The OZONE bar sits on the 118th floor atop the Ritz-Carlton at the ICC Tower in Hong Kong. Its claim to fame is that it’s the highest bar in the world. That claim might be debated based on how you define “highest” but nobody can debate that the OZONE is a spectacle. During my recent stay at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, we spent an evening at the OZONE bar Hong Kong to watch the light show and here’s how it went.
The ICC Tower
The ICC Tower is the tallest building in Hong Kong standing 1,588 feet tall (over 100 feet taller than the Empire State Building). Looking out from the view at The Peak, it’s that bright and shiny tower looming in the background towards the left that you just can’t miss.
At night the ICC Tower lights up with all sorts of different designs and patterns and actually holds the Guinness World Record for the largest light and sound show on a single building. It’s a sight to behold.
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Entrance to the OZONE
Once you arrive at the ICC, you’ll need to make your way to the Ritz-Carlton ground entrance. You can easily take a taxi here or you can arrive via the metro at Kowloon Station on the Tung Chung Line.
From there, you’ll take an elevator up to the main lobby level of the Ritz-Carlton, which is on the 103rd floor of the ICC Tower.
On that floor, you’ll find the OZONE elevator which will zip you up to the 118th floor where you’ll find the OZONE bar.
The elevator is small but intricately designed with mirrors and shapes and the light dims as you approach the 118th floor.
Once you leave the elevator, you’ll notice the striking corridors of the OZONE. A hallway of curtains hanging over brilliant granite floors with ambient lighting leads you to the check-in desk.
The OZONE bar
The actual bar at the OZONE is striking.The architects based the design theme around “’Edenic Experiment’ – a man-made environment of nature in an imaginary world”. It’s something that you just have to see in person because it’s really quite mesmerizing.
We caught the bar on a weekday evening before the crowds hit and it was amazing to get clean views of the swanky interior. Actually, swanky doesn’t really describe this over-the-top bar. The marble bar combined with the flashy geometric designs spanning the floors, walls, and ceiling create an otherworldly feel to the venue.
It’s truly a spectacle of a bar.
There’s plenty of seating in the bar area and out on the rooftop terrace, but I wouldn’t be surprised if OZONE gets very busy on nice weather weekend nights (when the view is clear). If you’re in doubt about whether or not crowds will be an issue, be sure to make reservations. You can do that online or by contacting restaurant reservations at (852) 2263 2270 or email [email protected].
While there is comfy seating indoors, I’d rather spend time in the outdoor terrace for the views.
The view from the OZONE bar
We arrived to the bar to watch the light show and were given a dedicated corner on the rooftop terrace to get some photographs of the light show. The Hong Kong light show begins at 8pm and should be on every night unless bad weather forces them to cancel.
The OZONE is not a bad place to watch the light show but it’s a difficult place to photograph it. There are so many reflections found on the thick glass windows that it made it very difficult to get quality shots.
If you’re curious to see what the light show consists of, check out the video below which is sped up at 4X the speed.
It’s cool to see the light show from a bird’s eye perspective but you might want to venture to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui to watch the show for a more engaging experience where you can listen to the accompanying soundtrack. However, if you want to listen to the soundtrack from the OZONE you can download the Symphony of Lights App which will allow you to catch the music anywhere.
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Drinks at the OZONE
Eventually, we decided to order some drinks and I went with the Ritz-Carlton Signature HK Skyline. It’s one of the most expensive cocktails I’ve ever ordered at $43 USD but it sounded like such an interesting cocktail, I couldn’t resist.
The Ritz-Carlton Signature HK Skyline comes with: Zacapa 23 years, Absinth, Imperial Oolong Syrup, Pink Grapefruit, Lime, Dome Perignon Foam, Chocolate stones, and lavender smoke. It’s served in a smoky container that’s opened up right before your eyes in extravagant fashion.
You can watch a video of the unveiling below.
The drink also tasted great (at least to me). Brad had a hard time getting over the smoky flavor but I love smoky flavors so I really enjoyed it. We also ordered the Cheung Chau Beach, which came with Mezcal, Cinnamon orange honey, pineapple, lime, and coconut.
In the photos below, you can see what the OZONE bar drink prices looked like when we visited. As you can see, signature cocktails will cost you 195 HKD or about $25 USD. Consider that the entrance fee to the Sky100 ICC observation deck is 169 HKD or about $22 USD (with online booking discount). The OZONE bar has no entrance fee (you just need to order something). Thus, the OZONE can offer you a view from an even higher floor than the Sky100 along with a drink for roughly the same price.
Note that if you’re trying to secure a table at OZONE the bar will impose minimum charges ranging from 500+ HKD.
OZONE also serves up tapas and other dishes, such as sushi. You can find those food menu items here.
After a couple of drinks we headed to the exit but we didn’t exit the same way we came up. Instead, we were ushered to the “secret” VIP exit which spit us out near the elevator lobby outside of the pool and spa area. I had no idea about that passage way so it was a cool way to end a great evening at the OZONE.
OZONE bar hours
Here are all of the hours for the OZONE. Note that there is a dress code after 9pm, although it’s not super strict. “No shorts, beach sandals, open toe shoes, sleeveless shirts for gentlemen.” Basically just don’t dress for the beach after 9pm and you’ll be just fine.
Operation Hours:
- 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. (Monday – Wednesday)
- 5 p.m. – 2 a.m. (Thursday)
- 5 p.m. – 3 a.m. (Friday)
- 3 p.m. – 3 a.m. (Saturday)
- 12 p.m. – 12 a.m. (Sunday)
Ozone opens up at noon on Sundays which is apparently when they put on a pretty popular Dom Perignon brunch. Also, guests below 18 years of age are only allowed in between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily and for Sunday Brunch.
Final word on the OZONE bar Hong Kong
The OZONE is truly a spectacle. The drinks aren’t very cheap but the views of Victoria Bay and Hong Kong Island are exceptional and I think there’s something to be said about enjoying a cocktail or two in such a cool and unique bar environment. If you love views and skyscrapers/architecture like me, then you’ll probably enjoy a visit to OZONE — just try to time your visit with a clear weather in Hong Kong (much easier said than done).
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio.
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