Hong Kong Night Clubs, Dance Clubs: 10Best Reviews
There are scores of dance clubs in Hong Kong, and the scene keeps expanding. What fuels the enthusiasm is a combination of a desire to let off steam in a city that works 24/7, and Hong Kong’s legendary entrepreneurial spirit, which sees any number of business owners finding a suitable space and employing the DJs who will keep spinning, and the crowd dancing, until the small hours.
Some clubs start up and then vanish within a few months, victims of high rents or simply because they are not striking the right note. Others go on and on for decades. Dragon i is a prime example, combining a central location with a well designed space. The brainchild of one of the city’s leading socialites, it quickly attracted the attention of Hong Kong’s glitterati, and visiting celebrities have been quick to join in the fun. At the other end of the scale, Fly is an extended walk on the wild side. Get up to Ozone for a real high.
Other clubs may be less exclusive than Dragon-i, but they still pull in plenty of regular merrymakers who just want to dance their socks off till the small hours, unworried whether their fellow revelers feature on the A List. One thing is for sure, dance fans are in for a treat in Hong Kong, with DJs catering to all sorts of different tastes. Party on, dudes.
Photo courtesy of PLAY HK
Playtime has never been such fun. Play has been around for some years, but got a design makeover from top local artist Simon Birch, who hand painted the fully interactive LED light stage. The predominant palette is dark blue, lending a calm and sophisticated ambiance. Design aside, Play’s killer app is the biggest dance floor in Central, a whopping 8,000 square feet which tends to fill up quickly, especially towards the end of the week: the club can hold up to 1,000 revelers at full capacity. Keep an eye open for new cocktails, as bar staff take great pride in coming up with new and imaginative dirnks.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: The biggest dance floor in Central grants plenty of room for maneuver.
Ed’s expert tip: Midnight spells the start of the party proper!
Photo courtesy of Fly
Come fly with me, and how! Fly is designed so that a clubber’s senses would be enhanced through hearing, seeing and feeling the music; there’s a massive Turbosound system that pumps solid, crisp and powerful sound that can vibrate hair on skin, and a jet-black DJ booth that sits amidst a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling LED wall, displaying larger-than-life graphics that are in-sync with the sound and beats of the tunes. Gritty black tiles, raw concrete and mesh screens are dotted with reflective materials to strategically reflect LED graphics, energizing every corner and engulfing clubbers with synchronized visual beats. Other playful features, such as handle-like wall features, a pseudo dancing pole, raised flooring and even tables that could be used as dancing platforms are also key elements to the spatial planning of the room to entice clubbers’ interaction with the music and vibe.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: Resident DJs Ryan Ash and Anil Ahuja spin with real panache.
Ed’s expert tip: Fly specializes in electronic music: you have been warned.
Perching on the highest floor of the world’s highest hotel overlooking a skyscraper city, Ozone is an experience not to be found elsewhere. Occupying the 118th floor of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, the sleek and futurist-looking space is connected to the real world by a lift that moves as fast as nine meters a second. Try the martinis, they are some of the best in town. Of course, the view is the jewel in the crown. On a good day, visitors can have a near bird’s-eye-view of Victoria Harbour, Kowloon, New Territories and outlying islands. The buzzing metropolis looks like a Lego city from almost half a kilometer in the air. To enhance the top-of-the-world feeling, head to the bar’s roofless semi-outdoor seating area that lets you see and breathe above the city.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: This is a dance club with a difference, expect no pretension, just great sounds.
Ed’s expert tip: Go on a clear night, otherwise you lose the best part of the experience: the view.
Photo courtesy of Volar
Been there, danced that, but Volar has long been a mainstay of the Lan Kwai Fong dance scene. After a meal and a spot of bar hopping, where better to get the night really going than Volar’s 5,000 square foot temple to dance. It’s pulled in some of the biggest names in the dance world — such as Dr Dre and Kendrick Lamar. Volar is divided into two main spaces — The Club Room and The Electronic Room. State of the art speakers and other hi-tech gear means that you can converse even when the volume is truly pumped up. A cool cocktail selection completes Volar’s amazing offerings.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: Volar has attracted such top names as Dr Dre so you really can’t not come here and dance.
