How The Upper House Redefined Luxury Hospitality In Hong Kong

It’s a gloomy day in February, and a small group lies in contemplative silence as the resonant tones of a ceremonial gong wash over them. The light is soft and the ambiance warm, while renowned practitioner May Nogoy performs and guides the immersive sound bath, which some participants later describe as one of the most profound experiences in their lives.

This scene might not surprise you had it taken place in Ibiza or Peru. But what if I tell you the moments unfold forty-nine floors above the bustling streets of Hong Kong?

While most luxury hotels were still treating wellness as an afterthought — perhaps a small spa tucked away in the basement offering light pampering and can’t-go-wrong facials — The Upper House in Hong Kong was quietly revolutionizing the entire concept. Four years ago, when the House’s General Manager Kristina Snaith-Lense first introduced Family Form, a dynamic infrared-heated workout studio, most questioned whether Hong Kong’s busy elite was ready to embrace such experiences. Today, that same program has expanded to sister property The Middle House in Shanghai, just as the global wellness tourism market has exploded to $1.1 trillion.

Snaith-Lense, a fourth-generation Hong Kong native who worked her way up from bellhop to managing one of the world’s most acclaimed hotels, saw the shift coming years earlier. This week, it has just been announced that she would be leaving The Upper House to take on the General Manager role to lead the new House in Shenzhen (anticipated to open in 2027) — no doubt with a renewed vision for wellness.

“Wellness has now become an integral part of our House and the Guest Experience,” explains Snaith-Lense. Under her management, The Upper House Hong Kong recently claimed the #5 spot on The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2024. “From curated residencies and exclusive collaborations with the world’s leading wellness experts, we offer unique programming for our guests and a wider community that truly prioritises health.”

What makes The Upper House’s approach revolutionary isn’t just its timing — it’s the complete reimagining of what hotel wellness can be. The Upper House, famed for its discreet location and “quiet luxury” design aesthetics years before it became a phenomenon, never had a spa and didn’t intend to either. Instead of following the norm of providing guests with traditional spa services, the property features what Snaith-Lense calls “wellness residencies” — specialized practitioners who set up shop within converted guest rooms and public spaces.

The results speak for themselves. In one former guest room, Family Form has now amassed a cult-like following with its 55-minute infrared-heated mat-based workouts. Another guest room houses 10x Longevity, featuring hyperbaric oxygen chambers and red light therapy — treatments that were virtually unknown in Hong Kong when first introduced. The property’s serviced apartments, located in the building just across the street from the hotel entrance, have been transformed into mini wellness retreats offering everything from chiropractic care to personalized nutrition diagnostics.

“The collective of our creative and intuitive wellness residencies is the antithesis of the traditional hotel spa model,” Snaith-Lense notes. “Instead, we have designed spaces that aligns with the burgeoning trend of social wellness.”

The Upper House’s community-focused model — where wellness becomes a social experience rather than a solitary indulgence — perfectly captures the shift of modern luxury towards authenticity and mindfulness in every aspect of hospitality offerings.

The property’s success in attracting both locals and international guests reflects market trends in not just hotels, but the broader travel industry, with airlines also investing heavily in wellness experiences to win over a share of the post-COVID tourism boom. Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flag carrier, exemplifies this shift by spending the pandemic years developing its Aria Suite, a product with a focus on eco-friendly comfort through tranquil designs featuring soft, biophilic elements that prioritizes passengers’ mental well-being: think intuitive controls, noise-cancelling headphones, and a calm, private space.

With 40% increased demand for eco-friendly wellness hotels and 35% growth in wellness-focused business accommodations, The Upper House’s sustainable, community-centered model shows its competitive edge of early market positioning.

“Hong Kong is one of the most efficient and vibrant cities in the world,” Snaith-Lense observes. “Locals are constantly on the go and looking for a one stop shop to service their wellbeing needs under enormous time pressure. Equally luxury travellers are booking their hotels now with greater priority placed on wellness facilities and programming.”

She’s right. With personalities like Bryan Johnson, Wim Hoff and Dr Joe Dispenza becoming international public figures and psychedelics and other mind-altering substances openly endorsed by respected opinion leaders in the medical sphere, global destinations like Hong Kong will only see an upward tick in numbers of luxury tourists expecting similar wellness treatments and experiences as they would find in New York or London.

Longevity, together with spirituality, are key focus areas. “There has been a rise in the demand for wellness services that support recovery, pro-aging and longevity,” says Snaith-Lense. “Our longevity suite… deliver a results-driven, individualized approach to evidence-based wellness that prioritises long-term vitality.”

For properties like The Upper House, this represents not just a trend but a fundamental shift in how luxury hospitality operates in the modern world.