While China’s ancient past has provided many hoteliers with inspiration in recent years, we’ve also seen many go overboard with cultural motifs, resulting in tacky designs that overwhelm the senses.

This is not the case with the recently opened The Olympian, which serves as a prime example of understated luxury.

Managed by Sino Hotels, the 32-room boutique hotel is located right in the heart of West Kowloon.

Blessed with floor-to-ceiling windows, the rooms range from 43 to 75 square metres, which is generous by Hong Kong standards.

Panoramic views of the Victoria Harbour beckon outside, while plush velvet furnishings and hardwood flooring imbue the interiors with a sense of grandiose.

All rooms come equipped with Acca Kappa bathroom amenities, hypoallergenic pillows and duvets and are enveloped by a lively palette of beige, subdued golds and dark woods.

Sheung Hei, which literally means “double happiness” in Mandarin, is translated into a range of architectural motifs, which adorn the hotel lobby and corridors.

The hotel entrance is an exercise in geometrics, with both floor and ceiling taking on a beehive-inspired pattern.

Meanwhile, the lobby is defined by straight lines and sharp angles, which help guide guests’ eyes towards the Chinese paintings that decorate one side of the wall.