Notes 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.
History of IL 1875 lot:
This is the second "Kingsclere" in Hong Kong - both owned by ER Belilos. The original Kingsclere's address was 13 Caine Rd.
Belilios originally intended the Kennedy Road as a Synagogue. However, there was some to-do with the Trustees, (Belilios wanted a road to the upper part of the property to build on, and the Trustees said no. ER took some legal action) and it was not built.
In 1896, the Kennedy Road lot was put up for auction. An extention was requested in 1898, and a lease issued in 1904.
Vanessa notes this was one of the long-stay hotels used by British people returning from leave in the 60s and 70s.
There are more memories of the hotel plus a photo over on Facebook.
10-14 Hysan Avenue.
James Cahill describes it as:
... a small, inexpensive and likeable hotel across Hysan Avenue from Lee Gardens. It disappeared years ago, replaced by a huge, glass-fronted I. M. Pei building.
62 and 63 Gloucester Road. (On the west side of the junction of Luard & Gloucester Roads).
The location is given in the report on the annual session of the Licensing Board, reported on page 5 of the 8th Nov 1939 issue of the HK Daily Press. It notes that a Restaurant Adjunct Licence was issued to 'Tainosuke Yamakawa, Nagasaki Joe Hotel, 62 and 63, Gloucester Road ground floors.'
13, Queen's Road Central.
It looks as though this building changed hands several times. In a 1909 advertisement it is described as 'Aster House (Late Connaught Hotel)'. Then Moddsey notes that later it changed it's name from Astor House to the St. Francis Hotel. Despite the change of name, it's function stayed the same - a hotel.
The 1909 advertisement uses the spelling 'Aster' throughout, even for the 'Telegraphic Address'. However in all other references I've seen, it is spelled 'Astor'.
I had the feeling that the Gloucester Building and Gloucester Hotel were two separate places (or possibly different buildings on the same plot). But the first mention of the hotel in the newspapers was the 4 Aug 1935 issue of the Sunday Herald, noting a wedding reception held there. That means the Gloucester Building and Gloucester Hotel were in existence at the same time.
So was the Gloucester Hotel the business name for the 'apartment house' described in the Feb 1932 clipping below?
1, Connaught Road.
Can anyone confirm the opening date for the Furama? The Emporis website says 1977. But the left edge of this photo dated 1972 shows the building almost finished, so it seems unlikely it would have sat empty for 4-5 years. [Update: opening date set to 1973, see comments below].
Wikipedia says it "closed in November, and was demolished in December 2001."