Ed’s expert tip: The eclectic bathroom decor is worth the trip alone.
Photo courtesy of Armani Prive
Armani Prive is a club of two halves. First is the chic indoor lounge club, where the glitterati (and this is very much an A-Lister venue) shake it till late into the night to the latest DJ spins. Second comes the very relaxed rooftop terrace with a backdrop provided by the city’s skyscrapers. Sleek lounge sofas and comfortable chairs are ideal for sipping on a great cocktail and taking in the thrilling pulse of Hong Kong. Armani Prive is re-inventing the lost art of cocktails, presenting the classics with fresh and sometimes truly unconventional ingredients. Sit back and enjoy as there’s plenty of scope for people-watching.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: The outside terrace is a great place to chill, almost as if you’re riding a drone through Central Hong Kong.
Ed’s expert tip: If you’re a fan of international celeb spotting, you’ve come to exactly the right place.
Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board
The essence of Magnum Club is the sheer celebration and enjoyment of life, whether it be through exclusive membership benefits, exclusive ladies’ nights, superstar acts like American rapper Lil Jon, high-end fashion parties, an audiophile’s sound system, resplendent golden toilets, Magnum Club’s own television lifestyle show, a constant influx of legendary international DJs or just the fact that this is the hottest place to party.
Magnum Club is bubbling with a vibrancy that’s remarkable even by Hong Kong standards.
Located in the heart of Central, Magnum Club is the new heart of Central. This 13,000-square-foot establishment pulses with the collective energy of Lan Kwai Fong; it’s a two-story, multi-million-dollar monolith dedicated to all the demanding requirements of an exclusive clientele.
Tastefully luxurious, Magnum Club’s magnificent decor heralds an inspiration from wine and Champagne, as bubble chandeliers inlaid with over 100,000 crystals burst in the center of the 20-foot atrium for all to admire.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: As a well recognized brand, Magnum is one of the greatest dance clubs in Hong Kong.
Ed’s expert tip: Expect an extra big crowd on the special pole-dancing nights.
Photo courtesy of Tazmania Ballroom
Get ready to be amazed, even if only slightly. Tazmania Ballroom is a dance club, for sure, but added to that is a lounge and, gasp, games. Twice a week, thanks to some ingenious hi-tech design, the billiards tables are hoisted out of the way to make room for ping pong tables. Seriously. For the rest of the week, Tazmania Ballroom is all out cool sounds, cool drinks and a cool crowd. Owned by one of the city’s foremost socialites, Tazmania Ballroom attracts a hip group of folk, who take their partying, and their drinking, very seriously. Right in the heart of Central, this is a place to go for fun.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: Tazmania Ballroom is glam, but it is glam that is fun.
Ed’s expert tip: Dress to impress, this place has got class.
Drop has long been Hong Kong’s default dance venue. The city has a few clubs that are popular with a celebrity crowd, and this is one of them. Despite having been around for a few years, Drop still manages to reel ’em in. The entrance is on Cochrane Street, and once you’re past the rather selective doorman you’ll find a stylish modern space with lots of texture and warm lighting, punctuated with splashes of red. Fruity cocktails are the quaff of choice here, although the classic martini does have its fair share of takers. Plan to arrive before 11pm; after that you need to be a film star (or a member) to get in.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: Drop is one of the most happening dance clubs in Hong Kong, and always attracts a lively crowd.
Ed’s expert tip: Door staff can be selective: dress well and be polite.
Welcome to celeb central. Dragon-i is a see-and-be-seen sort of place which claims to sell more champagne than any other club in Southeast Asia. The velvet rope is particularly long on weekends (unless you happen to be unnaturally beautiful or ditto famous). It is one of the most fashionable clubs in town. They tend to book the best DJ talent, and their food (Japanese and Chinese) and cocktails are wonderful. All this style and general fabulousness attracts a good number of models and celebrities, of course, making it nearly impossible for mere mortals to get in the door. But, if you have the clothes and the looks and want to check out Hong Kong’s high-profile clubbing scene, give it a shot.
Recommended for Dance Clubs because: This is the socialites’ dance club, but it’s great for people-watching even if there are no celebs in house.
Ed’s expert tip: Try Dragon-i’s surprisingly good all-you-can-eat dim sum for around US$24 per head.
