The prosperity of the post-war decades brought a new wave of hotels to Hong Kong. Built in 1973, the Furama Hotel on Chater Road was known for its rotating restaurant; it closed after a raging farewell party in 2001. The Ambassador Hotel, which stood on Nathan Road from 1961 to 1998, was known for its 17-storey mosaic mural, created by artist Yip Poon Chiu-fong, that depicted the travels of Confucius.

Probably the best known of these post-war hotels was the Hong Kong Hilton. Designed by venerable architecture firm Palmer & Turner, responsible for Central’s Jardine House and many other icons, it opened in 1963 with 750 rooms. It was an instant hit thanks to the 24-hour Cat Street coffee shop, top-floor Eagle’s Nest supper club and the Opium Den lounge.

The hotel’s playhouse attracted top-flight talent like Latin music star Xavier Cugat, who played at the Hilton in 1966. The hotel was torn down after it was sold to Li Ka-shing’s Cheung Kong Holdings in 1995 – the company’s headquarters now stands on the site – but its legacy can be felt every time you turn on a Wong Kar-wai picture: the director was a fan of Cugat and included his music in many of his films’ soundtracks.

For every hotel that’s been demolished, a dozen new ones have risen. Data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board shows that the city now has more than 93,671 hotel rooms, compared to 41,829 in 2002. Among these are many instant classics such as The Ritz-Carlton, with its views from 490 metres above Victoria Harbour in West Kowloon; The Murray, refashioned from a 1960s Central office tower; and the newly revamped Eaton Hong Kong in Jordan, which is making a name for itself as a cultural destination with documentary screenings and indie music gigs.