The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is set to open the world's highest hotel in the first quarter of next year.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong will occupy floors 102-118 - the top 17 - of the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Kowloon and offer 312 rooms, these starting at 50sq m (538sq ft) for a deluxe room and rising to 365sq m (3,930sq ft) for the Ritz-Carlton Suite. The hotel's bars and restaurants have been designed by Japan's Spin Studio and Wonderwall, with six dining venues starting on the 102nd floor and including Chinese and Italian restaurants. A rooftop bar 490m (1,608ft) above sea level will offer Asian-style tapas and contemporary cocktails - in addition to stunning views of Hong Kong.

The property will also feature one of the largest ballrooms in the city, at 930sq m (10,010sq ft), this being complemented by four additional meeting rooms. Leisure facilities will include an ESPA spa on the 116th floor, featuring nine deluxe treatment rooms and three couples' suites. On the 118th floor are to be a fully equipped fitness centre and an indoor pool.

Retail therapy will be available in the podium of the ICC tower in the shape of the 1,000,000sq m (10.8m sq ft) Elements shopping mall. The tower itself - designed by American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates in conjunction with Wong & Ouyang (HK) - is a part of the Union Square project built on top of Kowloon Station. The project is owned and jointly developed by MTR Corporation and Sun Hung Kai Properties, Hong Kong's subway operator and largest property developer respectively.

Image: WiNG