888 on Thu, 2014-08-21 11:11.

Spotted an ad for the Peak Hotel in the Hong Kong Daily Press, 1916-07-28:

-----
Peak Hotel

1,400 feet above sea level

First-class residential and tourist hotel. Unrivalled for Comfort Health and Convenience, Telephones in every Room, prompt connection maintained by six lines to Central.

Fifteen minutes from Principal Landing Stage. Moderate Tarriff and Excellent Cuisine, Roof Garden and Social Rooms. European Runner meets Steamers.

P. O. Peuster,
Manager
----- 

Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2021-01-03 10:32.

Contract for the demolition of the Peak Hotel was signed in June 1938. Hong Kong Telegraph 4 June 1938 refers. Post WWII photos show only the Peak Hotel Garage building next to the Upper Peak Tram Station was retained.